Paul Spring was destined to be a poet, being raised in a family of English professor parents, and now having six brothers and sisters who are also English teachers. In this episode of Composer Quest, we get to hear live renditions of four new story songs Paul has been working on, from the hilarious “Type II Diabetes” and “St. Cloud Traffic” to an edgy but thoughtful song trying to make sense of the tragic Newtown, Connecticut school shooting. We also talk about Paul’s self-titled album and the very personal stories behind it. I think it’s the most moving talk we’ve had on the show, so a special thanks to Paul for sharing his music and stories.
[audio:https://charliemccarron.com/mediaftp/composerquest/composer-quest-011-paul-spring.mp3]Right click to download Ep. 11, or open in iTunes.
For more of Paul Spring’s music, visit his site or his Facebook page.
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This is a great episode. With Paul’s passion for English literacy, he’s in a great position to promote music literacy as well with his children’s music. I’m excited to hear the new album and share it with my students!
Paul, it was great to hear your songs. You were apologetic for their simplicity–don’t be! Simple pleasures are the best. Besides, they aren’t as simple as you think. I’m refreshed at your desire to write folk songs–the soul of a nation. Too bad we lean more toward video games and texting rather than sitting around the coffee table singing and story-telling. Your sloppy jalopy song reminded me of my family’s car we lovingly called the Brown Bomber which inspired us all to sing songs as a family–mainly due to the lack of a radio (which my dad negotiated out of the deal with the car salesman). Who knew what a blessing that would be! Thanks for this interview Charlie & Paul!
Thanks for such a thoughtful comment, Amy! Glad to hear it had an impact on you.