BIO
From his roots growing up in Rochester, NY, RAY PAUL learned how to harmonize at very early age by listening to the EVERLY BROTHERS and was heavily influenced by the energy and excitement created by the first British Invasion, especially THE BEATLES and the classic pop songwriting of the '60's. After years of performing in groups touring the clubs, schools and colleges of NY State and the Northeast, and opening concerts for top acts such as THE RASPBERRIES and TOMMY JAMES & THE SHONDELLS, RAY PAUL moved to Boston in 1976 amid a burgeoning rock scene.
In February 1997, after 15 years away from the stage, RAY PAUL teamed up with his friend
and pop legend EMITT RHODES to perform together at The Poptopia Festival in Los Angeles.
It was a night to remember for pop music fans! 2 years later in 1999, RAY PAUL teamed up
with EMITT RHODES to record a new track, "Some Sing, Some Dance," which peaked at
#43 on radio trade magazine FMQB's Hot A/C chart and made it as high as #5 on New
Music Weekly's Hot A/C chart. The song appeared on the RAY PAUL CD career compilation
"The Charles Beat (Best Of The Boston Years 1978-1981 & Now)" released on Permanent Press
in May 2000. (See the History Page to order this CD.)
In October 2003, "PERFORMANCE REEL VOL. 1 & VOL. 2," 2 DVD collections of RAY PAUL
live concert and TV appearances from the late 1970's in Boston up to 2000 were released
on Permanent Press/Ray Paul Media Corp. They are still available and manufactured by
special order only. (See HISTORY page on this website for ordering info.)
RAY PAUL recently appeared in the 2010 documentary film on EMITT RHODES, "The One
Man Beatles." And as a power pop pioneer, was featured in the John Borack book, "Shake
Some Action" in 2006, and will also be included in the upcoming book, "TOP 200 POWER
POP ALBUMS OF ALL TIME."
"RAY PAUL PLAYS POWER POP" was a catch phrase used to promote and describe his first single and an apt term for the sound to come from RAY PAUL & RPM. With the single still receiving airplay on both major Boston commercial FM stations WCOZ & WBCN, as well as area college radio, the band finally became a reality. No local act received nearly as much media attention and support as RAY PAUL & RPM did in the first two months after the group's debut in August 1978. In that short time, the band played THE PARADISE and THE ORPHEUM THEATER, appeared on numerous television and radio shows, and continued to receive airplay. After releasing the RAY PAUL & RPM album "Go Time" in 1980, and a solo single "How Do You Know?" (which became the #1 local record on WBCN) in September 1981, RAY PAUL left Boston and relocated to Los Angeles.
"The Charles Beat" CD is an 18 track collection which includes both RAY PAUL singles
from 1978 & 1981, tracks from the RAY PAUL & RPM album "Go Time," plus 6 previously
unreleased songs. The entire compilation was digitally remastered by EMITT RHODES.
In October 2003, "PERFORMANCE REEL VOL. 1 & VOL. 2," 2 DVD collections of RAY PAUL
live concert and TV appearances from the late 1970's in Boston up to 2000 were released
on Permanent Press/Ray Paul Media Corp. They are still available and manufactured by
special order only. (See HISTORY page on this website for ordering info.)
RAY PAUL is also the founder of nationally distributed record label PERMANENT PRESS, which was reactivated in 1994 and released new albums by artists such as RICHARD X. HEYMAN, WALTER CLEVENGER & THE DAIRY KINGS, THE VAN DELECKIS and MAPLE MARS, as well as reissues by BADFINGER, KLAATU and THE SPONGETONES. The label has now been reactivated for a third time for the "WHIMSICALITY" release which is being distributed nationally and worldwide through the MVD Entertainment Group.
The new album, "WHIMSICALITY," marks the first new RAY PAUL release since "The Charles
Beat" CD compilation in 2000. The album was recorded in studios in Los Angeles, CA;
Costa Mesa, CA; Toronto, ON; Highland Park, NJ and one track in Rochester, NY. With a
album, there is a new RAY PAUL & RPM band who will be touring this summer to promote
the new album.
Photo by Steve Piper
Copyright 2022 Permanent Press/Ray Paul Media Corp.