Patrick Haggerty, the main vocalist, and guitarist for Lavender Country died on Monday, October 31st, at the age of 78. The band made the announcement on their Instagram page, writing,
“This morning, we lost a wonderful soul.” Rest in peace, Patrick Haggerty. After suffering a stroke a few weeks ago, he was fortunate to spend his final days at home, surrounded by his children and lifetime partner, JB. “Love and solidarity.”
According to his social media platforms, the late singer and composer suffered a stroke earlier this year, which led to complications that eventually led to his death. So far, no funeral arrangements for Haggerty have been made, and no additional information has been released.
Haggerty fronted Lavender Country, widely regarded as the first openly gay country band. When word of his death spread, Twitter was flooded with condolences.
Patrick Haggerty’s Biography
Patrick Haggerty was a well-known singer, composer, musician, activist, and politician who was born on September 27, 1944. He rose to prominence in 1972 as the lead vocalist and guitarist for the band Lavender Country. Patrick’s father, Charles Edward Haggerty, was a dairy farmer, and his mother, Asylda Mary Remillard-Haggerty, was a housewife. He was the sixth child of the couple.
He was named the top cheerleader at Port Angeles High School in 1959. Following graduation, Haggarty joined the Peace Corps, but was fired in 1966 due to his homosexuality. Despite growing up in a Roman Catholic family, Haggarty considered himself an agnostic. After Lavender Country was formed in 1972, Gay Community Social Services of Seattle sponsored and published their debut album.
The band then performed at the first Seattle Pride event in 1974 and went on to perform at other pride and LGBT events across the country until 1976, when they broke up. The band’s second EP, Lavender Country Revisited, was released in 2000. The band reformed in 2000 and performed at Seattle’s Broadway Performance Hall. In 2019, they released a full-length album titled Blackberry Rose and Other Songs and Sorrows.
Patrick then appeared on Trixie Mattel’s album Barbara as Stranger in a cover of I Can’t Shake the Stranger Out of You. In 2020, Pat hosted Aunt Patty’s Lavender Hour, a YouTube series in which he interviewed people who had an impact on his life and musical career, such as his son and director Amilcar Navarro, visual artist Pat Moriarity, and filmmaker Dan Taberski. The band’s second album, Blackberry Rose, was released in February 2022.
Patrick Haggerty ran two political campaigns in 1976, both of which failed. This includes running for Seattle City Council and then running for a seat in the Washington House of Representatives as an independent. Patrick is survived by his companion Julius Broughton, his children Robin Boland and Amilcar Navarro, and his grandson Maxwell Boland.
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