Biography

Roots

The beginning of Paul’s journey to becoming an accomplished songwriter can be traced back to a young boy who was born with an innate affinity for music. A hodgepodge of musical genres and styles was filtered through his young mind thanks to his father’s eclectic collection of albums. With his uncanny sense of melody and harmony as well as his prowess for creating delightfully disturbing poems and short stories as kid in grade school, the path toward storytelling through song seemed to be right at his feet. The piano lessons began when he was eight, but it was not until he was thirteen that Paul discovered one of his greatest passions, the guitar. Practice and dedication became effortless and fun at that point. The theory and knowledge he gained from the piano helped him to catch on to the instrument very quickly. He would eventually delve into the mandolin and banjo, furthering his musical potential. Paul discovered his zeal for songwriting when he was seventeen. After getting a few earlier inane attempts at crafting a song out of the way, Paul was able to catch the attention of some friends who were pleasantly surprised at the progress he had made. From then on, Paul began writing unremittingly knowing that honing his craft is what he wanted to do.

Progress and Accolades

Now with twenty-five years and over one-hundred fifty original compositions under his belt, Paul, who resides in Nashville, continues to hone his craft as a writer, arranger, musician, and performer. He is a member of Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) and American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). In 2003, Paul found himself in the running to become a finalist in USA Network’s original series, Nashville Star. With his unique rendition of “Man of Constant Sorrow”, Paul, out of 8,000+ hopefuls, managed to work his way up to the regional competition where only 125 contestants remained. Part of his performance was featured on the USA Network during the premiere episode of Nashville Star. Paul exclaims, “The contacts I made and the experiences gained throughout the competition were unbelievable. I grew so much this past year.” His future promise as a songwriter was recognized in 2003 as his song “The Missing Piece” received Honorable Mention (one of the top 56 songs out of more than 8,000 submissions) in the 3rd Annual CMT/NSAI Song Contest. In 2004 he added to his accomplishments as “What Broken Hearts Do” was chosen as one of the best 15 songs in the 4th Annual CMT/NSAI Song Contest. He continues to perform his material as he frequents the Bluebird Cafe on Writers Nights and performs at various Middle Tennessee area venues. Paul signed a management deal in early 2003 with Overdrive Entertainment and finished recording his first studio effort, Dream That Won’t Die, which was released in January of 2005. In the spring of 2006, Paul was one of twenty promising writers selected to participate in the annual ASCAP Songwriters’ Workshop hosted by legendary writer Pat Alger. In a song contest held within the workshop, the two songs Paul submitted took both 1st and 2nd place. Most recently, his song “Someone Who Ain’t Me” co-written with Van Preston recieved honorable mention in the 2007 CMT/NSAI Song Contest. He is a graduate of the music business program at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU), nationally renowned for its recording industry management studies. Although he has enjoyed his new-found freedom from the school books, Paul is very focused on the goals he hopes to attain.

Where is He Now?

Paul is preparing to sign his first publishing deal with Giantslayer Publishing which is owned by renowned writers Rory Feek and Tim Johnson. This company is excited to bring him on board as a staff songwriter and believes that he has enormous potential in the country music industry. Paul is currently busy recording much of his new material in his home studio in Green Hills. This collection of recordings he refers to as Pointe Sessions allows him to share his songs with his fans and portray his music as he envisions it. He is also the lead acoustic and electric guitarist for the Lisa Kolarich Band, a talented contemporary country-rock act. Paul has made great strides as his name is becoming familiar to more and more publishers, producers, and writers in town. As he continues to broaden his network and write with established writers, Paul is becoming successful and well-known as a songwriter in the community and beyond. Through his catchy and innovative melodies with heart-felt “tell-it-like-it-is” lyrics, Paul has the ability to tap his listeners’ emotions and draw them into an experience they can call their own.