The living room is a great find to find oneself.
You can pop in a CD, close your eyes and be taken to a whole new world where the answers are clear and the truth can be found.
Thats exactly what happens when one sits down and listens to an Ellis Paul album. Paul is a folk singer/songwriter who has
been around for some time. He started out playing at open mics and has since then, gained a notable following, releasing several
albums and becoming known as one of the greatest folk writers of our time. Youve probably heard his brilliant work in such
Farrelly brothers films as Shallow Hal and, most notably, Me, Myself and Irene. His work exists far beyond that though. He is a musical genius, a man who seeks to capture
the human condition, no matter how struggling that may be.
Im hoping to offer people some clarity [with
my songs]. I want to show people what is great about life and what is hard. Paul says.
Paul's work, inspired by musical greats such
as Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell to name a few, appears to have no limits. He writes mainly for himself, inspired by whatever
comes to mind may it be a person, an object or an event. He uses his music to tune his own life. He hopes to leave the world
with a catalogue of great music that people will remember for years to come. Shaken by the recent death of singer legend Johnny
Cash, he hopes he can leave behind such a legacy of brilliance as Cash did.
While not a religious man per say, Pauls lyrics
ring in with a religious tone. One can see this evident in all of his music. In his hit song, The World Aint Slowin Down,
Paul sings It's a carnival calling out to you/and it sounds like a song/It hits you like scripture/you paint the picture/with colors squeezed from your hand
Im not a Christian, but my music just seems
to have a religious tone that people connect with. I think that music is related to a spiritual life, intended or not. A lot
of people listen to my music and find meaning in it and thats great. Paul said.
For future singer/songwriters out there, Paul
encourages everyone to go out and do open mics, play at coffee shops and keep trying to bang out something. Like the Nike
commercial says, just do it. A lot of people dream about being a musician, but they never actually write anything, Paul says,
You need to go out and let your voice be heard. Thats the only way youll get anywhere.
Paul recently collaborated with Boston folk legend,
Vance Gilbert on the album, Side of the Road. As Paul states, We met at a coffee
house. I was walking up the stairs and I heard his voice and had to meet him. He is a very gifted musician and its great to
get to work with him
Paul will be appearing with Gilbert on October
1st at 8 Pm at the Beachland Ballroom in Cleveland.
Tickets for this event are $12 advance and $14 at the door. They can be purchased at the CD/Game Exchange, located at 1679
East Main. The phone number for the CD/Game Exchange is 330-673-0655. This would be the perfect opportunity
to get in tune with both musicians and discover their inspiring work. As Paul says, Working in a studio is like prom night.
You dress up in your best and you do what you want. A live performance is a regular date. Theres less focus on looking good
so its far more relaxed and comfortable. Its more real.
More info, and music samples of Ellis Pauls work can be found on his website,
www.ellispaul.com and ticket info on his upcoming concert in Cleveland can also be found on www.beachlandballroom.com.
