Pat Mendoza

Patrick Mendoza was an internationally celebrated storyteller and troubadour whose tales drew upon his American Indian heritage, his interest in Western history and his empathy for military veterans. Mendoza, who had a round face and eyes that disappeared into crinkles when he smiled, called himself a Lepricano. His maternal grandparents were Indian and Irish, and his father was from Cuba. Mendoza grew up in Key West, Fla., and Denver, where he graduated from South High School and Metropolitan State College. Mendoza’s storytelling career grew out of a gig at Gussie’s, a now-defunct Westminster steakhouse where he sang folk, opera and popular songs. Mendoza went on to become one of the Denver storytelling conference’s most popular presenters. He taught himself to play the six- and 12-string guitars, the Celtic flute and the Native American flute, and began recording storytelling sessions in which he accompanied himself musically.