A few passing clouds. Low 56F. Winds light and variable..
A few passing clouds. Low 56F. Winds light and variable.
Jeremy “Pat” Patterson, left, smoothes cream on Christopher Crutchfield’s head before giving him a shave Friday morning at Original Barbers.
Jeremy “Pat” Patterson keeps all sorts of brushes and razors within reach as he cuts hair or shaves at Original Barbers.
Jeremy Patterson talks about how meeting people is one of his favorite things about being a barber.
Jeremy “Pat” Patterson, left, smoothes cream on Christopher Crutchfield’s head before giving him a shave Friday morning at Original Barbers.
Jeremy “Pat” Patterson keeps all sorts of brushes and razors within reach as he cuts hair or shaves at Original Barbers.
Jeremy Patterson talks about how meeting people is one of his favorite things about being a barber.
Jeremy "Pat" Patterson likes keeping things handy, whether at the barbershop, the drag strip, a climbing wall or at church.
He opened Original Barbers in 2017 and is worship leader at Wagoner First Assembly of God. He also likes rock climbing and drag racing.
A Texas native, Patterson recalled moving often as a child.
"I kind of went all over the place," he said. "My dad was a minister, and we traveled to different locations where he pastored."
After graduating from Valliant High School in the far southeastern part of Oklahoma, Patterson joined the U.S. Navy. He served for 13 years.
"I've been around the entire world, both land and sea," he said, adding that he served in Iraqi Freedom from 2006 to 2009.
Upon his discharge in 2012, he worked as a system engineer with a defense agency.
Patterson said he got into barbering as a way to encourage his two brothers.
"They were undecided" on a career, Patterson said. "I told them I would go to barber school with them."
Something about barber school then piqued his interest.
"I liked getting my hair cut," he said. "And it was something I knew — someone was always going to need a hair cut — it just seemed like a logical choice."
Patterson has been barbering for six years.
Trying to make everyone happy can be a challenge.
"I like being there for my clients, and I know they like being there for me," he said.
He said his biggest reward is "seeing a kid smile after a haircut."
Another favorite part of his job is meeting people.
"Literally everyone has a story," he said. "I like listening. I feel like I know a little bit about everything."
Jeremy Patterson's drag racing goes beyond the teenage past time of dragging Main.
He prefers going on the strip at Tulsa Speedway.
Patterson recalled that first ride, dragging his father's 1967 Chevy.
"I was just a little kid," Patterson said. "He had a little Corvette engine in it. It was the most exhilarating ride of my life."
Since then, he's raced in all sorts of vehicles, including a 1965 Chevy truck, a 1969 Ford Ranger F-100, plus Corvettes, Porsches and Audis.
He has no favorite vehicle.
"It all depends on the motor," Patterson said. "It could be a V8 or it could be a V6. Or it could even be a four-cylinder. You could put a turbo charger on it or a supercharger on it. The more fuel, the faster you can go."
Patterson has gone as fast as 200 mph in a Corvette.
Going that fast can be scary, but it's an adrenaline rush, he said.
One if his most memorable adrenaline rushes came when he drove a Golf GTI 168 mph on the autobahn.
Safety is more important than speed, however. He makes sure he wears fire suits and helmets when he races.
Practicing safety while rock climbing
Patterson began rock climbing with a customer friend during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I went one time and I was hooked before I knew it," he said. "I was buying gear and learning how to go and do it myself. I would go three to four times a week."
He said that first climb gave him a sense of accomplishment.
A favorite place is Climb Tulsa, which Patterson said has climbs that range from "easy as could be to as hard as it can be."
He also has climbed outdoors.
"I've been to Chandler Park several times," Patterson said, referring to a park in the hilly west part of Tulsa.
A popular climbing place near the park is John's Wall, an outcropping that has several routes to climb.
He also has climbed at Robbers Cave State Park, at Garden of the Gods in Colorado, as well as in several places in Arkansas.
The biggest challenge he recalled facing came when the rocks were wet.
"That was at John's Wall," he said. "It's just slippery."
Like in drag racing, safety is paramount in climbing. Patterson said he stretches before each climb. He said he also makes sure his gear is up to date.
"I have my harness and climbing shoes," he said. "You have to make sure you have knuckles — they're little climbing knuckles. They slip into cracks. Then you would clip your ropes into it, that way you can continue to go up. That way, if you fall, it would catch you."
Favorite music feeds the soul
Patterson has been into music since he got his first set of drums at age 5.
"As I got older, I switched to playing piano, and along the way I just picked up the bass," he said, adding that he was in his teens when he picked up piano and bass.
He said he always was active in the school band, playing in the percussion section.
His favorite music is praise and worship music.
"Praise and worship literally takes from every genre," he said. "You're always trying to catch the ear of anybody and everybody."
The music is different "style-wise, yes, but not word-wise," he said, adding that the music focuses on the Lord.
"With me, I can pull something out from the 1800s, or I can put something out that was made yesterday," he said.
Patterson said he prepares for each service by praying to God for guidance.
"Throughout the week, I have this feeling about a song, then I'll make my list," he said. "We usually have one night of practice each week."
Going into the service can be nerve-wracking, he said.
"But it's also like, just to feel the presence of God enter in. It's amazing," he said.
Patterson said he mainly seeks to break barriers.
"Back in the beginning, when they (warriors) had battle, they would send the musicians in first to alert the enemy that they were coming," he said. "Praise and worship is essentially the same thing. It's kind of like going into battle to weaken the enemy so people can get a breakthrough."
HOW DID YOU COME TO BE AN OKIE FROM MUSKOGEE?
"I came here to help out a church. And I needed to provide for my family, so I started out at Cutting Edge Barber Shop. Then I moved on and started OB in 2017."
WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT MUSKOGEE?
"It's got a big feel, but it's still small. It's like a big city with a small town vibe. It's different."
WHAT WOULD MAKE MUSKOGEE A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE?
"Locals supporting local businesses. I believe all local small businesses would agree — Shop Local."
WHAT PERSON IN MUSKOGEE DO YOU ADMIRE MOST?
"Jacob Keeling supported this shop from the get-go. When COVID hit, he was there. Justin Roberts, for pushing me to open my own location and taking his personal time to help build walls to get me open. Chad Morgan, for always being a phone call away for anything."
WHAT IS THE MOST MEMORABLE THING TO HAPPEN TO YOU IN MUSKOGEE?
"The floods. We had the floods that hindered us a lot. And then COVID. If it wasn't for my clients — they were supporting us and sending money when they didn't have to. They were truly just supporting us. And we won Best Barbershop three years in a row."
WHAT DO YOU DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME?
"Be a dad, a husband, worship leader. Go to school."
HOW WOULD YOU SUM UP MUSKOGEE IN 25 WORDS OR LESS?
"Either you love it or you hate it, one of the two. Muskogee has been good to me, though."
EDUCATION: Central High School, Tulsa; Valliant High School, Valliant; International Salon and Spa Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado; currently taking music production and sound design classes at Berklee College of Music, Boston.
MILITARY SERVICE: U.S. Navy, 1998-2012, E-6.
PROFESSION: Barber; Worship leader at Wagoner First Assembly of God.
FAMILY: Wife, Andrea; three children.
CHURCH: Wagoner First Assembly of God.
HOBBIES: Drag racing, rock climbing, music.
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