Patrick Lamb plays the saxophone on the beach near his home in South Palm Beach. He’ll perform his longtime Christmas concert, which has a Charlie Brown theme, on Dec. 17 at Old School Square in Delray Beach. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star
While Patrick Lamb loves living in South Palm Beach, he’s often somewhere else. He is a musician and vocalist, with two recent releases: Mint Condition and a remake of a Gino Vannelli hit, I Just Wanna Stop, which recently made No. 6 in the UK Soul Charts. He has a record label, Patrick Lamb Productions, and he owns Palm Beach Sound Co.
“Ever since I was 19, I’ve toured all year long,” he said, estimating that he’s on the road about 100 days a year. “I’ve toured with Diane Schuur, Bobby Caldwell as part of his band, and as part of Gino Vannelli’s band the last 18 years.
“Recently I’ve moved on from that, and I’m focused on my solo career” and namesake band.
Lamb has produced 250 concerts over the years. Entertainers he’s booked include Schuur, Sheila E., and Arturo Sandoval. “I’ve produced events for the Oxford Hotel, Bend, Oregon, for 14 years and I just did sound for John Lloyd Young, head of the Jersey Boys,” he added.
He’s a busy guy. On the day The Coastal Star interviewed him, he had just returned from Los Angeles, working with American Idol’s Randy Jackson on several songs.
Music has held an important place in his life from early on, Lamb said. “I moved 12 times by the time I was 14, and at one of the schools, they had a recorder, and I just took a liking to it.”
Eventually, upon joining a school band, he was introduced to the saxophone.
Then his grandmother Marie Maxwell got into the act, so to speak, when she gave him a saxophone she found at a garage sale. “It was rusty, brassy and looked like it had washed up on the beach. It was in a really old case with a belt around it,” Lamb said.
“It would only play three notes. I played that for the first 14 years of my touring. It never played quite in tune, and I thought it was me, until I got endorsed by Cannonball Instruments. It took me a long time to get really nice instruments.”
Lamb moved from Portland, Oregon, to Florida with his wife, Joan, five years ago. Since then, he’s been making local connections.
As part of that integration into the local community, he’s bringing to Delray Beach his longtime Christmas show, “Patrick Lamb’s A Charlie Brown Christmas Tour,” inspired by Vince Guaraldi’s score for A Charlie Brown Christmas, the 1965 animated television special that has become a Christmas staple.
“About 10 to 12 years ago, I was looking for a concept for a Christmas tour (with music that) everybody loves and that musicians love. I love Vince’s music and that became the program I chose.
“Anybody who has seen that program remembers the little dances in Charlie Brown, and we invite people to come down and dance and we have sing-alongs.”
Lamb likes it when people come together around music, and for this show, he said, “Kids are singing and their parents get into the spirit of the whole event. I am in the happiness business, and everybody is smiling and having fun. That’s why I do this. I also do this for the awareness of the importance of arts and music in the schools.
“I am following part of my mission in my life and my legacy.”
“Patrick Lamb’s Charlie Brown Christmas Tour” will come to the Amphitheater at Old School Square, 51 N. Swinton Ave., in view of Delray Beach’s 100-foot Christmas tree, from 5 to 8 p.m. Dec. 17.
Lamb will be joined by his namesake band and the Young Singers of the Palm Beaches. A student band from the School of Rock will play a happy Christmas rock and roll set, and a student dance group from the Achievement Centers for Children & Families will perform.
For tickets, priced from $27.37 general admission, go to events.delrayoldschoolsquare.com/event-details/charlie-brown-christmas.
— Christine Davis
Q: Where did you grow up and go to school? How do you think that has influenced you?
A: I’m from the Mississippi Delta. My childhood was a bit of an odyssey — my parents were teachers, and by the time I was 14, we had moved 12 times through Mississippi, Georgia, Florida and Texas. I went to first and second grade at Boyle Elementary in Boyle, Mississippi, and later studied under Andy Hardwick before earning scholarships to several colleges.
Constantly moving made me shy and uncertain at first, but in hindsight, it taught me independence and resilience. I eventually found my grounding in music — performing with the International All-Star Band, winning soloist awards at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival, and studying under Dave Barduhn at Mount Hood College, who arranged for Stan Kenton.
A call from Diane Schuur changed everything and launched my touring career. Since then, I’ve had the privilege of performing with artists like Bobby Caldwell, Smokey Robinson and Gino Vannelli — what I like to call “a saxophonist to the stars” kind of journey.
Q: What professions have you worked in? What professional accomplishments are you most proud of?
A: I’ve worked since my teens — everything from picking strawberries and cleaning roofs to parking cars and making pizzas. Every job taught me something about work ethic and humility.
Music has been my main profession since I was 16, but I’ve also always had an entrepreneurial streak. I founded a ticketing company that grew to over $50 million in sales, and later launched Palm Beach Sound, which I brought down from Portland, Oregon, when I moved here.
Now we live by the ocean near Eau Palm Beach, and I can honestly say I’m doing what I love — performing, producing and building meaningful projects that bring people together through music.
Q: What advice do you have for a young person selecting a career today?
A: If you love music, get into a good music school and find mentors who challenge and inspire you. Always stay curious, humble, and hungry to improve.
A professional music career is not a halfway commitment. It’s like the Olympics: the top 2% makes it, and that takes 200% dedication. If you must ask, “Should I do this professionally?” — the answer is probably no. Passion has to drive you, not convenience.
Q: How did you choose to make your home in South Palm Beach?
A: My wife, Joan, is from Florida and absolutely loves it here. When we first visited, we stayed at The Breakers and The Four Seasons to get a feel for the area — and we were hooked.
It took time to transition our businesses, but the community welcomed us with open arms. The teams at the Delray Beach Downtown Development Authority and Old School Square — especially Victoria DeSilvio and Laura Simon — have been incredible partners in connecting new community members and supporting the arts.
Q: What’s your favorite part about living in South Palm Beach?
A: Waking up, having coffee and watching the surfers. It never gets old.
Q: What book are you reading now?
A: The 50th Law: Overcoming Adversity Through Fearlessness. It’s a powerful reminder that fear is the only real obstacle between us and our potential. (The book is by rapper 50 Cent with co-writer Robert Greene.)
Q: What music do you listen to for inspiration and relaxation?
A: For inspiration, I listen to Emmet Cohen, Christian McBride and other incredible new artists pushing jazz forward. For relaxation, I go back to the classics — albums like Miles Smiles that never lose authenticity.
Q: Do you have a favorite quote that inspires your decisions?
A: “Argue for your limitations, and they’re yours.” I hear people talk about what they can’t do, and I think, “Then you’ve already lost.”
Another guiding truth for me is, “The only thing that matters is what’s true.” I’m not interested in red or blue — I just want what’s real.
And one more: “God makes a way where there is no way.” When I look at my life now, I could never have imagined where God was taking me. Honestly. He’s been there for me the entire time — even when I didn’t know it.
I was scheduled to climb Mount Hood in 1986 with my climbing team, but I twisted my ankle playing indoor soccer and couldn’t go. That climb tragically took the lives of seven students and two faculty — all friends of mine.
I’ve also survived two dump truck accidents (yes, there’s probably a joke in there somewhere), a broken back in three places, and the challenges of a broken family, alcoholism, disillusionment and depression.
It is only through the grace of God that I’m here today.
Q: Have you had mentors or individuals who have inspired your life decisions?
A: A few stand out — Andy Hardwick and Michael Barranco in Jackson, Mississippi. My grandmothers, Marie Maxwell and Laura Ethredge, gave me unconditional love and stability during all the moving around. My grandfather, Otto Maxwell, was a Marine-turned-plumber who earned respect through quiet strength and integrity.
And most of all, my wife, Joan. She’s been the greatest influence — steady, grounded and full of light. Moving from Portland to Florida was one of the best decisions I ever made, personally and professionally.
Q: If your life story were made into a movie, who would you want to play you?
A: Probably Joaquin Phoenix — he’s unpredictable, complex and intense enough to capture my journey.
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