Possessed by Paul James
Possessed by Paul James | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Konrad Wert |
| Also known as | Possessed by Paul James |
| Born | July 26, 1976 Immokalee, Florida |
| Genres | Alternative country, folk, country, bluegrass, antifolk, blues, punk |
| Instrument(s) | banjo, guitar, fiddle, stomp box |
Konrad Wert, known as Possessed by Paul James since 2005, is an American folk singer, songwriter and musician from Lee County, Florida.[1] His music is composed of string instruments including banjo, guitar and fiddle with roots within folk, blues and punk. Raised within a small Mennonite Community among pacifists, service workers and transplants. He is currently living in Texas with his wife and sons meeting the music demand by touring, sales on line etc. He is also a special education teacher in Kerrville, Texas.[2] Possessed by Paul James has starred in The Folk Singer, a film by Slowboat Films in 2008 while in circulation internationally. In 2015 Wert along with Milk Products Media, embarked on a year documentary spreading the conversation and advocacy of Special Education awareness and the need for state/federal reform. When It Breaks completed production in 2018 and is soon to release.
Breakout album[edit]
At the end of 2013 'There Will Be Nights When I'm Lonely' was released with Hillgrass Bluebilly Records. The album initially charted at #12 on Billboard Magazine under the Country/Bluegrass genre. National Public Radio, CMT, MTV featured both articles and tracks from the release. The New York Times stated "PPJ a one man folk wonder" [3] as well as one of the top concerts at the 2014 Pickathon Music Festival of Oregon.[4]
Current projects[edit]
After 19 years of working in social services and education, Wert and family are presently embarking on varied projects while continually teaching. "There must be a bond between the world of music performance and the world of social justice"; a strong theme in which the PPJ Family believes in and hopes to accomplish.[5]
Discography[edit]
| Title | Album details | Peak positions |
|---|---|---|
| US Grass | ||
| Possessed by Paul James |
|
— |
| Cold and Blind |
|
— |
| The Revival Tour |
|
— |
| Feed the Family |
|
— |
| Live at Antone's |
|
— |
| There Will Be Nights When I'm Lonely |
|
12 |
| As We Go Wandering |
|
— |
| Fighting For Our Own Survival |
|
— |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||
References[edit]
- ^ One in a Million
- ^ "Konrad Wert, a.k.a. Possessed by Paul James, draws spotlight from Billboard charts, NPR and NY Times before returning (yet again) to EMU". 13 January 2015. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
- ^ Caramanica, Jon (4 August 2014). "Photos from the Pickathon Music Festival". The New York Times.
- ^ Pareles, Jon (29 December 2014). "Sounds That Lingered: Critics' Top 10 Concerts". The New York Times.
- ^ "Home". ppjfamilyfilm.com.
- ^ Ten Four Records Archived 2009-08-03 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "POSSESSED BY PAUL JAMES – FEED THE FAMILY". ninebullets.net. 2010-08-30. Retrieved 2011-04-08.
External links[edit]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
