About Diane
Biography
“Powerful earth mama builds bridges of friendship around the world, celebrating life with guitar, ukulele and rockin’ healing songs. “
Award-winning songwriter, Folkgoddess Diane Patterson subverts the dominant paradigm with rocking acoustic guitar and ukulele, a mighty pen, and a woman's voice.
Since 1989, Patterson weaves her original Mystic Acoustic Americana music and unifying stories, planting seeds of love and revolution. Diane’s latest CD, Satchel of Songs, was recorded with platinum record-producer Mike Napolitano and features supporting vocals by the incomparable Ani DiFranco. In summer 2023 Diane toured three months in Europe and Scandinavia, and across the Midwest of the United States.
Her favorite gigs are intimate house concerts. She began her musical journey playing guitar in church as a kid. And then in her college years, she played bass for a blues duo and co-fronted a world music band. She began performing open mics in her college town, played one season on electric bass for the excellent Sacramento, California-based Blues Duo, and then co-fronted a reggae- and latin-inspired band in Davis called The Heat from 1989-1991. In 1993 she started the award-winning Diane Patterson Sextet with Joe Kojima Gray, Dave Theno, Jan Peters and two percussionists, Warren Jones and Rita Hosking . . . yes, THE Rita Hosking! Following The Sextet have been 20 years of solo, duo, and trio work, often with the amazing Al Torre on guitar.
Based in New Orleans, independent and supported by her community, Diane’s latest incarnation is to launch a new woman-owned and home-operated …. all gluten-free bakery!! Local New Orleanians can order deeply nourishing all-gluten-free, organic and low-glycemic breads and goodies, along with Sheba Love’s densely nutritious bone broths and soups, on Wednesdays for Friday pickup. Call Girlfriend Bakery today!
“Joni Mitchell meets Ani DiFranco. Patterson is a modern day folk goddess.”
“Diane is a young Pete Seeger.” —Percussionist & Composer, Geoffrey Gordon
“FANTASTIC. Diane, you are a great musician.” — Paul Emery Music, Nevada City, Ca. Oct. 2015
“Diane is an amazing songwriter and a world healer.” — Bill Brickey, Chicago musician and producer
Herstory
“Community Supported for over 20 years, Diane has remained true to her roots, and her giving nature only deepens with time. From festivals to house concerts Diane shows up and performs her amazing original works.”
Patterson made her first studio recording with The Heat in 1991, released a CD called Live at The Palms in ’95 with the Diane Patterson Sextet, followed in 2005 by a fantastic political and not-so-political solo folk original album called Hip the Hip. 2007, 8 & 9 brought Pachamama is Rising, Sweden Session, and Sacred Sound, all available as homespun discs, from Diane. World Awake was born at the end of 2010. December 2011 birthed Holy Days of Winter, an EP of songs and vids to the season. 2013 brought Build a Bridge, a favorite of Diane’s, featuring songs like Holy Land and the EDM remix of Holy Land. Teach, Inspire, Be Real accompanied Diane’s 2016 Tours in the US, Europe & Scandinavia.
The most recent album is “Open Road.”
‘Open Road’ [Diane’s} latest album offers enough spiritual infusion to suggest it should be offered by medical practitioners for ‘soul healing’. . . a fusion that needs to be heard . . . an instrumental mix that drives and pulses, soothes and caresses . . . Listen and feel healed.
–FolkWords, by Tom Franks
Producer Mike “Nappy” Napolitano perfectly honors this Folkgoddess’s sound between solo acoustic, acappella, and full acoustic band mixes.
The fabulous and accomplished singer-songwriter Alice DiMicele performs backing vocals on tracks 2, 3, 6, 7, & 10.
Great West Coast festival-star guitarist Al Torre plays on Eagle Feather, Raven and Open Road. Max Ribner established the horn section on Baby Loves Love. And Ani’s band plays on most of the record — Terrence Higgins on drums and percussion, Todd Sickafoose on upright bass.
This is Diane’s wise womyn album. She’s making it at the ripe age of nifty fifty and including a couple of songs 15 years or so in the repertoire.
Open Road refers not so much to a musician’s tour schedule, but rather to antique peoples who lived nomadically, with animals, moving with the seasons, with music, rich artistry, and magic.
The opening song, Rogue River Highway calls out to honor the refugees with a healing spell in which the highway along our Southern Oregon Rogue River becomes a band of light around the globe, leading and protecting the people on their ways to new homes.
The album began when Diane and her partner Sheba visited Ani and her husband Mike Napolitano and their kids in their New Orleans home. They all decided to get in the studio and record something of Diane’s music. They picked Come on Rain and soon Ani was picking up the resonator guitar and figuring out a nice part that solidifies and threads through the whole mighty rain song. So exciting, and so good. From there Diane asked if they had time in the studio to make a whole record. Mike had space to take on a new artist, and here we are.
Below is an archive of some of the amazing shows and places where Diane has been performing in recent years. If you would like to support this amazing artist, contact Diane and let’s just see how you can get involved!
This tour with Ani really happened!
Across the Midwest, June 2019. It was wonderful!
Fri. May 11, 2012
Let the rEvolution Continue!
Sebastopol, Dhyana Center
Diane, Freedom, Al Torre, SaraTone
8-12pm
May 19, 2012 Saturday
Freedom and Justice Festival & Gathering of the Tribes
Sopiago Springs, Central Eastern California hills, 20 min. from West Point,
off Hwy 88, with SaraTone
May 20, 2012 Sunday
Rejuvenation Festival, Santa Cruz, with Freedom, Al Torre, SaraTone
April 2, 2012, Hilo Kava Bar with Mary Isis and Ydine Sandberg
April 28, 2012, Kauai House Concert
with Al Torre
www.hookui.org for more info
March 3-9, 2012
Common Vision Fruit Tree Tour, Bay Area
March 16, Friday
Morning visit to New Folsom Prison with percussionist Warren Jones
March 16, 2012 Friday
Metate Hill Winery, Murphys, CA
Headlining a women singer songwriter showcase
April 7, 2012, Saturday Hawaiian Sanctuary
Grow@HawaiianSanctuary.com
with DJ Osyan, Alexa Sunshine Rose, Kaahele
10% proceeds to Pele Defense Fund
April 27, 2012, Friday, Kauai,
Church of the Pacific, in Princeville
with Al Torre and Kit Thomas
March 17, 2012 Saturday
A ‘Green’ St Patrick’s Day
N Street Co-Housing Concert
8-11pm
March 23, 2012 Friday
Morning visit to New Folsom Prison with Freedom, SaraTone and Al Torre
March 23, 2012 Friday
Open the Way for the Warriors of the Heart
A Springtime Gathering
North Columbia Schoolhouse, Nevada City
November 12, 2012
An Evening of Collaborative Musical Alchemy
Center for Spiritual Living, Santa Cruz
July 2011 Pre Mystic Garden Gathering
NorCal & Oregon Tour
with Al Torre
Thursday June 16, 2011 Aubergine, Sebastopol
WestSide Alchemize!
An evening of musical alchemy
Autumn 2011 Dates
Sept. 10, 2011 Santa Cruz Center For Spiritual Living
Law of Attraction Peace Celebration
Sept. 11, 2011 Santa Cruz Center for Spiritual Living
morning service, 10;30am
Sept. 11, 2011 Manna Fest in Grass Valley
with Al Torre and Freedom
Sept. 14, 2011 19Broadway, Fairfax
with Al, Freedom, SaraTone, and Vir McCoy
Sept. 15, 2011 Aubergine, Sebastopol
with Al, Freedom, and SaraTone
Sept. 16, 2011 Open Secret Bookstore, San Rafael
with Al, Freedom, SaraTone, and Vir McCoy 7:30pm
Sept. 18, 2011 Rejuvenation Festival in Mendocino Village
11am-1pm with Al, Freedom, and SaraTone
July 12, 2011 Eugene, WOW Hall
www.wowhall.org
July 14, 2011 Mt Shasta,
HomeGrown Cooperative 8:30-11pm
http://www.facebook.com/pages/HomeGrown-CoOperative-Cafe/167525599977141
July 16, 2011 Chico, Cafe Culture
www.chicocafeculture.com
July 17, 2011 Mendocino Village, Crown Hall
www.mendocinocrownhall.com/directions.html
July 18, 2011 Arcata, Mosgos. www.mosgos.org
July 19, 2011 Ashland, CultureWorks
with SaraTone, Earth Tribe Gospel
www.culture-works.net
July 20, 2011 Mystic Garden Gathering, Selma, OR
near Cave Junction
mysticgardengathering.com
July 2-3, 2011 Bay Area Permaculture Convergence
Bolinas, CA
Sunday June 26, 2011 Hope Mountain Barter Faire
Takilma, Oregon *5;30 set time
*a benefit for the Takilma Dome School
Saturday, May 14, 2011 Santa Cruz Rejuvenation Festival
San Lorenzo Park, Diane at 1:30pm
& Rejuvenation Festival After Party-8pm – 2am!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011 · 8:00pm – 11:00pm
Mandala Ethnic Arts, Baldwin Ave, Pa’ia, Maui
Shakina Ma and Biko and other special guests.
December 8, 2010
Don Quixote’s, near Santa Cruz,CA
831-335-5208 (6275 Hwy.9, Felton)
w/ JOANNE RAND
2010 Began with Hawaiian Tour
February 5th, Friday evening
COCO’s Retreat Haven in Kapoho, Big Island
call for details (808) 965-1956
February 11th, Thursday
Spirit Whale Journey! Come hear me sing for you and the humpback whales and dolphins on a fun community boat trip in the afternoon, out in the ocean sanctuary between the islands of Maui, Moloka’i, Lana’i and Kaho’olawe. Ocean Song Ministries, Maui. Please call for details (808) 250-6276.
February 12th, Friday, Maui
Mystic Garden House Party Fundraiser
(808) 228-0505
February 19th, 20th, 21st
Source, a Burning Man – related event on Maui, at Camp Keana’e
February 23-25, Tues, Wed, Thurs
Roots Mystic Garden Party on the dry side of Maui
Details (808)228-0505 www.mysticgardenparty.org
February 27th, Saturday
Laulima Organic Farm, Kipahulu, Maui
details (808) 268-9161
February 28th, Sunday
Cafe Attitude, Kipahulu, Maui
March 3rd, Wednesday
Live show on Mana’o Radio with DJ AlanaMana! 10pm-12
March 5th, Friday
Mandala Ethnic Arts, Pa’ia, Maui, 8pm
with Maesyn! Sweet concert space, come on out!
$10 cover, no one turned away
In 2009 Diane created for herself ‘Grandmother Tour,’ in which she traveled California, Massachusetts, Vermont, and Oregon, visiting her own music industry elders and wisdom elders, and attending two indigenous elders’ gatherings, including that of the 13 Indigenous Grandmothers.
2009 TOUR herstory!
December 6th or 7th
Goddess Craft Faire
Sebastopol Community Center
All day event, fabulous!
November 26th, Friday
Center for Conscious Living
*sweet concert night*
with Love Eternal
and Sirenz
1818 Felt Street, Santa Cruz
7-11pm
November 15th, Sunday
Center for Conscious Living
10:30am service
Santa Cruz
November 11, Wednesday
The Ashkenaz, Berkeley
with Clan Dyken and
Becky White and the Secret Mission
November 6th, Friday
The Stillwater, Ashland, OR
with Becky White and
the Secret Mission
A benefit for the Thanksgiving caravan to Big Mountain
Most of 2010 was spent focussed on the release of World Awake with shows in Hawaii, California and the Pacific Northwest.
August 9, 2010 Monday, So Oregon Kickoff, –Takilma, OR
RSVP by August 8th 541-592-LIVE. Music at dark, $5-20 suggested donation
August 10, 2010 Tuesday Seven Seeds Farm outdoor show with first circle and local fare, 8pm. 3220 East Fork Rd Williams, OR $5-20 suggested donation 541-846-9233
August 11, 2010 Wednesday Boones Farm, Little Applegate Valley, OR 8pm $7-20 boonesfarmoregon.org rocking goat farm!
August 12, 2010 Thursday. Civil Liberties Defense Center Benefit,
Eugene, OR Pizza Research Institute, cldc.org
August 14, 2010 Saturday House Concert w/ Permaculture Networking. 5039 NE Mason St., Portland
Call for info and RSVP 503-703-8450
August 15, 2010, Sunday Fireworks Venue, Corvallis, OR
1115 SE 3rd, $5-10 fireworksvenue.com
August 16, 2010 Monday, Planet Repair Institute, Portland, OR 7pm
Sliding scale at the door, 8512 SE 8th, Portland, OR 97202
August 18, 2010, Wednesday, Rendezvous/Jewel Box Theatre
Seattle 9:30pm showtime. myspace.com/jewelboxtheatre
2322 2nd Ave Seattle, WA 98121 (206) 441-5823 $7-20
August 19, 2010, Thursday, Outback Amphitheatre, 25th St & Bill McDonald, Just south of Fairhaven College and Dorms, . . .
in “the biggest Permaculture Garden in Bellingham.”
Info: Eric Schmitz (425) 422-8395 myspace.com/ericschmitzmusic
Bellingham, WA. With local band, Lovage, and teachings by permaculturists, Benjamin Fahrer and Kat Steele
Begins at 4pm with sharing food.
August 20, 2010 Friday St. Clouds Food & Spirits, 8pm-10:00
1131 24th Ave. Seattle, WA 98122 (206) 726-1522 stcloudsmusic@msn.com
August 22, 2010, sunday evening, The Canoe Brew Pub
450 Swift St, Victoria, BC canoebrewpub.com
8:30pm, no cover charge
August 23, 2010 Monday, Duncan Garage Showroom, Duncan, BC
201-330 Duncan St. V9L-3W4 duncangarageshowroom.ca
9pm-11pm $5-15
August 25, 2010 Wednesday, The Gorge, Cortes Island, BC
8pm, $10-20, sliding scale at the door
July 13th Tuesday, 2010, Yoga Soup Yoga Center, Santa Barbara, Benefit for the Santa Barbara Birthing Center!! 8:30pm, 28 Parker Way, SB,CA 93101 (805) 965-8811 www.yogasoup.com
July 17th Saturday, Grow Food Party Crew Special Event with Permaculturist Benjamin Fahrer presenting. Proceeds to Alpha Resource Center’s Gardens, 4501 Cathedral Oaks Rd, Santa Barbara, 93110-1340 11am-3pm at Alpha. www.alphasb.org
July 23-26 Mystic Garden Party, Corning, CA with Al Torre on guitar, Warren Jones on percussion, Peter Temple on bass, Benjamin Fahrer on didj. We play Saturday 10:30-11:30pm, Casbah Teahouse Stage.
Mystic Garden Party is a musical healing arts festival that advocates for a healthy culture & community through music, arts & education. Also with Brett Dennan, Spearhead, Freedom Tribe Reunion, and many more. www.mysticgardenparty.com
June 26th, 27th Good Medicine Women’s Gathering, Williams, OR I teach a vocal workshop with Mouna Wilson on Saturday and perform on Sunday. windsongmekani.com
June 28th, Monday, 2010 Seven Seeds Farm, Williams, OR.
8pm showtime, Water opens. $5-20 suggested door.
Local fare, fire, outdoor show, prayers to the Gulf waters.
Call for info: 541-846-9233 3220 East Fork Rd., Williams, OR 97544
June 29th, Tuesday, Owl House, Davis
Concert of Healing Love to the Gulf Waters.
Sing and send your blessings! Warren Jones on percussion.
7:30-9:30 with Margaret Lloyd opening. outdoor show, 516 E. 8th St. Davis, 95616 $7-15 suggested door
28th March, 2010, Sunday Don Quixote’s, near Santa Cruz,CA
831-335-5208 (6275 Hwy.9, Felton)
w/ JOANNE RAND & the Rhythm of the Open Hearts.
10th April, 2010 Saturday Green Festival, San Francisco,
The Concourse at 8th & Brannan, The 1st Springtime Green Festival, with more speakers and conspirers than ever! I play 4:20pm, main stage, right after visionary astrologer Caroline Casey speaks. I’ll have Benjamin Fahrer playing the didjeridoo with me!
14th April, 2010, Wednesday Evening Program at Esalen Institute, Big Sur, 8pm, Drumming the World Awake! with Permaculturist Benjamin Fahrer and Esselen Elder, Tihikpas. I’ll have Megan with me on percussion and Benjamin on didj.
22nd April,2010 Thursday Crepe Night,
North San Juan Ridge, 4-8pm Earth Day!!
24th April, 2010 Saturday. Nevada City, CA
Broad St. Bistro Gallery- Dinner at 6. 7pm, Book Reading by Judith Tannenbaum of New Release By Heart: Poetry, Prison, and Two Lives
8:00 Diane Patterson Performance Info:530-264-7054
14th May,2010 Friday Caspar Community Center, Coastal Mendocino 7:30pm, $20 door with BENJAMIN FAHRER, PETER TEMPLE, AND CLAUDIA PAIGE joining me, AND ALSO FEATURING: JOANNE RAND WITH CLAUDIA PAIGE!
22nd May,2010 Saturday. Phoenix Permaculture Guild presents: at the Phoenix Zoo Stonehouse Pavilion Event Center, the Living Green Conference ~ a day-long event, full of powerful presentations designed to educate and promote sustainable practices and environmental awareness. I sing, and Benjamin Fahrer is one of four keynote speakers! www.livinggreenconference.com
October 24th, Saturday
Blue Mango Revival
Davis, CA
With Joe Kojima Gray, Warren Jones, Jan Peters, & Dave Theno, members of the
Diane Patterson Sextet!
Sept. 19th, Saturday
Hope Mtn Barter Faire
Takilma, OR
Sept. 17th, Thursday
Benefit Concert for Johnny B!
Jackson Wellsprings
4pm-late! I’m on at 10:30pm, With Al Torre on guitar.
Also performing:
Freedom Tribe, Freedom and Friends, Human, A-Town Infusion
July 18th – Aug. 9th, 2009
Grandmother Tour
CA, Mass, Vermont, Oregon
July 4th Saturday 10:30am
El Cerrito, CA Bay Area
World One Festival
http://www.worldoneradio.org/
July 3rd Friday 7pm door
Caspar Community Center
with Freedom and Al Torre
and Sherry Glaser-Love’s
Green Thumbs up Campaign
June 3rd, Wednesday
Big Sur Spirit Garden
www.bigsurspiritgarden.com
July 1, 2009 Wednesday
Esalen Wed. Eve Program
with Sherry Glaser-Love
June 27th, Saturday
Seven Seeds Farm
3220 East Fork
Williams, OR 97544
June 26th, Friday
Asha’s Big Purple House 8pm
247 Granite St.
Ashland, OR
June 21st, Sunday
Flying Lotus 7:30pm
315 A South Mt Shasta Blvd
Mt. Shasta, CA 96067
June 12th, Friday 8pm
Harmony Festival
Earth Temple
Santa Rosa, CA
May 26, Tuesday
New Folsom Prison