Ottilie Patterson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ottilie Patterson
Patterson (& Chris Barber Band), The Netherlands, 14 February 1957
Background information
Birth name	Anna Ottilie Patterson
Born	(1932-01-31)31 January 1932 Comber, County Down, Northern Ireland
Died	20 June 2011(2011-06-20) (aged 79)
Genres	Traditional jazz, blues
Occupation(s)	Singer
Instruments	Piano, vocals
Years active	1955–1983
Labels	Decca, Pye, Columbia
Associated acts	Chris Barber

Anna Ottilie Patterson (born January 31, 1932 – died June 20, 2011) was a famous blues singer from Northern Ireland. She was best known for singing with the Chris Barber Jazz Band in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Many people called her the "godmother of British blues." They also said she was the greatest British blues singer ever! Her powerful, soulful voice often surprised audiences. She had a natural talent for blues music.

Ottilie Patterson's Early Life

Anna Ottilie Patterson was born in Comber, County Down, Northern Ireland. This was on January 31, 1932. She was the youngest of four children. Her father, Joseph Patterson, was from Northern Ireland. Her mother, Jūlija Jēgers, was from Latvia. They met in Georgia when her father was in the British army.

Ottilie's name was a British version of the Latvian name "Ottilja." Both sides of her family loved music. Ottilie started learning classical piano when she was eleven. She never had singing lessons. But she fell in love with blues music when she was just ten years old.

Becoming a Singer

In 1949, Ottilie went to study art at Belfast College of Technology. There, a friend showed her the music of famous blues artists. These included Bessie Smith, Jelly Roll Morton, and Meade Lux Lewis. In 1951, she began singing with Jimmy Compton's Jazz Band. In August 1952, she started her own band called the Muskrat Ramblers.

After college, she worked as an art teacher. But she found it quite boring. In the summer of 1954, she was on holiday in London. There, she met Beryl Bryden, who introduced her to the Chris Barber Jazz Band.

Patterson joined the Barber band full-time on December 28, 1954. Her first public show with them was at the Royal Festival Hall. This happened on January 9, 1955.

Touring and Recording

From 1955 to 1962, Ottilie toured a lot with the Chris Barber Jazz Band. They also made many recordings together. Some of her own recordings included EPs (smaller albums) like Blues (1955) and That Patterson Girl (1955). She also appeared on many of Chris Barber's records. She was a very important part of the band's success. Ottilie and Chris Barber got married in 1959.

When famous American blues artists visited the UK, the Chris Barber band often played with them. This meant Ottilie got to sing with amazing musicians. She performed with Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson, Big Bill Broonzy, and Sister Rosetta Tharpe.

Ottilie said her proudest moment was singing with Muddy Waters' band. This happened in the USA at a place called Smitty's Corner. In 1962, she performed with the band at President Kennedy's Washington Jazz Festival.

However, touring so much was very tiring. Performing hundreds of shows each year took a toll on her health. From about 1963, she started having health challenges. This made it hard for her to perform regularly. She officially left the band in 1973. During this time, she recorded some different kinds of music. In 1969, she released a solo album called 3000 Years with Ottilie. This album is now very popular with collectors. In 1964, she sang the theme song for a British horror film.

Later Years and Legacy

In early 1983, Ottilie and Chris Barber performed a few concerts in London. These shows were recorded for an album called Madame Blues and Doctor Jazz (1984). The Chris Barber Band recorded hundreds of songs with Ottilie. These songs covered many different music styles.

In 1988, Patterson moved to Ayr, Scotland. She passed away there on June 20, 2011, at 79 years old. She is buried in Movilla Abbey Cemetery in Newtownards, Northern Ireland.

In February 2012, a special blue plaque was put up in Comber. This plaque marks the house where she was born. On the same evening, a sold-out music tribute was held in her honor.

A BBC documentary called 'My Name is Ottilie' tells her story. It includes old interviews with Ottilie herself. In the film, a musician named Dana Masters explores Ottilie's life and career.

Ottilie Patterson's Recordings

Ottilie Patterson recorded many albums and singles throughout her career. Here are some of them:

Solo Albums

• That Patterson Girl (1955)
• Blues (1956)
• Ottilie (1960)
• 3000 Years with Ottilie (1969)
• Madame Blues and Doctor Jazz (1984)

With Chris Barber

• Chris Barber Plays (1955)
• Echoes of Harlem (1955)
• Chris Barber in Concert (1957)
• Chris Barber's Blues Book Volume One (1961)
• Good Mornin' Blues (1965)
• Ottilie Patterson with Chris Barber's Jazzband 1955–1958 (1993)

Singles

• "St Louis Blues" (1955)
• "I Hate a Man Like You" (1955)
• "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out" (1955)
• "There'll Be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight" (1959)
• "The Mountains of Mourne" (1960)
• "Blueberry Hill" (1961)
• "Baby Please Don't Go" (1964)
• "Hello Dolly" (1964)