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If You Build It, They Will Come
Building a Buzz with Ellis Paul

by Scott McCormick, Winter 1997

"I think many people have a misconception about how the music business works," says singer/songwriter Ellis Paul. "They make their CDs and then rush off to try and land a record deal. What inevitably happens is they approach labels before they're ready, and make a bad first impression--one that will stick with them for good." Instead, Paul advises, "You're better off concentrating on your songwriting, getting in front of people, building a buzz, and letting the labels come to you."

He should know. His first two independently-released CDs (manufactured by Disc Makers), Say Something, and Stories, sold over 25,000 copies total, prompting Rounder/Philo Records to pick him up and license Stories. His third album, A Carnival of Voices, was released in July, 1996 to rave reviews from critics and peers. According to the Boston Globe, "No emerging songwriter in recent memory has been more highly touted or respected by other songwriters." Statements like that are thrown his way on a regular basis. Another indication of Paul's popularity are the numerous Web sites--seven and counting--dedicated to him and his music, each of which gets a few hundred hits a week.

Ellis began his music career playing the open mic scene in Boston after graduating from Boston College with a BA in English. His first break came when he met a local businessman, Ralph Jaccodine, who was so impressed with Paul's lyrics and singing style, he offered to back him. Jaccodine founded Black Wolf Records to release Say Something, and folk great Bill Morrissey was brought on board to produce it. Paul went on to win six Boston Music Awards, including Best New Folk/Acoustic Act and Best Song/Songwriter, as well as the 1994 Kerrville New Folk Award (whose past winners have included John Gorka, Lyle Lovett, and Nancy Griffith).

According to Ellis, there have been two key elements to building his buzz: his mailing list and his constant touring. "My mailing list is definitely the number one cog in the marketing machine. I send out a quarterly mailing to over 7,000 people all over the country, to keep them up-to-date with my latest releases and touring information." Once a year Ellis sends out a two-page newsletter, featuring anecdotes from the road, and an overview written by Jaccodine, now his manager. To other acts looking to launch a publication, Paul advises, "Make sure you're it looks good and is easy to read."

His mailings have been instrumental in supporting his tours--which are almost nonstop. Every year Paul averages 200 shows, nationwide. "Aside from the mailings, for a successful stint at each town you should try to get a radio interview and a local newspaper article. An article can bring 50 to 100 people to your show." A publicist now does the legwork for him, but it wasn't long ago that Paul made the arrangements himself.

Paul capitalizes on his appearances by hawking merchandise. Even today, he says, "a huge portion of my CD sales are from gigs." Ellis also recommends selling T-shirts at gigs, but not for profit. "I make my shirts for $5 and either give them away or sell them for $10. It's more important for me to have people advertising my name then to make a few bucks on a T-shirt." Another of Paul's touring tips is one Fast Forward has recommended in the past: Make friends with the staff of each club you play. "Tip them well and/or give them a shirt. They'll bug booking person to bring you back and maybe even provide you with a place to sleep."

When asked about getting a manager or booking agent, Ellis recommends letting them come to you. "Again, you don't want to make a bad impression. Chances are you don't know what they're looking for. Besides, if they're doing their jobs, they should be looking for you."

Ellis fans can expect his new album this summer, although they can catch some of his new songs in a live performance. "I use gigs to test new material. I get the crowd's reaction and tweak each song until it's ready for the studio." For information on his touring schedule or how to get his CDs, go to his Web site.