Margaret Patrick
Encyclopedia
Margaret Patrick was "Ebony" in Ebony and Ivory
, the name given to a pair of great-grandmothers in New Jersey
, one white and one black, who played classical piano together. Each had a stroke in 1982 and became partially disabled. They were introduced to each other the following year and began playing piano together, one hand each. A reporter covering their story dubbed them Ebony and Ivory after the 1982 hit song
by Paul McCartney
and Stevie Wonder
.
and started playing the piano at the age of eight and immediately fell in love with it. At ten, she began to accompany her sister, who played violin and by the time she was twelve, she was accompanying local singers and orchestras. In 1929, at the age of 16, she graduated from the Martin Smith Conservatory of Music and was awarded a gold medal for having passed her piano and theory classes with honors.
Patrick got married in 1933 and became a piano teacher and taught for 50 years. She continued accompanying singers and orchestras. She also played the organ and conducted the choir of a Presbyterian church in the Bronx. At one point, she directed a choir that sang with Duke Ellington
and his orchestra, a highpoint in her life. "I felt elated to work with him," she told McCall's
magazine. In January 1982, she had a stroke that left her disabled on her right side and unable to speak. After months in the hospital, she returned to her home in Englewood
, New Jersey
, able to speak a little bit, but unable to move her right hand enough to play the piano.
In late 1982, Patrick began going for therapy at Southeast Senior Center for Independent Living. In early 1983, the program director introduced her to Ruth Eisenberg
, another great-grandmother who also had a stroke in 1982. She had seen Eisenberg sitting at the piano, playing with one hand and looking depressed. Patrick said, "She told us: 'You have something in common, the piano. Put your two good hands and your heads together, and see what you can come up with.' " Eisenberg
added, "Immediately we got to talking about Chopin. And then we sat down at the piano and played Chopin's 'Minute Waltz'. I played the treble with my right hand; she played the bass with her left." They happily discovered they knew the same music.
They began practicing at the Senior Center and occasionally at Eisenberg's apartment. In May 1983, a senior citizen center in Teaneck, New Jersey asked them to play at a party. Their story appeared in local newspapers and they began getting invitations to play at other area hospitals and senior centers. A local reporter dubbed them Ebony and Ivory and the name stuck. They began to play in other senior citizen facilities, at veterans' homes and hospitals.
Their story went national after being picked up by the New York Times, which put it on its wire service. They were on television both in the US and abroad and appeared with Regis Philbin
, Geraldo Rivera
and David Hartman
. Liberace
, who was a fan of "Ebony and Ivory", made his last television appearance on the Hour Magazine with Gary Collins
and made it a condition of his appearance that if they would bring Patrick and Eisenberg on the program, he would come. Newsman Morry Alter
won an award for his CBS News report on them. They were featured on PM Magazine
, CNN
and NBC Nightly News
, with Tom Brokaw.
Patrick and Eisenberg's story was included in a book by Norman Vincent Peale
and in More True Stories, an ESL reader in its third edition. It is included in sermons and religious publications in the US and other countries.
Radio
Ebony and Ivory (piano duo)
Ebony and Ivory was the name given to two elderly women in New Jersey, one white and one black, who played classical piano together. Both had suffered a stroke in 1982 and become partially disabled. Ruth Eisenberg and Margaret Patrick were introduced to each other the following year and began...
, the name given to a pair of great-grandmothers in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, one white and one black, who played classical piano together. Each had a stroke in 1982 and became partially disabled. They were introduced to each other the following year and began playing piano together, one hand each. A reporter covering their story dubbed them Ebony and Ivory after the 1982 hit song
Ebony and Ivory
"Ebony and Ivory" is a 1982 number-one single by Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder. It was released on March 29 of that year. The song is featured on McCartney's album Tug of War. The song reached number one on both the UK and the U.S. charts...
by Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
and Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
.
Biography
Patrick grew up in HarlemHarlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
and started playing the piano at the age of eight and immediately fell in love with it. At ten, she began to accompany her sister, who played violin and by the time she was twelve, she was accompanying local singers and orchestras. In 1929, at the age of 16, she graduated from the Martin Smith Conservatory of Music and was awarded a gold medal for having passed her piano and theory classes with honors.
Patrick got married in 1933 and became a piano teacher and taught for 50 years. She continued accompanying singers and orchestras. She also played the organ and conducted the choir of a Presbyterian church in the Bronx. At one point, she directed a choir that sang with Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions...
and his orchestra, a highpoint in her life. "I felt elated to work with him," she told McCall's
McCall's
McCall's was a monthly American women's magazine that enjoyed great popularity through much of the 20th century, peaking at a readership of 8.4 million in the early 1960s. It was established as a small-format magazine called The Queen in 1873...
magazine. In January 1982, she had a stroke that left her disabled on her right side and unable to speak. After months in the hospital, she returned to her home in Englewood
Englewood
Englewood is a corruption of Dutch Engelse buurt, or "English neighborhood", which originally referred to Englewood, New Jersey's status as one of the few English-speaking settlements in Dutch-speaking New Netherland...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, able to speak a little bit, but unable to move her right hand enough to play the piano.
In late 1982, Patrick began going for therapy at Southeast Senior Center for Independent Living. In early 1983, the program director introduced her to Ruth Eisenberg
Ruth Brewer Eisenberg
Ruth Brewer Eisenberg was "Ivory" of "Ebony and Ivory," the inter-racial piano duo. Eisenberg and Margaret Patrick, "Ebony," each had a stroke in 1982, which partially disabled them. Prior to the stroke, each had studied and played classical piano. Eisenberg was disabled on the left, Patrick on...
, another great-grandmother who also had a stroke in 1982. She had seen Eisenberg sitting at the piano, playing with one hand and looking depressed. Patrick said, "She told us: 'You have something in common, the piano. Put your two good hands and your heads together, and see what you can come up with.' " Eisenberg
Ruth Brewer Eisenberg
Ruth Brewer Eisenberg was "Ivory" of "Ebony and Ivory," the inter-racial piano duo. Eisenberg and Margaret Patrick, "Ebony," each had a stroke in 1982, which partially disabled them. Prior to the stroke, each had studied and played classical piano. Eisenberg was disabled on the left, Patrick on...
added, "Immediately we got to talking about Chopin. And then we sat down at the piano and played Chopin's 'Minute Waltz'. I played the treble with my right hand; she played the bass with her left." They happily discovered they knew the same music.
They began practicing at the Senior Center and occasionally at Eisenberg's apartment. In May 1983, a senior citizen center in Teaneck, New Jersey asked them to play at a party. Their story appeared in local newspapers and they began getting invitations to play at other area hospitals and senior centers. A local reporter dubbed them Ebony and Ivory and the name stuck. They began to play in other senior citizen facilities, at veterans' homes and hospitals.
Their story went national after being picked up by the New York Times, which put it on its wire service. They were on television both in the US and abroad and appeared with Regis Philbin
Regis Philbin
Regis Francis Xavier Philbin is an American media personality, actor and singer, known for hosting talk and game shows since the 1960s. Philbin is often called "the hardest working man in show business" and holds the Guinness World Record for the most time spent in front of a television camera...
, Geraldo Rivera
Geraldo Rivera
Geraldo Rivera is an American attorney, journalist, author, reporter, and former talk show host...
and David Hartman
David Hartman (TV personality)
David Downs Hartman is an American journalist and media host who began his media career as an actor. He currently anchors and hosts documentary programs on cable TV's History and on PBS. Hartman is best known as the first host of ABC's Good Morning America, from 1975 to 1987. As an actor, he...
. Liberace
Liberace
Wladziu Valentino Liberace , best known simply as Liberace, was a famous American pianist and vocalist.In a career that spanned four decades of concerts, recordings, motion pictures, television and endorsements, Liberace became world-renowned...
, who was a fan of "Ebony and Ivory", made his last television appearance on the Hour Magazine with Gary Collins
Gary Collins (actor)
Gary Ennis Collins is an American film and television performer.-Early life and career:Collins was born in Venice, California, to a waitress/factory worker mother. After attending Santa Monica City College, he enlisted in the U.S...
and made it a condition of his appearance that if they would bring Patrick and Eisenberg on the program, he would come. Newsman Morry Alter
Morry Alter
Morry Alter is a freelance video reporter, having left WCBS New York in 2005. Originally joining WCBS in September 1983, he has won more than 20 Emmy awards and the Quill Award for professional achievement in the field of journalism.-History:...
won an award for his CBS News report on them. They were featured on PM Magazine
PM Magazine
PM/Evening Magazine was a television series with a news and entertainment format. It was syndicated to stations throughout the United States...
, CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
and NBC Nightly News
NBC Nightly News
NBC Nightly News is the flagship daily evening television news program for NBC News and broadcasts. NBC Nightly News has aired from Studio 3B, located on floors 3 of the NBC Studios is the headquarters of the GE Building forms the centerpiece of 30th Rockefeller Center it is located in the center...
, with Tom Brokaw.
Patrick and Eisenberg's story was included in a book by Norman Vincent Peale
Norman Vincent Peale
Dr. Norman Vincent Peale was a minister and author and a progenitor of the theory of "positive thinking".-Early life and education:...
and in More True Stories, an ESL reader in its third edition. It is included in sermons and religious publications in the US and other countries.
Partial list of television and radio appearances
Television- "New Jersey and You" WOR-TV (December 1983) Interview and performance
- "PM Magazine" (May 24, 1984) Performance
- "CBS News" (October 21, 1985) Interview with Morry Alter (won an award)
- "Good Morning America" with David Hartman, ABC (September 9, 1986) Interview
- *The Morning Show" with Regis Philbin, ABC (October 1986) Interview
- "Hour Magazine" with Gary Collins, (December 8, 1986) Interview and performance (Liberace's last television appearance)
- "NBC Evening News" with Tom Brokaw, "Assignment American: Ebony and Ivory" reported by Bill Schechner (May 6, 1988) News feature
Radio
- "The American Character" with Norman Vincent Peale, WOR (February 24, 1985) Feature in a special radio narration
- "Rambling with Gambling" with John Gambling, WOR (October 15, 1985) Interview
- "Morning Edition" with Karen Michel, NPR/WNYC (March 9, 1987) Interview
External links
- Description of archived episode of NBC Evening News Vanderbilt Television News Archive, (May 6, 1988) Record No. 562605. Accessed Feb. 19, 2010.
- Vietnamese online newspaper Accessed Feb. 19, 2010
Sermons and religious articles
- Sermon St Cuthbert's Parish Church, Lothian Road, Edinburgh, Scotland. Accessed Feb. 19, 2010
- Sermon (April 8, 2001) Accessed Feb. 18, 2010
- Church newsletter (PDF) Calvary Lutheran Church, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada (February 2010) Accessed Feb. 19, 2010
- Sermon (PDF) First Baptist Church, Mountlake Terrace, WA, November 11, 2007. Accessed Feb. 19, 2010
- Article Nadbiskupijski Center for Youth Ministry, Sarajevo. Accessed Feb. 19, 2010