“Ellis is one of our best human compasses, marking in melodies
and poems where we've been and where we
might go if we so choose to.” ~ Nora Guthrie
"These are the kind of people that lifted us to a higher plane as a country, by putting what they valued first." ~ Ellis Paul
At a time when our national self-image is at an all-time low, Ellis Paul presents a host of new and original songs pointing to the bright spots of America’s great heritage. Ellis' second family music album, The Hero in You, debuts this month on Black Wolf Records. It's the first in a planned series focusing on heroes of all kinds.
Paul, who has been called “one of contemporary folk music’s most influential voices,” includes 14 songs, plus a colorful keepsake booklet featuring Paul’s illustrations. The Hero in You follows Dragonfly Races, Paul’s best-selling and award-winning 2007 family music album.
Known for his deeply felt and socially conscious songwriting, often about heroes, Ellis Paul was inspired by his own two growing daughters and four years of performing for families to write about people who contributed something to the world through their work and art.
“I spent the last year writing about people who made significant contributions to our culture and in doing so, helped to change the course of our country's future, “says Paul. “Strangely, I started regaining some pride in the process. These people reminded me of how lucky we are to be living here, and that the opportunities here demand that we live boldly.”
The featured heroes include well-known personages like Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Edison, Jackie Robinson, Woody Guthrie (whose centenary year is 2012) and Rosa Parks, and some are not as familiar, but just as noteworthy for their accomplishments. Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce tribe, stood up to encroaching U.S. Army, and chose a peaceful resolution to conflicts rather than more war. Augustus Jackson was one of the first African American businessmen who improved the way ice cream was made. Martha Graham was an innovator in the world of American dance, Tee Tot was the behind-the-scenes musical mentor who made Hank Williams’ legendary career possible, and Nellie Bly was an intrepid journalist-adventurer who traveled around the world in record time and faked insanity in order to uncover the awful conditions in mental institutions in her time.
Woody Guthrie is profiled in The Hero in You, a new CD from Ellis Paul
“These people did amazing things, but they can also inspire young people today to go out and do something out of the ordinary to become the heroes of their own lives,” explains Paul.
Ellis Paul is a critically acclaimed singer, songwriter, poet, troubadour and father of two daughters, originally hailing from a potato farming family in northern Maine, whose career began in the Boston new folk scene. He is the recipient of 13 Boston Music Awards, second only to multi-platinum act Aerosmith. The Boston Globe heralds him as a “songwriter’s songwriter;” Performing Songwriter says, “He combines the sensibilities of Bob Dylan and Bill Morrisey and delivers it with passion that sets him apart in the company of a new breed of songwriters.” Dirty Linen magazine says Paul is “one of contemporary folk music's most influential voices" and the St. Paul Pioneer Press calls him “one of the best songwriters of the past decade.” Ellis’ 2007 family music release The Dragonfly Races, won a Parents’ Choice award and other national kudos.
Ellis performs more than 150 shows a year and travels across North America and Europe. The Charlottesville, VA, resident plans several family concerts in 2012 to celebrate the release of The Hero in You.
Get the latest information about Ellis Paul's music and performances, and visit his blog at: www.ellispaul.com
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