Patricia Shih wrote her first song at age 12 and hasn't stopped since. At the age of 15, she signed a recording and management contract with Unicorn Records of Washington, D.C. as half of a duo. This marked the start of her professional career. A 45 RPM record was released a year later, and numerous, T.V., radio, concert and club performances followed. Included are an international radio broadcast on the Voice of America and appearances at the legendary Cellar Door, where the duo was runner-up to Emmy Lou Harris in the competitive "Best of the Hoots." Several years later, Ms. Shih began her solo career in California, notably on her own PBS special Patty Shih - Music from the Gallery. Soon after, she returned to the east coast and settled in Huntington, N.Y.

To date, Ms. Shih has written over 250 songs, both alone and in collaboration with others. She continues to perform extensively for audiences of all ages, appearing on T.V. and radio, in clubs, concerts, schools, libraries, major music festivals, and other venues, and touring internationally. She starred for a year on Cablevision's "Tell Me a Story" on the Extra Help Channel, seen twice daily, and also wrote and performed the show's theme song. She has appeared in concert with such luminaries as Pete Seeger, Bonnie Raitt, Richie Havens, David Bromberg, Tom Chapin, Livingston Taylor, Odetta, Billy Bragg, Janis Ian, and Peter Yarrow, among others. Her songs are recorded and performed by numerous other artists throughout the United States, have been published in national magazines such as Sing Out!, Broadside, and the Rise Up Singing songbook, and have won awards and accolades in the American Songwriting Festival and the New York Songwriters Showcase. Featured articles on Ms. Shih have appeared in the New York Times, Oakland Tribune, Newsday, Acoustic Guitar Magazine, and AsiAm Magazine.
In 2004 Patricia was honored with a Woman of Distinction Award in New York.
A multi-instrumentalist, Ms. Shih plays 6 and 12 string guitars, piano, Marxophone, Chinese flower drum, and soprano recorder. She has five albums to her credit: two for adults, "Woman With One Closed Eye" (Glass Records) and "Leap of Faith" (Flying Fish Records); and three family/children's albums, "The Power of One" (NAPPA Gold Award & Parents' Choice Approved Award), "Big Ideas!" and "Making Fun!" (1997 Parents Choice Approval Award) on Glass Records. Her work is also included on three anthology albums: "Sharing Thoughts," "Early Ears" (Zoom Express, BMG), and "Rainbow Sign" (Rounder Records), which was honored by the American Library Association Notable Children's Recording Award, Parents' Choice Award, Parents' Prize, NAAPA Gold Medal, and the L.A. Times "Best of 1993" list.