SONGS
“Say hello to Dorset based songwriter (Grandad) Paul. After exchanging pleasantries, you will want to spend the next 45 minutes in his company. It will be like having a conversation with an old acquaintance, in whose presence you feel comfortable”. David Kidman (FATEA)
Sampler
“always makes us smile”
– Brunny Folk Club
“40 years on, still enigmatically superb”
– Tom Morton, BBC Radio Scotland
“talented wordsmith”
– Woolston Folk Club
Bio
Paul was born in Peterborough on 5th June 1953. After a short while, his family moved to Manchester and then, at the age of seven, to Glasgow, where he spent his formative years.
In 1969, he left school to be employed on various farms in central and southern Scotland. Farm work ultimately led him into a career, which involved manufacturing cow cake and that is what brought him to Dorset in 1994, where he was employed as part of a team, manufacturing and distributing to farmers across southern England, until retiring in 2020.
He started to write songs in early teenage years, having being given his first guitar as a Christmas present. The ability to write lyrics, whether humorous or more thought provoking, has evolved from there. With self expression and creativity to the fore, the song writing has little to do with commercial gain.
Paul also plays guitar with “Tree Fellahs” ceilidh band.
Whereabouts
Upcoming Gigs
2023
23rd October: Chichester Folk Club
16th September: Tree Fellahs, Upwey and Broadwey Hall
15th September: Swanage Folk Festival sing around.
15th July: Tree Fellahs, St Augustine’s School, Weymouth
24th June: Tree Fellahs, private wedding party, Weymouth
10th June: Tree Fellahs, Portland Sailing Club TBC
3rd June: Tree Fellahs, Weymouth Folk Festival.
23rd May: Focsle Folk Club, Southampton
20th May: Tree Fellahs, Upwey and Broadwey Hall
8th May: Brunny Folk Club, Allendale Cafe, Wimborne
Get in touch
“very original, highly entertaining”
– Ringwood Folk Club
“wry, poignant, incisive by turns”
– Lymington Folk and Blues
© Copyright 2020 Paul Openshaw.