For 50 years, since legendary highlife musician Pat Thomas began his professional music career, many people believed that his real name was also Pat Thomas.
In an interview on Citi TV’s entertainment and lifestyle show, “Upside Down,” Pat Thomas, who is also known as “The Golden Voice,” astonishingly revealed that his real name is Nana Kwabena Amu Mensah.
According to the iconic highlife musician, he came up with the stage name “Pat Thomas” when he was in Takoradi and someone asked him his name.
He simply blurted out “Pat Thomas,” and the name stuck.
In an uncharacteristically candid moment, Pat Thomas admitted that he sometimes regrets not using the name “Kwabena Kwabena” as his stage name.
He emphasized that the name “Kwabena Kwabena” is very popular in Ghana, and he believes that even though “Pat Thomas” has also made him popular, he would have been even more successful if he had used that name.
He told the hosts of the show, Frema Adunyame and Nana Tuffour, “Any time I hear the name ‘Kwabena Kwabena,’ I ask myself why I didn’t come up with that name. I think it would have been a great stage name for me. But Pat Thomas is also great.”
Meanwhile, the highlife legend known for many hit songs, including “Sika Ye Mogya” and “Mewo Akoma,” will celebrate his 50th year in music with a concert at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC) on Friday, August 4, 2023.
The concert, titled “Pat Thomas Highlife Night,” will feature performances by some of Ghana’s top highlife musicians, such as Kojo Antwi, Kwabena Kwabena, and Kuami Eugene, as well as a special tribute to the “Meyo Akoma” crooner’s career.
Former President John Kufuor and aspiring NPP presidential candidate Alan Kyerematen are among the many dignitaries expected to attend the highly publicized “Pat Thomas Highlife Night” concert.