   Photos by Marco Torres Pat Kelly (L) plays keyboards with The
Suffers at the 2012 Houston Press Music Awards Showcase Pat
Kelly is a lifelong Houston musician and the driving force
behind the Suffers, whose irresistible blend of R&B, ska, reggae
and rocksteady has made them the reigning HPMA Best New Act.
They're multiple nominees again this year in Best
Reggae/Ska/Dub, Best Female Vocals for singer Kam Franklin, and
himself for Best Keyboards.  Kelly, who started on piano at age
6, started in the local music scene at 17 and has spent time in
Half Loaded, soundpatrol, Los Skarnales, the Igents, The
Stingers ATX, and the The Handsomes. He still plays drums in the
Theater Under the Stars Orchestra throughout the year at Hobby
Center, but the Suffers is Kelly's first band where he's played
keyboards.  "I decided that it was way easier to be creative in
a band situation for me from a keyboard rather than be sort of
stuck behind a kit," he says. "I'm lucky that I have a group of
friends and musicians that let m