Biography:John A. Pattee
John A. Pattee
| |
|---|---|
| Given name: | John |
| Middle name: | A. |
| Family name: | Pattee |
| Place of birth: | New Boston, Michigan |
| Place of death: | |
| Year of birth: | 1844 |
| Year of death: | 1924 |
| Profile: | Musician |
| Source of information: | http://www.oocities.org/24th michigan/jpattee.html |
Biographical notes
Fiddler John A. Pattee, of New Boston, Michigan, was a Civil War veteran, having served with the 24th Michigan Infantry Regiment and been posted to a gun battery for the Iron Brigade through many of the war's most vicious battles. Although he never attained the rank of 'colonel' (a self-promotion for the stage), he was instrumental in forming a vaudeville act in 1904 called the Old Soldiers Fiddlers, in which two Southern and two Northern fiddlers played their regional music, and, in reconciliation, played together (with handshakes).
He also broadcast on radio WEAF until his death, and achieved the notice of the New York Times of Dec. 28, 1924, in "Listen in on the Radio" (sec. 8, p. 12, col. 5):
Colonel John A. Pattee, old soldier fiddler and favorite of WEAFS Radio Audience, will never stand before a microphone again. This unfortunate news came with word of his death which cancelled his radio barn dance from WEAF scheduled for Saturday Evening, Dec. 20, 1924,
Colonel Pattee was 80 years of age and a civil war veteran, having served in the twenty- fourth Michigan Volunteer Infantry, called the "Iron Brigade, " which opened the Battle of Gettysburg.
On numerous occasions he has appeared on WEAF's programs, playing the old dance tunes on his fiddle just as he played them before the civil war days.
His voice, calling out each tune in the fashion of the country fiddler, won for him a warm spot in the hearts of WEAF's radio listeners.