The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame has announced a celebration honoring the life of inductee, long-time music teacher, and record holding saxophone player Pat DeRosa.
A special event hosted by the daughter of Pat DeRosa, Patricia, the festivities on October 19 will celebrate the lifelong musical passions and accomplishments of the seasoned saxophonist and all that he gave to his Long Island community throughout his life.
Born in Brooklyn on December 6, 1921, Pat DeRosa discovered his love for saxophone at just twelve years old after his mother brought him to a music store on the Bowery. After a move to Huntington, Long Island, DeRosa developed already commendable self-taught skills due to a lack of musical resources in the area that would only flourish as he grew up, joining the Central School District’s high school band.
Following graduation, DeRosa found work at Grumman manufacturing airplane parts for the war. Within a year, he had joined the Grumman band and had formed his own trio that performed at nightclubs and parties all throughout New York City and Long Island.
After a draft into the Army Air Forces at the height of World War II and a successful audition into the Glenn Miller Army Air Force Band, Pat spent three years traveling the country with the band performing for and entertaining the troops.
In 1946 DeRosa was able to return to Long Island and subsequently enrolled in the Manhattan School of Music, creating the opportunity for him to perform alongside legends of the time including Bob Hope, Milton Berle, Andy Williams, Dean Martin, and Jerry Lewis. Despite the lengthy evenings spent dedicated to live performance, DeRosa was dedicated to his studies and graduated with a Bachelors and Masters in Music Education.
The 1950s found DeRosa pursuing this passion for music education further, becoming a music teacher at Huntington Elementary and South Huntington Memorial Junior High. During this time Pat also performed alongside the jazz great John Coltrane until Coltrane’s passing and formed the Pat DeRosa Trio, which played constantly, including at the historic inaugural ball of President Richard Nixon.
Despite retiring from education in 1978, DeRosa’s musical spark refused to go out. He continued to perform shows spanning venues from the Hamptons to Florida. On Veteran’s Day in 2020, Pat was inducted into the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame, and in 2021 he was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the ‘Oldest Professional Saxophone Player.’
Hosted at the LIME Hall of Fame on October 19, the celebration of Pat DeRosa’s legacy will include a special video/interview presentation, a Q&A with his daughter and granddaughter, a special raffle for all attendees, and a live performance played by his family and friends.
The event is free with a general admission ticket purchase. For further information on the event and the Hall of Fame, please visit their website here.
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