Pat Suzuki, born Chiyoko Suzuki on 22 September 1930 in California, was an American singer who survived internment as a Nisei during World War II. After graduating from San Jose State University, she toured with The Teahouse of the August Moon and gained prominence singing in Seattle's Colony Club. Bing Crosby discovered her in 1957, securing a contract with RCA Victor and the release of her 1958 eponymous album Pat Suzuki. In 1960 she was nominated for a Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for Broadway '59. In 1958, Richard Rodgers cast her as Linda Low in the Broadway premiere of Flower Drum Song, earning a Theatre World Award in 1959; her rendition of "I Enjoy Being a Girl" from the show is deemed to be the definitive recording. Her discography includes The Many Sides of Pat Suzuki(1958) and Looking at You (1960), and she appeared on national shows such as The Lawrence Welk Show and The Frank Sinatra Show. After stepping back from the spotlight following her son's birth, she returned to nightclub tours in 1963 and performed on The Red Skelton Show in 1964. In 1999, Taragon Records issued The Very Best of Pat Suzuki, a compilation of her early RCA recordings.
