Musician’s everlasting love lives on through song

By Vanessa Lenz

SLN Staff

When doctors gave Pat Peterson a grim prognosis in December, he made a decision to spend his final days with his three loves – his wife Ruth, 10-year-old daughter Jazmine and music.

For the past 20 years, the 40-year-old lifelong Whitewater resident has performed throughout Southeastern Wisconsin and more than 15 states creating a name for himself as a talented and charismatic guitarist and singer.

And he continued to play until he couldn’t anymore.

Pat lost his more than three-year battle with brain cancer on Feb. 7.

Pushing through the aching grief following the death of her husband, Ruth has turned her focus to fulfilling his final wish to share his music with listeners from all walks of life.

“Patrick, even in his last days, lived and breathed music. The sound of his voice and the melodies of his guitar could always be heard throughout the house,” Ruth said.

Ruth plans to honor her husband’s wishes and his memory by completing and releasing four unfinished CDs that capture Pat’s talent.

She’s already had success in getting Pat’s music heard across the globe.

A push to have his song “Long Road” go viral on YouTube has already resulted in 18,000 hits.

The video features Pat performing live in the Madison-based concert TV series, “The Urban Theater” in September of 2009 shortly after his initial diagnosis.

“Overnight, Pat had comments from people around the world who had heard the song and loved it,” said Ruth.

Television and radio stations and newspapers from across the state helped to spread the Petersons’ story after hearing the news.

Battling cancer

Pat was diagnosed with Glioblastoma, a grade IV astrocytoma cancerous brain tumor, in September of 2009.

Over a three-year span, Pat’s doctors performed numerous surgeries, radiation and chemotherapy treatments in an effort to mitigate the growth of multiple tumors. But the condition was unrelenting, leading doctors to halt all treatments.

After a nearly four-year fight, doctors at University Hospital in Madison revealed in mid-December there was nothing more that could be done to treat the aggressive form of cancer.

Ruth said music remained a constant through it all.

“Still, throughout all of this chaos and treatment, Pat and I remained positive and worked even harder to finish as many of his CD projects as we possibly could, and Pat still continued to perform live shows,” Ruth said.

She recalled a live performance, just 13 days after a surgery to remove his second tumor.

“Pat performed live at Milwaukee Summerfest on the Harley Stage. Watching him perform, you would never have known he had just underwent brain surgery,” she said.

The talented performer 

Throughout his venerable career, Pat wrote hundreds of pieces.

In addition to performing solo, he has been a part of the bands Savage Myth, The Pipe Circus, Sector 3, Avengers Assemble and Ruthless Acoustic-Dueling Guitars.

Pat has worked with countless musicians, both nationally and locally recognized.  He’s played with big-name acts, including Candlebox, Hoobastank, the Doobie Brothers, Michael Glabicki of Rusted Root, The Big Wu, Particle and others.

For the past 15 years, Pat has also shaped young minds as a beloved guitar instructor.

“Pat has become a legend over the years, he truly was one of a kind. People traveled far to see him perform, and have been inspired by his strength and courage throughout this battle with cancer,” Ruth said.

Pat also inspired lives with his off-stage compassion.

He was a philanthropist at heart, working on and playing for more than 100 charitable events for organizations such as the Children’s Hospital, Salvation Army, Red Cross and Relay for Life, collectively raising more than $75,000 for people in need.

Pat spent 14 years working as a professional job coach with direct care and manager duties at Homes for Independent Living, assisting traumatic brain injury victims.

“Pat and I have always believed that what life really is all about is how you were able to make a difference in another person’s life,” said Ruth. “Pat was able to do that through sharing his music all these years, I have found that I have been able to make a difference in others’ lives by sharing our story, and the love our family of three has shared.”

In a news release, friends described Pat as “a vibrant spirit full of energy and laughter wrapped into a contagious smile of loving charm.”

“His selfless acts of kindness were only a fraction of what made Pat a true gentleman. His everlasting love for his family and friends carried through to each last moment they spent together,” the release said.

In addition to his loving wife and daughter, Pat is survived by parents, Carl and Joanne and a sister, Michelle Pitt.

The family has spent the past few months on a mad dash to get Pat’s contagious beats and lyrical genius recorded on CD.

“He had eight CDs total that he has worked on over the past three years, and out of those eight, he managed to see four of those CDs completed all the way through,” according to Ruth.

Holding tight the memories of her husband, Ruth plans to release Pat’s recordings, private sessions and not-so-lost archives the next year, along with six new CDs from their company, Innabeat Music Productions.

Ruth said she founded the booking agency with Pat to allow her to have a flexible schedule to care for Pat.

“I honestly would not change a thing about the way we spent the past three years, and I am so honored and proud that a man as loved and respected as Pat chose me to spend his life with,” said Ruth.

Visitation is scheduled from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 23 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, 1225 W. Main St, Whitewater. A short service will follow at noon.

A life celebration party will be held at 2 p.m. at Salamone’s, 1245 Madison Ave., Fort Atkinson. Musicians are invited to bring their instruments for open mic.

Memorials and cards may be directed to the family to assist with funeral and medical expenses in care of First Citizens Bank, Att: The Pat Peterson Benefit Fund, 207 W. Main St., Whitewater, WI 53190 – or by calling (262) 473-2112.

For more information related to Patrick, his music, or life, contact Innabeat Music Productions, [email protected], or visit www.innabeat.com.

A long, long road

Check out Pat’s video for “Long Road” at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ly9f_Jl0Urs.

For more information, visit www.facebook.com/PatJPetersonmusic.