Pastor Patrinell Wright - Founder/Director
Pastor Patrinell “Pat” Wright was born in Carthage, Texas to a Baptist preacher dad and a school teacher mom. She is one of seven siblings. Being introduced to music early, she sang her first solo at the age of 3. By the time of her 14th birthday, she had taught herself to play the piano and was directing two choirs in her father’s church.
Patrinell attended Turner High School in Carthage where she graduated as valedictorian of her class. She went on to attend college at Prairie View A & M in Hempstead, Texas. In 1964, Pat moved to Seattle, Washington.
Her music career is quite extensive and in 1973 she founded Total Experience Gospel Choir. The choir is very well known and has traveled and performed in 38 states, on 5 continents and 22 countries. The choir consists of persons ages 6 – 65. The choir has to its credits, among numerous awards and 7 recordings.
Not only does, Patrinell perform and direct the choir, she has released her first solo CD entitled “I’m So Glad! A Spiritual Reunion of Drums & Voice”.
Over her long musical history, she has received numerous awards and citations. Just to mention a few:
Washington State Governors Ethnic Heritage Award – for helping to preserve Black Gospel music in the State of Washington
Women in Communication Award
Jefferson Award - awarded annually by Seattle’s Post Intellinger Newspaper/Boeing Aircraft Company - for Outstanding Community Service. She was nominated again for this award in 2005.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Award
Edwin T. Pratt Award from the Urban League of Greater Seattle
She was the first African-American SeaFair Queen in Washington State (2002)
On February 20, 2005 – the first Living Legend Award from Seattle Center – home of the 1962 World’s Fair.
Recent recognitions include:
Community Mentoring and Legacy Award presented by Women of Color Empowered, September 2007; Guiding Lights Weekend Luminary for Mentoring, 2007 and 2008; University Womens Club "Brava Award" for outstanding community service, April 2008; Representative for the American Heart Association - Pacific Mountain Affiliate, 2006, 2007, 2008.
Recognizing a few of her musical achievements, she has performed on the same billing with the following: Ray Charles, Quincy Jones, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Take Six, The Winans, Charlie Daniel, Chuck Mangione, Steely Dan, Sweet Honey In The Rock, Dionne Warwick, Melba Moore, Olympia Dukakis, Pete Seeger, Michael Bolton, The Judds. Foreigner and NUMEROUS gospel artists. She and Total Experience Gospel Choir are featured artists on Dave Matthews’ CD entitled “Same Devil” on the song “Save Me”. Her latest credit is on the soundtrack of the movie “Because of Winn-Dixie” on the song “Glory, Glory”.
In 1997, Patrinell Wright co-founded and is pastor of the Oneness Christian Center. The church is a spiritual refuge for those who have been hit by some of life’s hardest challenges.
Since Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast Areas of Louisiana and Mississippi in August 2005, Pastor Wright has dedicated many hours for hurricane relief work. She and Total Experience Gospel Choir visited the areas in August 2006 helping with rebuilding lives and property. Pastor Wright recently returned to the area in April 2007 to aid and assist in providing three organizations that had been identified during the 2006 visit with finances and a pickup truck. The truck was driven cross country from Seattle and left in Mississippi for use in the hurricane stricken areas. Pastor Wright and Total Experience Gospel Choir recently returned from the Gulf Coast of MS in March 2008. While there, they were featured on local television as they dedicated a new home to hurricane survivors. They will return in July 2008 to present keys to a home that they have been personally involved with in many fundraisers to rebuild.
For Pastor Wright's efforts, ABC News World News Tonight named her "Person of the Week" in May 2007. She, along with Total Experience Gospel Choir, will return to Mississippi and New Orleans in August 2007 for the commemoration of the 2-year anniversary of the hurricane. Recently, Pastor Pat was again contacted by ABC News and was selected as one of the "Persons of the Year" on a broadcast aired December 27, 2007. See related links on the website. DirectTV on April 9, 2008 aired their special entitled "Hometown Heroes" where Pastor Wright and Total Experience Gospel Choir were honored for their work on the Gulf Coast of MS as well. SCAN TV honored Pastor Wright in February 2008 on local television in their Black History programming where she, along with other local community members, were lauded for their contributions to Black History in the Pacific Northwest.
She along with Total Experience Gospel Choir recently returned returned from Busan, South Korea where they competed in the Busan International Choral Festival and Competition. The choir placed "second" and won the Silver Medal in "Ethnic" and "Pop" categories. There were 36 choirs from 11 countries in the competition. They plan to return to shoot for the first place medal in the near future. Congratulation to Total Experience Gospel Choir!
Pastor Patrinell Wright is married to Reverend Benny Wright. They have two grown children and four grandsons.