Now I’m sure that most of you will have heard of this months artist, Paulie Boy Blues, but for the uninitiated please allow me to lift the curse for you!
Paulie Boy Blues is the stage name of one Paul Diallo. A 27-year-old, Stratwielding fretboard menace, hailing from Maryland, USA.
He has spent the last few years travelling backwards and forwards between the UK, Europe and America after receiving huge boosts from playing with the likes of Kingfish and Philip Sayce, and he’s back over here once again to show the British Blues scene what the Americans are truly made of.
In a rare treat for this writer, I got to actually speak to Paulie at great length about his influences and superhero origins, and thought it would be best for Paul to tell you in his own words; Why you should listen to Paulie Boy Blues.
Murdock: Let’s start at the start! Why blues? How did you fall into it?
Paulie: Okay! So we gotta go back to school. I suffered with – and I still suffer with – ADHD. I wasn’t what you’d call a “good student”, haha! If I wasn’t interested in a lesson then I wasn’t INTERESTED period. I had two great teachers though, Mr. Fisher (history), and Mr. Booth (English). They noticed I was struggling a lot in class, but when Mr. Fisher noticed I got interested when we were looking at American History, and the birth of the blues. Learning about people like Lightning Hopkins, Hendrix, and Robert Johnson. Like – who knows
where music would be without people like Robert Johnson! Y’know?
Murdock: I certainly do! The story of the blues is something we always talk
about, as guitarists, I mean. These two really lit the flame for you?
Paulie: Oh yeah! I mean I just started paying attention! They really helped me find my calling in life – My whole mission isn’t for me to just play this music, and write this music, but keep the core of it alive. The history serves as a reminder of the journey we’re all on, but that journey isn’t over – I just got here! Ha! But I remember the conversations I would have with my teachers and we decided that I could either start teaching blues history, or I could try making blues history. And I get to make it with people that are inspiring me so, so much right now.