Since Pap died back in 2016 Paul has been diligently working on a cd of Pap’s original songs. It’s not like Paul doesn’t have anything else to do, he is a very busy man to say the least. But every chance he gets he plods along on the recordings.
Paul does a whole lot more than just record himself playing various instruments and singing the lyrics. He’s assembled various musicians from all over the world to play on the songs. He’s tried all sorts of new things—sometimes they work and sometimes he has to totally scrap it all and start over. The old saying it’s a labor of love comes to mind when I think of all the hard work Paul has done in an effort to preserve Pap’s songs.
The video I’m sharing today gives you a peek into the complex work Paul has completed on every song he’s recorded so far.
Here’s what Paul said about the video:
Back when I uploaded Casey Jones in the last Train song series, several viewers seemed to like seeing/hearing an instrument that they didn’t know about previously (the six-string banjo). That got me to thinking that I should maybe do some more videos where I play or show unusual instruments. So I made a long-winded video 🙂
To digress for a moment back to that 6-string banjo, I will share that the first time I ever saw/heard one, Doc Watson was playing it on PBS, specifically, he was playing “My Blueridge Mountain Home.” Pap and I were watching together, and I remarked, “I didn’t know Doc could play the banjo!” Pap immediately recognized that Doc was using guitar chords and said, “That ain’t a banjo. It’s a guitar made like a banjo.” I’m sure Doc could have played the regular 5-string if he wanted. In fact, maybe he did. Anyway, I made a mental note that I could get one someday and use it on recordings to imitate the 5-string. That’s what I wound up doing sometime after Pap passed, probably around early 2017. The next time I saw one (after the Doc sighting) was when Eric Bazilian played one in the all-acoustic Carnegie Hall Concert that Joe Bonamassa did. Bazilian played a mandolin, dobro, and saxophone all in the same concert. He commented in some of the behind-the-scenes footage, that he only knows three notes on the sax but was able to mix them various ways to play in the song “Livin’ Easy.” Seeing this and hearing his comment reminded me that you don’t have to master an instrument or even progress very far with it in order to add it to certain songs for flavor or to set a certain mood.
That’s a big part of what I’ve been doing with some of my recordings, and it’s part of what I ramble about in this rather long video.
Here’s a little more info to go along with all the info that’s in the video: I must have been really tired when I recorded this video, because I mistakenly called Ryan Zimmerman (the steel guitar player), Zack Rowland! My apologies to Ryan. His father’s name is Roland, and somehow, my brain mixed everything up. If you go to the Paul Wade Wilson YouTube channel I mention in the video, please be advised that it is monetized, so you will see ads there. Also, comments are disabled on that channel. I suppose CDBaby didn’t want to have to deal with comments and has no way for anyone to monitor, respond to, or delete them, etc. on all the music channels that they create for artists.
When I said that the Shofar is possibly the oldest instrument, please know that I wasn’t counting the drum. 🙂 I didn’t count the drum because it doesn’t really produce notes per se, only rhythm, strictly speaking. Also please know that when the CD is finally completed and released, it will have much better audio quality than the uploaded videos/song files, which feature a lower sampling rate.
I hope you enjoyed hearing Paul talk about the creative process he took to record Pap’s original song “See the Salvation of the Lord” as much as I did. I will be forever grateful for the work Paul’s done recording Pap’s songs. I can only imagine future generations of our family will be too.
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Wonderful video, Paul. I was blown away with the song. Your background information is fascinating. Thank you for that gift of love and labor behind bringing the recording to fruition. Thanks, Tipper, for posting it all.
I really enjoyed the song. Tipper, your Dad was blessed with such musical talent, as is your whole family.
I went to the Paul Wilson channel, listened to and liked all the videos (I am already subscribed). One song in particular caught my attention. “I Feel Him Touch My Soul”. All the songs are good but that one song is top notch. I put it on loop and I guess I listened to it 40 times. I’m not through! The lyrics exactly describe my beliefs and experiences. The music is perfect. Who was playing the violin? I can just listen to it and tune out the rest of the music. The violin sings the song all by itself. Add back Paul’s voice and the rest of the instruments, it just can’t be improved on.
It seems I hear another violin or a cello. Maybe a bowed double bass?
Paul, if you read this can you answer this one question if not all of them? On the banner at the top of your website there is a picture that looks familiar. I’ve been there! Did you take the picture? It looks like Linville Gorge from Wiseman’s View. The two peaks look like Hawksbill and Table Rock. If it ain’t the it has a twin. I have stood in awe at that same location. I used to be able to see Table Rock from my house but the people who own the property next to me let it grow up so now I would have to climb a tree to see it. C’est la vie!
Hi, Ed.
You have a great ear and a great eye! You are exactly correct about the location in the photo. I play tennis sometimes with a gentleman named Marcus Burden. Marcus is retired, and he goes on 2-3 hikes per week. He took that photo of Linville Gorge. He was showing me several scenic photos on his phone that he captured on his hike, and I told him that CD Baby requires a different image for every single that I upload, and they’re quite picky about the resolution. He sent me about a dozen photos that I could use for the music uploads. I placed that one in the banner. Unfortunately, it cuts most of the picture out, so it doesn’t do it justice. You are correct about the instruments too. There’s a cello, played by Mr. Hao Lee, a viola, played by Kel Kierten, and a violin, played by lady whose name escapes me at the moment. They are a three-piece string ensemble and were nice enough to play on dad’s song when I sent it to them. That song is also Mr. Casada’s favorite song of Pap’s. It was playing when his father, Commodore, was passing away. It was Don’s appreciation for the song that made me want to record it. I think that Pap wrote it around 2002 or so.
Wow! Loved the intro. What a wonderful tribute to your father. The whole thing was interesting, especially hearing the different instruments. I appreciate Mr. Ron Stephens comments too. I think in the present day it is good to do as Paul said and leave what we can for the future generations in case we don’t finish all we plan to do. I know someone who is waiting to make a list of what she plans to leave relatives, some things only she knows the valuable family history of, until she can take time to write it all down. With her age and health issues I hope she doesn’t wait too long. I hope she does what she can now so that at least some is preserved. Thanks again.
I absolutely loved this post, Paul! I devoured every word and every note.
WELL Tipper, I was drawn in. ifind as I watch y’all I am learning more n more, and have started to compile some Aussie sayings compared to your Appalachian,, for instance, watching the two Possums, comments, some trimmer wrote about the person who must have put a thumbs down [they must need a good poop and a nap] over here it is [ probably need to take a BEX and a good lie down] see how fascinating I’m finding it. I am also VERY interested and understand Paul’s eager desire …Thank the Lord for introducing us, so grateful ; Lotsa love Pippi
Recieved a notification from Blind Pig from YouTube about a week ago,about the work Paul is doing. I got so excited about what’s going on with Paps music,I didn’t do much sleeping that night,but that was a Good Thing. I was so BLESSED by the song The Salvation of The Lord ,along with all the other songs posted on Paul’s YouTube Channel .Paul I appreciate all you and your family are doing to keep Pap’s Legacy Alive and His Message in Song of God’s Love with us.
I’ll want to get the cd when it eventually comes available. Sounds like a labour of love, to be sure!
The musical genius of Paul speaks for itself. He’s a very intelligent, motivated, determined man with purpose as he sets out to preserve his daddy’s legacy, which is a wonderful and happy folk- gospel sound of these hills. I did not realize all the work going into such a project. I like the shofar and lyre. I liked the dead animal smell comment about the one shofar. I’d either send it back or set that stinky rascal in the sun for a week. Sun bleaches Tupperware clean, so why not try my cheap suggestion!? I loved this video and will proclaim a special blessing over Paul’s and yours families!!! Even the old Jew ( Massionic Jew now) I married really loved this video and learning about the instruments! We are big Bonamassa fans! God bless all on this fine Lord’s Day!
Thanks for the video. I can only imagine how much work goes into making one and all the preparation needed to have them posted. I sure enjoy watching and hearing what you, Paul and the girls do. I watch your channel when I cone home from work during the week and watching it is one of the first thing I do on the weekend.
I’ll start by saying I haven’t listened to the video yet. I am reacting just now to what you wrote Tipper about future generations of family being grateful for Paul’s work. It is indeed up to us “old hands” to do those kinds of things because younger generations have not yet had the time and thus don’t have the knowledge or the experience or the understanding they create to value family memories as they will come to do. Not saying anything against youth, rather the opposite, that is not having unrealistic expectations of them. Although it would be encouraging, it is not necessary that they have the appreciation now. Rather, as you say, a labor of love in earnest expectation and hope of what it will come to mean. You are doing the same yourself on a daily basis. Genealogy is another example, as is compiled family recipes, family pictures, heirloom quilts, etc. All of it is along the lines of the biblical “bread upon the waters”.
really enjoyed the artistic work put into creating that song…good job!!!
I enjoyed hearing the music and the story of how it came about.