The poetic ballads of singer-songwriter Ellis Paul have taken him from open mics
to
national recognition. In the seven years since his recording debut, as a member of folk
collective End Construction Productions, Paul has risen to the top of contemporary folk
music. The winner of the first Acoustic Underground Competition in 1988, Paul has built a
solid following across the United States.
"People come to my shows who know my songs and they sing along," Paul said by
telephone. "It's really nice. I can play in large theaters and sell them out. I might
go to the
Midwest and only play to 60 or 70 people. But, in every market, there's at least that many
people who are hard-core fans."
Paul recently completed his most eventful year. Hopeful when he moved to Nashville,
with his wife, in the Spring of 1997, he returned alone to Greater Boston when his
marriage
broke up. "This is the best place for me to be right now," he said. "I have
friends here. My
supporters are here. This is where I can put my head on straight again and get on with my
life."
The breakup of his marriage ended a romance that began in Paul's childhood. "It was a
very hard thing," he said, "but, I've been trying to present a positive take on
everything. We'd
been together for so long that we were both craving for big changes. That's what the new
songs are about."
One new tune, "The World Ain't Slowing Down", takes a deeply philosophical view
of
the marriage's demise. "We were living my life and my career," Paul explained.
"She can now
explore other things and not just be attached to my dream."
Paul's dream has taken him from the mountains of northern Maine to clubs,
coffeehouses, concerts and festivals around the country. Although he trained as an
athlete, as
a youngster, and received a scholarship to Boston College as a runner, Paul's true voice
has
come through his music. "I love being creative," he said, "and having
people recognize me for
it. It's a lot of fun."
A former social worker in Boston, Paul continues to examine modern society through
his songs. "My songs are about trying to figure out where people fit," he said,
"about people
who are struggling. I often write about the social pressures on these people."
A variety of pop, folk and folk-rock influences have culminated in Paul's distinct sound.
"If you put James Taylor, Neil Young, Bob Dylan and Bill Morrissey in a
blender," he said,
"you'd come up with my voice. Those guys influenced me with their songwriting, too. I
borrow from all of them."
Paul has continued to evolve as a recording artist. While his debut solo album, "Say
Something", was produced by singer-songwriter Bill Morrissey and featured
acoustic-based
arrangements, his subsequent efforts - "Stories" and "Carnival of
Voices" - have been
full-band productions.
The albums are linked by Paul's storytelling approach. "The songs on 'Say Something'
were written from personal experience," he said. "'Stories', was less intimate.
I got more into
creating characters. 'Carnival of Voices' is a moody record, more about the interaction
between me and the characters."
Paul has been working on his next recording since March. The album, which marks the
return of producer Jerry Morratta, the drummer for the Indigo Girls and Barbara Kessler,
is
scheduled to be finished by mid-January and released in May, 1998. "It's more along
the
lines of Harry Chapin, in the storytelling sense," Paul said. "The setting and
the characters are
very important to the songs."
Although the forthcoming album includes several break-up songs, they offer interesting
perspectives. "They're not just about being hurt," Paul said, "but about
being hopeful and
about how positive things come out of dramatic pain."
With his marriage behind him, Paul is unsure of his future. "When I was married, I
could
tell you how I predicted my life," he said. "Now, I'm wondering. I don't know.
I'm going to
be working a lot and trying to become a better songwriter. But, I don't know where I'm
going
to live. I don't know if I'm going to stay in Boston for long. I don't know if I'm going
to settle
on the west coast or in Maine. I have no idea. I'm going to let the winds take me."
Craig Harris,
Appeared in The Southcoast TRIBUNE
used with permission
