OXFORD – Fall is here, and 6 On The Square in Oxford will open its 2023-24 season with acclaimed singer and songwriter Ellis Paul at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16.
Paul is hailed as a troubadour, folky and a storyteller, and the tattoo of Woody Guthrie on his arm says a lot about his approach to music. The Maine native also lists Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan and James Taylor among the influences for his intimate, provocative and romantic tales of everyday lives.
Paul has been called the quintessential Boston songwriter more than a few times and has garnered the recognition and awards to back up that claim, including a shelf full of Boston Music Awards. Since coming onto the scene in 1993 with his independent debut, “Say Something,” he hasn't slowed as a performer or a writer.
His 1994 album “Stories” secured him a deal with Rounder Records and a national following. He started spending about two-thirds of the year on the road, a pace that continues today.
Over the years and albums, his songs have gotten more personal. He turned the looking glass onto his own life for 1998's “Translucent Soul,” as he publicly worked through the pain of his divorce.
Following hot on the heels of 1999's double-CD “Live,” the new millennium saw Paul's song "The World Ain't Slowing Down" featured in the film “Me, Myself and Irene” starring Jim Carrey.