Paul Cowderoy

OF LOVE AND LIFE






Susan Jarvis

PAUL COWDEROY admits he spent a lot of time trying to work out a direction for his debut album – not realising that the answer was right in front of him.
“Because it was my first release, I wanted to make sure it was distinctive and different. But in the end, the songs and the performances set the whole tone of the album,” Paul said.
“It turned out to reflect me perfectly – I’m a pretty intense, emotional person, and that’s just how it turned out.
Paul’s debut album, Now, has been eagerly awaited by industry pundits who’ve been watching this young man for the past couple of years.
And the album doesn’t disappoint. It is powerful, captivating and makes its presence felt right here and now.
Paul has the kind of voice that immediately captures your attention, and his vocal style, presence and choice of songs immediately bring the young GARTH BROOKS to mind.
He says his emotional delivery, and his choice of intense, moving songs, is the result of his life story – which hasn’t always been an easy one.
“I grew up on a cane farm in northern New South Wales, but when I was 10 years old my mother left my father and two brothers and myself,” he said.
“My Dad was devastated, and from that point on he poured everything into looking after us.”
Paul has just finished a song about his father, titled Man Of Few Words. He says it will go on to his next album.
He is now also on good terms with his mother, who is involved with his young family – wife Lisa and children Sibella, almost 3, and Oliver, 7 months.
“My grandfather always said that life was too short to dwell on the mistakes of the past. Everyone makes them, and you just need to forgive and move on,” Paul said.
“Having a family of my own has helped – I’m lucky because my wife has been incredibly supportive and encouraging of my music.”
“I think one of the reasons for making an album like Now is to leave something behind for your kids to be proud of.”
It’s clear from listening to Now that family means everything to Paul. The tracks include a tender song about his grandparents, Picture, which was a semi-finalist in the International Songwriting Competition.
There is also a heartfelt love song for Lisa, I Adore You, performed as a duet with SOPHIE SPENCER. It’s one of those songs that will turn up at weddings all over the country.
Although he didn’t write the song – it was penned by the talented TIA SELLERS – Paul performs the very sweet She Wants To Hold My Hand for his young daughter.
“That song has a real message – you have to make time for your kids while they’re young,” Paul said.
Tia also wrote the album’s soaring title track, Now, a celebration of love and life.
Other great tracks include the first single, After Tonight, which won Paul the 2011 Australian Country Music People’s Choice and the Channel C Country Music Awards for Best New Talent in January, and the current single, Emerald Eyes – about coming home.
And Paul’s duet with ROSE CARLEO, a cover of RICHARD MARX’s Right Here Waiting is another gem.
Although he’s a relative newcomer to country music, Paul’s been in the music industry for over a decade, performing mainly in the corporate and Christian music scenes. He says he became disillusioned with Christian music because of the emphasis on image and money.
“It pushed me into country music, though – which was the best thing that could have happened. This industry has been incredibly welcoming and positive,” he said.
That was confirmed in January, when Paul was chosen as a finalist in the 2012 Toyota Star Maker Quest.
Now he’s focused on getting as many people as possible to listen to his new album, there is no doubt that they’ll spread the word about this perceptive, talented performer. - Capital News

Every so often an album graces my desk from a new or lesser known artist that just beckons to be shared – Paul Cowderoy’s NOW is that album.





A Northern NSW boy, and the son of a sugar cane farmer. Paul grew up working on the family farm with his father and grandfather giving him that amazing connection to the land, and instilling a silent confidence that portrays itself beautifully in his performances to this day. As many young people do, Paul was exposed to the music of his parents being an eclectic mix of country and rock which clearly shows in Paul’s current work.





Also of note are Paul’s awards: the 2011 Australian Country Music Peoples choice award for “Most Promising Future Star” and his original track “Picture” beat a staggering 16,000 other song nominations to earn him a solid semi-finalist position in the ISC International Songwriting Competition. Proudly this year Paul was also a Starmaker finalist.





As for the album, I found myself really noticing some great standout tracks like “Now” or “Emerald Eyes” but it was the others that were musical diamonds in the rough, glimmering and shining more each time I listened drawing me back time and time again.





While covers on albums normally scare me for fear of butchering a much loved song, Paul and Rose Carleo have done a great job at countrifying the Richard Marx classic Right here Waiting for you.





A great voice with expert control, Paul has assembled this album to highlight his strengths with great backing and excellent song choice. Uncover Paul Cowderoy’s talent for yourself with his album NOW! - Real Country

You may be asking, who is Paul Cowderoy? He’s the son of a sugar cane farmer from Northern New South Wales, Australia, who grew up listening to country music. In 2012 After Tonight, the first single from Paul’s debut album Now, made it to number 2 on the Kix Country Top 20 and on the Hot Country Top 50 (Australia’s country music channel). The next single released, Emerald Eyes hit number one and Need to Need You charted at 20 on the National charts. Continuing the success, in 2013 Paul won the Australian Country Music People’s Choice Award for Best Male Vocalist.

We caught up with Paul via email to ask him some questions. Paul was gracious enough to take time out of his very busy schedule to answer.

SC: Your new album is coming out in June. It’s called, Wet Hessian Bag– hessian bag isn’t a common phrase in Canada, mind telling us where the title came from?

PC: It’s what we used when we had the sugar cane fires. We would grab the old fertiliser bags and wet them from the water tank on the small tractors. They were used to put out any spot fires that had jumped from the main fire. It was a significant thing as a boy to finally be involved in a cane fire and getting to carry one.

SC: It looks like the new release will be a completely different kind of album from Now. It’s described on your web site as country/roots and blues oriented. And would you say, having Philip Allen, a Grammy winning producer, work with you on the album had a big impact on the sound?

PC: Yeah, the last album was very much pop country where as this one is much more organic and raw. More roots oriented. It actually was all my doing. Phil just ran with the direction I wanted to go in. I wrote the songs along these lines.

SC: You wrote about life/family balance in your blog post, this is one of the things I’ve chatted with other musicians with young families about, did you want to share with our readers how you keep things balanced?

PC: I don’t think there is any formula to making it work. I just make sure that I’m spending quality time with my family when it’s available. Most people have lots of time with their kids but they still end up more focused on television, social media, games etc. Instead of actually listening, conversing and enjoying direct engagement. If I get this for a few hours a day I am happy.

SC: I love that you’re writing on the site, will there be more posts coming up?

PC: Yeah when I get the time. :)

SC: You mentioned restoring furniture, what is it about the process that “gets” you.

PC: Taking something that people don’t want anymore and giving it life. Kind of like taking an idea for a song and crafting it, loving it into life.Paul Cowderoy

SC: You did very well in the International Songwriting Contest in 2012, will you be submitting a song for 2015.

PC: Yeah for sure. I should have enough for the next couple of years.

SC: Can we hope to hear from you here in Canada soon?

PC: I hope so. I would love to tour your beautiful country within the next three years. I love how you have set up your music industry guidelines for overseas artists and songs. It’s hard for us outsiders due to the fantastic rules placed on Canadian content in Canada. You look after your own. I wish Australia did the same.

SC: What’s the last thing you listened to and what format (cd, iTunes, etc – my last thing just happened to be “After Tonight by Paul Cowderoy on YouTube via your webpage).

PC: Mine was iTunes and it was Codi Prevost‘s album All Kinds of Crazy from last year. He was just over here in Australia at our main country music festival.

SC: Anything you want to share that I haven’t thought to ask? Paul Cowderoy Your Name

PC: Just about the new album coming out on June 19. And the debut one is available on iTunes :)

Paul’s Links

Twitter: @PaulCowderoy
Facebook: PCoderoy
YouTube: PaulCowderoy
iTunes in Canada: Paul Cowderoy


Thanks again to Paul for taking the time to chat with us. The first single from the new album is available now on iTunes. The sound is different but I really like it. Here’s hoping he finds a way to get his music played in Canada. I’m a fan. Go check him out! - Soundcheck Entertainment - Canada