Ellis Paul

As 2018 ended, I was awash in bright lights— midnight arrived and the room filled with cheers, champagne raised, kisses and the babble of well-wishers….and I found myself staring out at the crowd once again from the stage at Club Passim in Cambridge. In wonder. For the 26th year in a row— where did they go? So many of the same faces, slightly changed over the course of years. It’s a blur. Everything is different…everything’s the same…and the earth continues to rotate.

I had a remarkable year for many reasons. Some of it unbearably hard— losing my brother in arms, David Glaser. Some of it beautiful— roaming Alaska with a group of vagabond travelers, and spending a week on a remote island in Maine with another crew of wanderers. Just breathing in the spectacular views wherever I roamed. We completed yet another retreat for songwriters in Connecticut that started so humbly a few years ago, by the seat of my pants, and now has sold out and affected and inspired the creativity of 70 artists who are out working in the world. And then a whirlwind of shows, kids shows, adult shows, workshops, and speeding off to finish an album in weekly two-day increments in Woodstock, NY. I saw too little of my kids and my girlfriend this fall, and the necessity of making a living continues to tie me to a highway. In all the beauty and adventure and travel there was some constant heartache in 2018. It’s something of a job requirement, but truly, the counterpoint is living an extraordinary life.

The upside is that it’s now 2019. The Storyteller’s Suitcase has finally been recorded and is recharging my batteries with every listen. This album is mainly autobiographical, but the stories are universal: family, travel, and engaging in the fight to make the world a better place. My recording trips to Woodstock are no longer necessary. However, the final push for fundraising is upon me for manufacturing, promoting, radio, video, and even shipping the thing!

Please consider contributing to the fundraiser, if you haven’t already. I don’t know… in this digital age of singles and streaming, how many more of these I can do? I’ve created a 32-page CD/book with lyrics, drawings, photos and back story on all the tunes. You can start with a pre-order or even with a digital copy, or work yourself up to a little suitcase, hand drawn lyrics or a house concert! Here’s the fundraiser link: https://www.ellispaul.com/fundraiser/

Here are links to two new songs…but these are NOT the final versions….just a sample tasting…. 😊

Slingshot: http://song.space/9u37cz

You’ll Never Be This Young Again: http://song.space/9v9gn7

Coming up in 2019!

NATIONAL ALBUM RELEASE TOUR!

Shows! Lots of performances coming up, including the start of the national album release tour. I won’t have the album in time for Chicago, Ann Arbor, or Columbus, talhough you can preorder it and it will be shipped to you! It will be with me by March when the national album release tour begins— shows in Washington DC, Boston, Atlanta, Charlotte, Texas, and the West Coast are already being booked! Please check the schedule for town… I’m crisscrossing the entire country with this album and selling it out of the back of the car!

VACATION EXCURSIONS!

Two excursions for vacationers are coming up in 2019. First, I am returning to Monhegan Island off the coast of Maine for week! Roots on the Rocks is organizing it for me. They did a spectacular job last year. Joining me this time are my friends and extraordinary musicians, Abbie Gardner and Seth Glier. The three of us will perform for you in a cozy space in the evenings after dinner and hikes and the sipping of the tasty beverages. It’s a gorgeous island with a long history as an artist colony. We will be staying at a historic inn with amazing views of light houses, the ocean, bluffs and even a shipwreck. It’s a perfect location for hiking, painting, and unwinding. It’s one of those bucket-list trips featuring the best Maine has to offer. It’s happening June 2-8 and you can visit this link for more information and to sign up! http://www.rootsontherails.com/upcoming-trips-2019-monhegan-island-me

My vacation excursion to Ireland with Inishfree Tours has sold out!.... but I plan to return in 2020 or 2021.

THE 2019 NEW ENGLAND SONGWRITERS RETREAT!

We return to Chester, CT with new guest instructors Sam Baker, Tracy Grammer, Jim Henry, Laurie MacAllister, Abbie Gardner and others! This will be the fourth installment. It is held over Labor Day weekend and is four days of classes, workshops, concerts, song circles and a blurrrrrrr of tunes! Visit this link for more information!https://www.newenglandsongwritersretreat.com/

PRIVATE SHOWS AND SCHOOL SHOWS!

Please help me fill my calendar by bringing me into your child’s school or into your living room for a house concert. I fill up my touring calendar by sharing my award-winning children’s book The Hero in You at elementary schools and doing house concerts and private events along the way. I’d love to play for you, your family, your friends. Keep me in mind for special event gatherings— birthdays, anniversaries, etc... I travel all over the country, and I will come to you! For more information please contact Tim Drake at the Roots Agency at this address: tim@therootsagency.com

TRUEFIRE.COM!

And lastly, I am launching a teaching channel and classes for songwriters for TrueFire. The channel and classes will available for preorder soon! Look around if you’d like by visiting this link: https://truefire.com/online-guitar-lessons/

I hope your 2019 is healthy, happy, and fruitful!

Best to you— Ellis