Ann Lee Patton
"Glittering Harpist"
Finding the Sound
“I’ve always wanted to play the harp,” said Ann Patton in a 1958 publication of the Washington Afro-American newspaper. “And after a harrowing experience a couple of years ago, I became more determined than ever.” A black woman who paved the way for artists to come, Patton had a resolve that carried her far through her career as a musician.
Patton’s instrument of choice was a six-foot Lyon & Healy harp coated with 24-carat gold – a beauty she called “Queen Ann.”As she played, she was known to recite poetic verse, her music, and lyrics inspired by African-American spirituals and contemporary Black themes.
Ann Lee Patton playing the harp
Sphere of Influence
Ann playing at her home
A graduate of the Cadek Conservatory of Music, she mastered the art of performance through poetry and music, taking her talent internationally to locales including Africa, Europe, South America, and the Soviet Union in the middle and latter parts of the 20th century.
When she was not busy playing breathtaking music – “[She] would make music that would take you away from the cares of any day,” one author wrote – Patton worked hard to build and decorate the exquisite
home she shared with her husband, Dr. Levi Patton. Located in the historic Missionary Ridge neighborhood, the limestone house exudes French Colonial elegance. It has been showcased in the pages of glossy magazines and was even featured on HGTV in 2008.