At the head of the traditional folk revival coming out of Boston is Ellis Paul, whose charismatic performances, approachable style and beautifully rendered story-songs have helped him find respect and acclaim on an international scale. Click the link above to hear Paul perform live in concert from WXPN and World Cafe Live in Philadelphia.
Born Paul Plissey to a family in rural Maine, Paul didn't have much exposure to folk and its greats; he was a busy high-school track star, which helped him land a scholarship to Boston College. It wasn't until after this relocation that Paul heard his first bits of folk, particularly Bob Dylan's rendition of "House of the Rising Sun." After being sidelined by an injury, Paul picked up an acoustic guitar and a book of '70s hits.
Performing in Boston's intimate coffeehouse circuit, the young musician soon built a strong reputation while opening for John Gorka and eventually signing with a label. Paul quit his day job in 1992, ready to throw himself into his music career. Since then, Paul has won 14 Boston Music Awards, published a book, played thousands of shows and released 16 albums. His latest, The Day After Everything Changed, comes out next week.
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