Beth Patterson, born Beth Waggoner Patterson, is an accordionist known for her contributions to folk, rock, and world music. She began her career as a classical oboist and Cajun bass player before studying traditional Irish music at University College Cork. Patterson's debut album Hybrid Vigor was released in 1999 under Little Blue Men Records, followed by Take Some Fire in 2002. She gained recognition as a founding member of the ensemble The Poor Clares, who debuted at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in 2003. Patterson's album On Better Paths, released in 2009, received a Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Folk Album. Throughout her career, she has collaborated with various artists and performed extensively across multiple countries. Subsequent works include Caelic (2017) and "Red Lenses" (2020).
