Today we’d like to introduce you to Carlos Patrick
Hi Carlos, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
We are The Patricks, a gospel music quartet from Memphis, Tennessee. Our mission has always been to give God glory and lift the name Jesus high. We grew up singing in the Mt. Zion Piperton Male Chorus. My dad, Frankie Patrick and I, founded The Divine Inspirations in 1995 and in 1996 we rebranded and recorded our first album as Frankie & Divine.
In 1993, daddy (Frankie Patrick) took me and my sister Angie P. Holmes to see The Canton Spirituals record LIVE in Memphis. The Canton’s LIVE In Memphis album sold over 500,000 copies and earned a Grammy nomination. Witnessing that live recording at Greater Community Temple COGIC changed the musical course of our lives. The Canton Spirituals hit the stage with a sonic boom of a sound that motivated me. I was eager to get home so that I could recreate what I’d heard on my new KORG keyboard. I was about 17 years old at the time.
The 1990’s was an exciting decade in music in general. We had big dreams. My mother, Evangelist Luella Patrick, motivated and encouraged us to go forward with our musical dreams. Dad and I assembled a group of talented Memphis area musicians to record our first studio sessions. The musicians included Adam Warren, Daniel “Da MacTruck” Patton, Cedric Conner, David White, Bryant Yancey, Gabriel Mason, Torrance Walker, and Leo Patton.
We recorded our first cassette tape including “It Was Grace”, “Touch Me Lord”, and “My Prayer” in 1995. We sold the cassettes out of the trunk of our cars. It was an amazingly fun time for up and coming musicians in Memphis.
FreeToes Production Studios was our learning ground. Russell “Rusty” Batts was the owner and engineer of FreeToes located in Orange Mound. We were the only gospel act recording at FreeToes. Iconic Memphis rap artists such as Skinny Pimp, DJ Squeeky, Playa Fly, and 8Ball & MJG, to name a few, recorded hits at FreeToes. Russell Batts engineered some of the best mixes in the city of Memphis in the 1990’s.
Frankie & Divine recorded two full CD’s, My Burdens Down (1996) and Feel The Spirit (1998). Both projects were manufactured in Canada and not commercially released in the U.S. or abroad. Grammy Award winning artist O’Landa Draper attended our Feel The Spirit live recording in early 1998. He was an amazing gospel music superstar and a great supporter of up and coming artists.
In 2002, I relocated to Atlanta to pursue R&B and released several commercial albums as Frankie DeCarlos. Fast forward to 2023, daddy called me from Memphis excited about an old scratched up CD that he’d found. He assured me that we’d recorded a cover of one of Rev. Al Green’s gospel songs. I didn’t recall the recording which led dad to go out to his pickup truck to prove it by playing the song over the phone. That moment in time led us to finish a project that we’d started back in 2006. The rest is now history, the album is called LEGACY.
After a 25 year hiatus from releasing music together, our new album Legacy was finished and released in 2024. We finished with a new generation of Patricks, my gifted nephews Christopher Holmes and Caanin Foster. They assisted as producers of the sessions.
Christopher is heard on the second verse of our single “With All I Got”. The single is currently trending on the Mediabase Internet Radio charts. The Legacy album features a recreation of a tune by the iconic Marvin Gaye called “Cleo’s Apartment” from his Trouble Man album. Our version is called “Going Through”. Guitarist Wayne Shorter, bassist Eddie Gatewood, and drummers Christopher Holmes and Caanin Foster helped finish the Legacy album.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
We consider our struggles as teachable moments. Early on it was difficult to secure radio play, however 25 years later our blessings are overflowing in the realm of radio and the music industry.
Our Legacy album came out of nowhere. Dad and I were retired from music. God produced the album, we didn’t plan for it, God did it. We received more accolades in a few months than in over 30 years of recording music. It’s all about the season and right timing, Gods timing.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
We are an American gospel family group. Our intent is to encourage listeners by spreading the gospel of Jesus. We are most proud of our Legacy album that was finished in Memphis. We touched up at few songs at Patchwerk Studios in Atlanta, GA., and completed the album in Memphis, TN., at American Recording Studios, engineered by Jason Gillespie.
We are extremely proud of our vinyl album Legacy. Our album was mixed by Grammy nominated engineer Derrick Stevenson at Puretonez Productions in Atlanta, GA., and mastered by gospel industry heavy weight Rodger Willis in Chicago, IL. Chris King Communications has done a marvelous job promoting our album. Chris King is one of the best radio promoters in gospel music.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
Everyone is more than welcome to reach out to us on the following social media platforms:
Facebook- The Patricks
Instagram- thepatricksofficial
YouTube- The Patricks
As well as:
Facebook- Frankie DeCarlos
Instagram- Frankiedecarlos
Facebook- Chispa Music Group
Instagram- chispamusicgroup
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.chispamusicgroup.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepatricksofficial?igsh=NWtsYmpzc3lqZTVu&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/DTiZ2uN812HjVRDV/?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Youtube: https://m.youtube.com/@thepatricksofficial
- Other: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/the-patricks/1734695974
Image Credits
The Patricks (Christopher Holmes, Caanin Foster, Frankie Patrick, Carlos Patrick)
Legacy by The Patricks (Album Cover) 2024
With All I Got by The Patricks (Single Cover) 2024
The Patricks with legendary quartet icon George Dean of the Gospel Four (in the center of photo).
Carlos Patrick, Frankie Patrick, & Grammy Nominated Producer/ Engineer Derrick Stevenson.
Carlos Patrick, American Recording Studios Engineer Jason Gillespie, & Frankie Patrick.
Christopher Holmes, Frankie Patrick, bass guitar player Daniel “MacTruck” Patton, & Carlos Patrick.
The Patrick family.
