Patrick Maguire can’t remember a time in his life when he wasn’t surrounded by music. He’s one of 33 first cousins—30 of them, he says, play music. This is true of his parents, uncles and aunts as well. Family jams were not uncommon. He was inspired by the talent and broad-ranging musical interests of his family members.
“My mother has a voice like Alison Krauss. She has stage fright, so she never really took it on to do it professionally,” Maguire says. “She exposed me to everything from bluegrass to oldies to blues to rock ’n’ roll.”
Originally from Maine, and then living in Colorado as a sales executive, Maguire decided to move to Santa Cruz in 2012 to pursue his dreams as a musician. While he’d been playing his whole life, it wasn’t until 2010, at the age of 30, that he wrote his first song. He wanted more.
“The goal and the dream has always been to play music, and it was one I didn’t think was going to happen throughout my 20s,” Maguire says. “It’s been nothing but amazing so far. It’s really been just learn on the fly.”
A big reason he chose this as his new home in the first place was because two of his musical cousins—Joe and Brian Gibeault—live here and play in local rock ’n’ roll outfit Thanks Buddy. He started with covers, and it’s only been this year that he’s pursued a solo career as a singer-songwriter. He’s been featured on KPIG, headlined Moe’s Alley, and is now playing a show at Don Quixote’s. Santa Cruz, it seems, has been very receptive to his intoxicating blend of Americana and laid-back folk music and sweet soul.
INFO: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 15. Don Quixote’s, 6275 Hwy. 9, Felton. $10/adv, $15/door. 335-2800.
