Alexandria Jazz Singer Pat Mcartor Marks Her 100th Birthday by Performing at St. Elmo’s Coffee Pub, Where Thursday Night Shows Have Defined Her Del Ray Life

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Pat McArtor celebrated her 100th birthday by doing what neighbors in Alexandria have come to expect from her: singing. Known around Del Ray as “Miss Pat,” she marked the milestone this week with a performance rather than a party.

For about 20 years, McArtor has taken part in Thursday night jazz shows at St. Elmo’s Coffee Pub. She has also spent her entire life in the Del Ray neighborhood, making the coffee shop performances part of a much longer local story.

Two decades of Thursday nights at St. Elmo’s

McArtor’s connection to St. Elmo’s Coffee Pub stretches back roughly 20 years, when she began joining the venue’s Thursday night jazz lineup. That weekly routine turned her into a familiar presence for regulars who have watched her perform year after year.

Her attachment to the neighborhood goes far beyond the stage. McArtor has lived in Del Ray her whole life, and she described the area as very different in earlier days, saying it was once more of a small town with few restaurants.

That memory adds context to her celebration. The birthday performance was not just a one-night event, but a continuation of the role she has played in the community for decades.

Music has been part of her life since childhood

McArtor said music has always mattered to her, and she credits her family with giving her that foundation. Her mother and father both played the piano, which helped make music a constant part of her upbringing.

She recalled that when she was 8 years old, her father would ask her to sing a number. That early encouragement seems to have stayed with her, eventually shaping the lifelong singing tradition that now defines her public identity in Alexandria.

At 100, McArtor still sees music as central to her life. The birthday performance offered a clear sign that the habit never faded, even as the years passed.

A centenarian who still lives on her own

McArtor’s milestone comes with another detail that surprised many people around her: she still lives on her own. That independence is part of the picture of a woman who remains active enough to keep showing up for Thursday night sets.

Her longevity has prompted a simple explanation from her own perspective. She said the secret to reaching 100 is music and family, a combination that reflects both her personal history and the support system around her.

The statement fits the way she has lived publicly in Del Ray, where her singing has been tied to home, memory, and routine for years.

Neighbors know her as Miss Pat

In the neighborhood, McArtor is less often called by her full name than by her familiar nickname, Miss Pat. That shorthand says a lot about the place she holds in local life: recognized, beloved, and closely associated with the sound of live jazz on Thursday nights.

Her birthday celebration this week reinforced that standing. Rather than stepping away from performance for the occasion, she used the day to sing, turning a private milestone into a shared neighborhood moment.

For longtime listeners, the performance also served as a reminder that some community figures become part of the setting itself. In Del Ray, McArtor is one of them.

She plans to keep singing as long as she can

Even at 100, McArtor is not ready to step back from the music she has made part of her life. She said she plans to keep singing with the band on Thursday nights for as long as they will let her.

That determination suggests the Del Ray routine is likely to continue, at least for the near future. For people who have come to associate St. Elmo’s with her presence, that is good news.

The milestone birthday, then, was not presented as a farewell. It was a celebration of continuity, with McArtor still doing the same thing that has defined her for years.

Chicago's music scene, one story at a time — Chicago Music Guide.