Ellis Paul
Ellis Paul (born Paul Plissey; January 14, 1965) is an American singer-songwriter and folk musician. Born in Presque Isle, Aroostook County, Maine, Paul is a key figure in what has become known as the Boston school of songwriting, a literate, provocative, and urbanely romantic folk-pop style that helped ignite the folk revival of the 1990s.[3] His pop music songs have appeared in movies and on television, bridging the gap between the modern folk sound and the populist traditions of Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger.[4]
Ellis Paul
Paul Plissey
January 14, 1965
Fort Kent, Maine, U.S.
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Singer-songwriter
Vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards
1987–present
Paul grew up in a small Maine town. He attended Boston College on a track scholarship, majoring in English. Injured during his junior year, Paul began playing guitar to help fill his free time and soon began writing songs. After graduating college Paul played at open mic nights in the Boston area while working with inner-city school children. He won a Boston Acoustic Underground songwriter competition and gained national exposure on a Windham Hill Records compilation which helped him choose music as a career.[5]
Paul had released 19 albums by the end of 2014 and received 14 Boston Music Awards, considered the pinnacle of contemporary acoustic music success by some.[6] He has published a book of original lyrics, poems, and drawings and released a DVD that includes a live performance, guitar instruction, and a road-trip documentary. In 2014, his children's CD Hero in You was published as a book by Albert Whitman & Company. Paul plays almost 200 live shows a year.[7]
Career[edit]
Early career: 1987–1990[edit]
Paul majored in English at Boston College where he continued to participate in track. His best time in the 10,000 meters (30:18:50) remains the fourth best men's outdoor record in Boston College history.[13] When a knee injury in his junior year sidelined him from athletics, Paul picked up an acoustic guitar to pass the time. He taught himself to play guitar with the help of a Hits of the 70s songbook, and began to write songs.[10] Boston radio included a classic hits station that played the music of Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young and James Taylor; artists who were mostly unfamiliar to Paul. Within a few years they became major influences. Having a career in music was the furthest thing from Paul's mind at that point, but as his playing and writing improved it became a bigger focus in his life. In an interview with FolkWax journalist Arthur Wood, Paul stated:
Children's books[edit]
On September 1, 2014, Paul's children's CD Hero in You was published as a book by Albert Whitman & Company. Illustrated by Angela Padron, the book of American biographies includes a copy of the CD with exclusive introductory tracks by Paul. The accompanying CD allows young readers to listen to each song while discovering additional facts about Paul's heroes on each page.[84]
Paul's second children's book was published – again by Albert Whitman & Company – in October 2015. Based on his Christmas poem The Night the Lights Went Out on Christmas, the book, illustrated by Scott Brundage, is the whimsical yet heartwarming story of a neighborhood where families trying to outdo one another with Christmas lights and decorations use so much electrical power that the neighborhood is thrown into darkness. The poem originally appeared on Paul's City of Silver Dreams Christmas CD and is included as a downloadable mp3 file with the book.[85]
Sports honor[edit]
In September 2012, Presque Isle High School announced that Paul would be one of four high school graduates inducted into its Athletic Hall of Fame at the third annual ceremony on January 11, 2013. During his high school career, Paul – a member of the class of 1983 – starred in cross-country and track. He won a cross-country state championship as a senior as well as three Eastern Maine titles and a 5,000-meter state crown in track. He also finished second in the 15–16 age division of the 1981 AAU national cross-country championships and later during his career placed seventh in the 17–18 age group at the AAU Junior Olympic national championships.[12]
Coinciding with the Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony were two performances to benefit the Wintergreen Arts Center, one at The Whole Potato Cafe and Commons and one at the University of Maine at Presque Isle's Wieden Auditorium.[86]
University of Maine honor[edit]
On May 17, 2014, Paul was the commencement address speaker at the University of Maine at Presque Isle's 105th commencement. Paul was also awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree during the commencement ceremony.[87] At the conclusion of his commencement address, Paul performed his composition "Rise Up, Presque Isle" which has been adopted as the school's new Alma Mater.[88]