Today we’d like to introduce you to Sherry Brokus & Jim Patton.
Sherry Brokus & Jim, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Jim Patton & Sherry Brokus’ Bio 2026
Jim Patton and Sherry Brokus originally met at a bar in Arnold, Maryland in 1979 after Sherry approached Jim during a break in his set and asked if she could sing a song with his band. Jim subsequently suggested that she do Neil Young’s “Cowgirl in the Sand,” and the two have sung together ever since.
Aside from their early musical influences — Richard and Linda Thompson, the Byrds, Jefferson Airplane, the Everly Brothers, and Emmylou Harris’ singing with Bob Dylan — Jim cites various 20th century American literary greats, from Fitzgerald, Hemingway and Faulkner to Kerouac, Salinger and Raymond Chandler. He also points to the friends he grew with — doctors, lawyers, waitresses, teachers, “water rats,” gravediggers and “the guy who drove the truck that emptied the port-o-pots all over the state” — as the sources of his lyrical inspiration.
The two now reside in South Austin, and they play a prominent part in a musical community that boasts any number of exceptional songwriters, many of whom are friends and collaborators. So too, since the pandemic, the pair have managed to release at least one album a year.
The Patton song “We’re Not So Different” (a co-write with Bert Keith) was the #2 song on the national Folk-DJ charts for June 2026. Pattonville, the accompanying album, was #17 in June and #16 for July.
In addition, Pattonville was well reviewed by two prominent music critics in 2026:
Geoffrey Himes in his Substack column:
This married couple are friends of mine, and I’ve written three songs with Jim, so this is not an objective review. But I feel it’s worth noting the distinctive body of work the duo has created over four decades. Though he’s lived in Texas since 1994, Patton often writes about his coming-of-age years in Maryland and the fate of the friendships forged then. Usually backed by a folk-rock backing band. His songs seem to echo late-night conversations with those friends in diners and over the phone, half-singing and half-speaking his reflections on the challenges of retaining youthful ties and youthful ideals in a discouraging world. Some songs are better than others, but it’s the large body of work that suggests a novel’s web of ordinary folks with an everyman at the center. –Geoffrey Himes
Lee Zimmerman in Goldmine magazine:
Jim Patton & Sherry Brokus
Pattonville
(Berkalin Records)
Jim Patton has never been shy about bringing past to present in ways that resonate both emotionally and intellectually, and, in so doing, transcend the stories he shares in order to resonate with the wider world. Pattonville, his new album with wife and percussionist Sherry Brokus proves that point yet again. A concept collection of sorts, its songs are connected by a common thread, tales from the past that have shaped the present with a very personal perspective. The tender tones of “Wouldn’t Change a Thing,” “Ghosts In This Room Tonight” and “My Friends Seemed Like Strangers To Me,” along with the heartfelt reflection that informs the beautiful ballads “We’re Not So Different” and “Goodbye Joe Williams,” make that clear. That affecting approach makes each song a singular standout, brimming with feeling, finesse and an unmistakable emotional bond.
– Lee Zimmerman Goldmine Magazine August 2026
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Unless you get extremely lucky, the road of the performing songwriter is never smooth. We left Maryland in 1994 because, though we had a good crowd, we felt we had reached a dead end, and a couple of prominent music managers advised us that we would be happier in Austin, which we have been. In Austin, the pandemic changed a lot of things as far as our music. First, our crowd seemed to suddenly have gotten old and used to staying in. Then a lot of the clubs we played regularly closed, Threadgill’s being the most prominent. But these are just problems to be faced. Was it Scott Peck who said: “Life is a series of problems to be solved”? It’s true, you know. We’ve made five albums in the last five years, and we’re just finishing up another one.. We’ve made breakthroughs with folk radio. We’re starting to go back on the road again, mostly playing the places we had the most fun in the past plus a couple from our bucket list.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
We already covered a lot of this in the Artist Bio (would have saved it if we’d known this question was coming). We play folk/rock music, lately alternating between folk albums (no drums or electric guitar) and Americana. Sometimes we play as a trio, sometimes as a full band, occasionally as a duo. We’re known for Jim Patton’s strong songwriting. We’re of course proud to have been #2 on the folk charts, but we’re just as proud of the work with done with some of the best musicians in Austin, and we’re honored they’ve taken us on. Eddie Shaver once told JIm his strength was his passion, that was what brought Eddie from the back of the Saxon to the front row. Once we played to a very small crowd in Houston and a fan commented he had just seen ***** ***** to a packed house and yet we put on the better show. Our bass player said: “Well, Jim, ***** ***** is pretty good, but I’ve seen him phone it in, just go through the motions, and I’ve never seen you phone it in. Not once.” We could do worse than being remembered for not ‘phoning it in’.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
In the folk world, it helps to go to the International Folk Alliance, or any of the Regionals, and just talk to a lot of people and ask questions. A lot of people are disappointed if they don’t get management or gigs directly from a conference, but you’re just laying the groundwork for the future and the object should be making friends. We know somebody almost everywhere, someone to play with us, someone to help us get a gig, someone to come to our show.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://pattonandbrokus.com
- Instagram: @pattonandbrokus
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jimpattonsherrybrokus
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPvjJ_cuR5XtE5qmPO4fGYQ
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5HuKZ8gVDx0FKpbBncHTZH
