#212 Love Me Do & #211 The Long & Winding Road w/ Paul Sanchez (singer/songwriter)

Ancient philosophers once wrote “Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.” No, wait, sorry, that was Semisonic. It’s true though. Beginnings and endings are fascinating because of what comes from both. “Love Me Do” was the beginning for the Beatles, but the end of the proverbial black & white life society was living in. Boom! Color. “The Long and Winding Road” marked the end of the Beatles, but the beginning of their respective solo careers, and the beginning of the hindsight with which we view them and their collective works. Which allows me too look back at these two songs and say, while I don’t dislike them, they’re not really my favorites. “Love Me Do” just never clicked for me for some reason. “The Long & Winding Road” is maybe just a touch too sad for my liking, and Phil Spector’s sappy production is the syrupy icing on the cake that makes me not yearn to hear this track too often.

For our guest Paul Sanchez, The Beatles’ music marked the start of a career that landed him on the charts in the mid 90’s with New Orleans rock band Cowboy Mouth. For 16 years, he toured across the globe relentlessly with the band as rhythm guitarist, songwriter, and co-lead singer. The end of that time came about in 2006, when he decided to leave the band and focus on what’s become an amazing solo career. That ending also marked a beginning for Jonathan, who joined Cowboy Mouth after Paul’s exist, taking his role as rhythm guitarist. 3 years later in 2010, that beginning became an ending as well, as Jonathan left the band to pursue his own new beginning with The Breton Sound. Ironically enough, the night Jonathan returned from his final tour, he happened to run into Paul in a music club in New Orleans, and thus began yet another beginning; a friendship and occasional collaboration on record and stage that continues through to this day. He’s been hailed by Tim Sommer of the Brooklyn Observer as “America’s greatest living folk singer.” Paul has released 19 solo albums, created a musical adaptation of the novel Nine Lives, and has been named Songwriter of the Year like 100 times by New Orleans’ OffBeat Magazine. The dude knows how to write a good song.

Paul’s music can be found at PaulSanchez.com, all streaming sites, and you can purchase his music on vinyl and CD at louisianamusicfactory.com. Songs featured in this episode are:

Walking In Liverpool – Paul Sanchez

At the Foot of Canal Street – John Boutte & Paul Sanchez – HBO’s “Treme Season 1 – Official Soundtrack”

Light It On Fire – Paul Sanchez 

Jet Black & Jealous – Paul Sanchez

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