Paul J Openshaw

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)

“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.