Gary Patrick took home two Josie Music Awards, Male Artist of the Year Folk/Americana and Male Vocalist of the Year Americana/Folk. (Contributed Photo)

From the heart of East Texas to the bright lights of CMA Theater, Gary Patrick is proving talent knows no bounds. For more than three decades, he’s been quietly carving a name for himself as one of the most respected independent artists in East Texas.

“A lot of people will ask ‘when was it that you chose to do music?’” Patrick said. “Well, music chose me.”

The youngest of four siblings, Patrick grew up in a household full of music.

“There was a pivotal moment when I heard the song ‘Play Me’ by Neil Diamond,” he said. “I was a kid and it just stuck with me.”

After graduating high school in 1989, Patrick moved to Southern California where he was pursuing a career in aeronautical engineering, which was learning how to maintain, build, and fly jet aircraft.

“I was a great student but my heart wasn’t really in it,” he said.

Thanks to the support of his parents, Patrick was able to focus on his craft and lay the groundwork for a successful independent career.

“After I got the green light from them, I started playing music for a living… and that was something that never stopped,” he said.

However, the road to success wasn’t easy, especially as an artist not tied to major record labels.

“When you’re assigned a record label, normally under their umbrella, they would have a promotional team that knows how to promote your music to the world,” Patrick said. “They would have a financial side, a bank loan that they would give you and all they ask of you is to continue to write and produce music and they would help get it out to the world. When you’re an indie artist, you have to learn that all on your own.”

As an independent artist, Patrick maintains all the rights to his music, giving him full control over his creative work.

“It’s not about being famous for me,” he said. “The journey (to success) is the destination. It’s a lifelong road of meeting people, about developing relationships… it’s all about going through it.”

Patrick’s music is deeply rooted in country and Americana, with influences ranging from traditional honky-tonk and Southern rock to contemporary country. His style often includes heartfelt storytelling and relatable lyrics, often reflecting on themes of love, life experiences, and small-town roots.

“Inspiration comes from a lot of different things,” Patrick said. “Sometimes I’ll overhear a conversation from the table next to me, which might sound like eavesdropping. But, like I say, life experiences are research and development.”

When it comes to where the creative process strikes, Patrick says inspiration often hits while he’s on the road

“I get really creative when I’m driving,” he explains. “A melody will come to me then, or I’ll hear something on the radio that sparks an idea. I’ll call up my co-writer, tell him I’ve got an idea for a song, and that’s how we do it. There’s really no one way to approach it, the melody doesn’t always come before the lyric. Sometimes the lyric comes first. It’s always different for me.”

While living in California, Patrick worked for the Wilson sisters — two-thirds of the popular pop music trio, Wilson Phillips. He was hired to play guitar and sing backup vocals and made several TV appearances, including the Rosie O’Donnell show to perform ‘Monday Without You.’

“I got to do a few national radio tours, where you fly all over the country and visit the biggest radio stations in New York, Cincinnati, (and) Los Angeles,” he said. “We would play live on the radio too.”

Patrick also sang “Unchained Melody” in front of the Righteous Brothers. “That was probably the most nervous I think I’ve ever been in my career,” he said.

Patrick also lived in Las Vegas for 10 years, where he performed with a house band at the Bellagio and Mirage casinos. He and his band also performed at Cesar’s Palace, The Monte Carlo, The Venetian and Paris hotels.

His talent and perseverance took him to a national stage in Nashville as he took home two Josie Music Awards, Male Artist of the Year Folk/Americana and Male Vocalist of the Year Americana/Folk.

“It was incredible because it’s beyond my East Texas orbit,” Patrick said. “There were hundreds and hundreds of people there and just being nominated, to me, was sweet victory.”

On Oct. 27, the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville hosted the 10th annual Josie Music Awards, a celebrating the best in independent music. This year, according to The Tennessean, the ceremony honored over 196 winners from more than 75,000 submissions.

“That was a sweet recognition for my life’s work just to be recognized and honored,” Patrick said. “I didn’t expect to get my name called, let alone twice.”

Founded in 2015 by mother-daughter duo Josie and Tinamarie Passantino, the Josie Music Awards have become the largest independent music award show in the world, providing a platform for artists, songwriters, and industry professionals to connect and celebrate their work.

Not only did Patrick come to Nashville for his nominations but he also performed to a sold-out crowd at the CMA Theater at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum for the pre-party.

“It was a beautiful theater,” he said. “The energy was high… it was amazing to play to almost 800 people. You could hear a pin drop… definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Many of Patrick’s friends and family were present to share the excitement of the Josie Music Awards and celebrate his accomplishments together.

“When my name was called, they cheered so loud,” he said. “I walked up on stage… and jumped into that circle and saw all those people, there was nothing but sheer love. We were all there celebrating each other… it was really nice.”

For Patrick, the recognition feels like a launching pad for what is next. “At the same time of the awards, I released a brand-new song called ‘Montana Moon’ and… it’s the most authentic song I’ve ever released,” he said.

With his career on a springboard, Patrick feels he is in the right place. “I feel like my career is going to explode from here,” he said. “In my heart of hearts, my goal was never to be famous… it was to be respected and to be great at my craft and that’s what I do every day.”

Patrick hopes that for any budding artist, the ultimate goal is to strive to be the best at what they do. “I hope they are authentic and not follow trends,” he said. “You have to buckle up for the ride and be patient and persistent because there are peaks and valleys in a career of music. You have to learn to promote your own music, you have to know when the goalpost moves… one strategy might work for six months and not for the next. It’s going to take up all of your time, this is not a 9-to-5 job… you have to keep going.”

When Patrick isn’t busy writing songs, he enjoys working on vintage cars. He currently lives in Mineola with his wife of four years. Through that marriage he gained three children and 10 grandchildren.

He performs regularly throughout East Texas, with shows in Tyler, Longview, and surrounding areas several times a month, bringing his music to local audiences who have come to know him well.

“I play original music that I’ve written and recorded over my career and I’ll play my favorite cover songs that I’ve loved since I was a kid,” Patrick said. “Basically things that speak to me, inspire me and help shape me as an artist. I am very proud to be from East Texas… my roots are here, I find inspiration everywhere here.”

For more information and tour dates, visit www.garypatrick.love.