Pat Wright, Seattle's first lady of gospel, dies at 78
Pastor Patrinell "Pat" Wright, who dedicated her life to gospel music and community service, died Tuesday, Aug. 30 after a long illness. She was 78.
Wright, known for her soulful voice, had four-octave range.
But she was probably best known for founding the Total Experience Gospel Choir in Seattle, a group that has won more than 150 national and global awards.
Pastor Wright performed at Jimi Hendrix's funeral in 1970 and also sang for former President Barack Obama right after he was first elected.
Wright was also known for giving back to the community and helped people of all backgrounds understand the importance of African American gospel music, in Seattle and around the world.
Wright was also known for giving back to the community. She won many prestigious awards, including a Washington State Governor's Heritage Award and the Martin Luther King Humanitarian Award.
At 78 years old, she is now over the rainbow.
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Angela King
Morning News Host
Angela King is the local host of Morning Edition. She’s been a part of the northwest news scene since the early 1990s. A proud University of Washington alumna, with degrees in broadcast journalism and American ethnic studies, she started her career as a news writer in Seattle, before becoming a reporter and anchor in Seattle, Portland and Albuquerque.
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Natalie Akane Newcomb
Announcer / Producer
Natalie is a recent graduate from Washington State University. She started writing radio features at her high school’s radio station 889 TheBridge and soon thereafter participated in RadioActive's summer 2016 workshop.
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