Patzi finds her voice after 50
By Jayne Warren - 22/06/2007
Patzi Gooch's story is a bit like a modern day fairy tale - a woman who, aged 50, was suddenly transformed from wife, mother and grandmother into a popular public singer. Singing was a secret dream she had always held in her heart, but never dared believe could ever come true - until it did. Her philosophy on life is: "It's better to look back and say 'I'm glad I tried that' rather than 'I wish I'd done that', and she has certainly lived true to that philosophy since retiring in 1992.
Patzi had been happy enough as a wife, mother and grandmother, but for as long as she could remember she had dreamed of being a singer. She recalls: "As a young woman I had no confidence at all, and when I reached 30 and 40 I thought it was too late to start.
"Then when I took early retirement from Marks and Spencer aged 52, I decided that if I didn't do it then I never would. I figured that it did not matter if I made a fool of myself in public - better that than another ten or twenty years down the line and looking back and bitterly regretting never having had a go!"
So Patzi wrote to the BBC TV programme 'Prime Time' and asked them if they'd make a viewers dream come true - to sing to an audience. Her letter caught their eye, and Patzi went straight from the privacy of singing in her own bathroom to her first public performance on TV with host the late Roy Castle. "He was so nice" says Patzi. "He went out of his way to help me and make me feel at ease. At the time everyone thought he had overcome cancer, but sadly it returned."
From that she set about putting together her own self contained show based on her favourite 50's music, which she has worked in many venues local to her home in Norfolk. But it was a serious illness in 1994 that made her even more determined to keep following her dream. "I nearly died," she said, "and this made me realise even more that you mustn't waste your life - you must go for your ambitions and dreams". In 1997 she won a talent show on Anglia Television's "Warehouse" and in the spring of 1998 was back on TV again, on 'Esther' alongside Gloria Hunniford and Diane Moran.
In the summer of 2000 Norwich's 'Nanny Spice' - as she was nicknamed by her two grandsons Matthew and Alex - fulfilled yet another dream when she appeared at the Britannia Pier Theatre. "I had been to that theatre so many times and I just could not believe that I was going to get my chance to sing on that stage!"
Since then she has sung for Michael Barrymore, been on TV again, and made several radio appearances including Crown FM, Radio Norfolk and Radio Merseyside. She has also made a second CD, "Melodies Remembered - By Request", inspired by friends and fans asking her to perform their favourite tunes.
It has been an amazing journey so far and Patzi sums it all up by saying: "If someone had told me ten years ago what was ahead I wouldn't have believed them. Whatever happens - I am having a great time!"
Patzi is available to sing for functions, private parties and clubs, and brings to each event her selection of favourite, timeless classic numbers, including: Slowboat To China, It Had To Be You, I Only Have Eyes For You, What Do You Wanna Make Those Eyes At Me For? and Singing The Blues.
For more information call Patzi on 07749 737556 or visit the website linked below.