| Pat Upton | |
| Birth Name: | Patrick Upton |
| Birth Date: | 5 August 1940 |
| Birth Place: | Geraldine, Alabama, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Guntersville, Alabama, U.S. |
| Genre: | Pop |
| Years Active: | 1964-2016 |
| Label: | Columbia |
Pat Upton (August 5, 1940 – July 27, 2016) was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist with the band Spiral Starecase. He was the songwriter of, and lead vocalist on, their 1969 gold-selling single "More Today Than Yesterday", which peaked at #12 on the Billboard Hot 100.[1] The song has been covered by Sonny & Cher, Diana Ross, Andy Williams, Lena Horne, Patti Austin, and Goldfinger. Upton was noted as having an exceptionally high voice for a man.
Upton formed instrumental group The Fydallions while serving in the Air force. Their name was changed to Spiral Starecase and Pat started singing lead vocals and playing rhythm guitar. Upton wrote their biggest single, "More Today Than Yesterday", in a motel in Las Vegas and originally thought it would be a good song for Bobby Goldsboro to sing.[2] After Spiral Starecase disbanded in 1971, Upton relocated to Los Angeles, where he worked as a session musician and then a band member for Ricky Nelson.[3] [4] Upton played one gig with Elvis Presley in 1975.
Patrick Upton was born in Geraldine, Alabama, the second of five to Elva and Ernest Upton. The Upton children were raised by their grandparents for a few years, as Ernest Upton was based in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, fighting in the second world war. He and his brother, Don, had a gospel quartet in high school and won some talent contests, including the state FFA competitions.[5]
On one Sunday, Upton skipped church to go to a local restaurant for breakfast. One of his friends was there playing Duane Eddy on a jukebox; he had just bought his first electric guitar. Upton said the following week, he had also bought his first guitar, although he father called him crazy, as the guitar was priced at $300. Upton enlisted in the air force, and was based in California. He played in a few bands in the force and started his professional career.
He returned to Alabama in 1983 and opened P.J.’s Alley in Guntersville, a club that highlighted a lot of local musicians. P.J.'s Alley was also where Ricky Nelson played his last ever performance.[6] On December 30, 1985, after singing at P.J.'s Alley in helps to promote the club, Nelson asked Upton to accompany him on a flight to Dallas, Texas, but Upton declined due to business obligations.[7] The flight crashed, killing Nelson, Nelson's fiancée Helen, and five members of Nelson's band.
Pat was married twice.[8] Upton lived with his second wife, former model Lynn Upton, in Guntersville, and they had three daughters and a son, while he was a grandfather of six. He died in his hometown of Geraldine, Alabama on July 27, 2016, at age 75.[9]
Solo
| Playing to Win | 1981 |
| Title | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Well Kept Secret | 1978 | |
| Take Heart | 1979 |