About Patricia Carey – the mother of Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey’s mother is Patricia Carey (née Hickey). Patricia Carey is an Irish-American singer, songwriter, and record producer. She is a retired opera singer and freelance vocal coach. While already recognized for her talent, Patricia Carey gained more fame for being the mother of Mariah Carey.
Patricia Carey was born on February 15, 1937, in Virginia. She was born as one of 3 children to her parents- John Wesley Hickey (father) and Ann Elizabeth Hickey (mother). She attended the Julliard School for Music on scholarship. She is 86 years old as of 2023. She grew up in Springfield, Illinois, and she has two siblings named Bob Hickey and Mary Holdereith.
About Patricia Carey’s parents
Patricia Carey is the daughter of John Wesley Hickey (father) and Ann Elizabeth Hickey (mother). Both of Patricia’s parents are late. Her mother was an Irish Catholic and her father died even before her birth. Reports had it that her mother disowned her because of her relationship with Mariah Carey’s father.
About Patricia Carey’s siblings
Patricia Carey reportedly has two siblings, one of whom is late. Her siblings are named Bob Hickey and Mary Holdereith. Her brother, Bob is late. Further information about Bob’s death or Mary’s whereabouts is scarce in the media as of the time of writing.
Wiki Profile of Patricia Carey
| Full name | Patricia Carey (née Hickey) |
| Date of birth | February 15, 1937 |
| Age | 86 years |
| Place of birth | Virgin |
| Parents | John Wesley Hickey (father) Ann Elizabeth Hickey (mother) |
| Marital status | Widow |
| Husband | Alfred Roy Carey (late) |
| Alma mater | Julliard School for Music |
| Height | 5″6 inches |
| Career | Singer, Songwriter, Record producer |
| Net worth | $5 million (est.) |
How Patricia Carey started her career
Patricia Carey’s music career started after she won a scholarship to Julliard School for Music. Her daughter, Mariah Carey had stated that her mother’s love for music came from listening to a classical music station on the radio.
Patricia Carey made her debut at the Lincoln Center where she sang with the New York City Opera. She released a 13-track album titled “To Start Again” in 1977. She collaborated with Mariah Carey on a holiday classic song titled “O Come All Ye Faithful” in 2010. She also worked with renowned operatic soprano, Beverly Sills.
According to reports, Patricia Carey quit her music career to focus on her children, encouraging Mariah to take over from her. However, Mariah made it known in her 2020 memoir titled “The Meaning of Mariah Carey” that her mother later got jealous of her success.
Mariah Carey wrote:
Jealousy comes with the territory when you are famous. But when it comes from your own mother, it is very painful.
About Patricia Carey’s marriage and relationship
Patricia Carey was married to Alfred Roy Carey (Mariah Carey’s father). Alfred Roy Carey was an aeronautical engineer of African-American and Venezuelan descent. Patricia Carey and Alfred got married in 1960. They stayed married for 13 years despite all the racial tension they faced and finally settled for divorce in 1973. They had three children together. Alfred died 29 years after their divorce in 2002 at the age of 72.
About Patricia Carey and Alfred Roy Carey’s marriage
Alfred Roy Carey was an aeronautical engineer of Afro-Venezuelan descent. He was a member of the Black community by race. He died at the age of 72 in July 2002 in Suffolk, New York. His daughter, Mariah Carey wrote a tribute song titled “Sunflowers for Alfred Roy” a year after his death.
Alfred Roy and Patricia Carey met in the late 50s. They both endured hostility and judgement as an interracial couple at the time. Patricia’s mother disowned her and she was banned from bringing her husband home for family gatherings. They tied the knot against all odds on February 20, 1960.
They were reportedly shot at their home and their pets were poisoned by racists in their community. Unfortunately, the couple had to go their separate ways after 13 years, settling for divorce in 1973. They had three children while they were still together.
List of Patricia Carey’s past relationships and boyfriends
As of the time of writing, there is no available information about Patricia Carey’s past relationships and boyfriends. Her only known relationship is her romance and marriage to Alfred Roy Carey.
Patricia Carey’s children
Patricia Carey is a proud mother of three children – a son and two daughters. Her children are named Morgan, Alison and Mariah Carey. According to reports, Patricia’s three children don’t have a cordial relationship with each other.
About Patricia Carey’s relationship with Mariah Carey
Patricia Carey and her daughter don’t have the best relationship. Her daughter accused her of being jealous of her success in her 2020 memoir titled “The Meaning of Mariah Carey”. The singer referred to her mother by her name in the book instead of calling her “mom”.
Discussion about their strained relationship hit the media again after Mariah put her mother in an upscale senior living home in West Palm Beach and sold her abandoned home in North Salem a year later. It was said that Mariah Carey had bought the house for her as a birthday gift in 1994.
Before that, her siblings, Alison and Morgan had sued Mariah Carey for slander after the publication of her memoir, claiming that most of Mariah’s claims in the memoir were demeaning.
