Paul Siebel

Paul Karl Siebel (September 19, 1937 – April 5, 2022) was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist, born in Buffalo, New York. He is best known for other artists' cover versions of his songs, most notably "Louise". Other frequently covered Siebel songs include "Spanish Johnny" (which was originally a poem written by Willa Cather in 1917 and expanded upon by Siebel), "Long Afternoons," "Any Day Woman," "Nashville Again," "She Made Me Lose My Blues," and "Then Came the Children".

Biography

After serving in the military, Siebel began playing folk clubs, eventually moving to Greenwich Village, where he found support in the coffeehouse circuit. An article in ''The New York Times'' on February 14, 1970, written by Mike Jahn, described Siebel as "a folk singer with a country and Western bias ... a 32‐year‐old native of Buffalo and musically a product of the Greenwich Village folk scene" and said that he "sings in high nasal and hillbilly manner, rather like Bob Dylan's singing in his early days", referring to his songs as "uncomplicated country and folk songs, with occasional thoughts about such things as suburban living and raising children". Typical of his songs were “Bride 1945" and "My Town". At The Bitter End, he played acoustic guitar and was backed by David Bromberg, Don Brooks, Jeff Gutcheon and Gary White

In 1969, Elektra Records became aware of a collection of songs Siebel made with David Bromberg and signed him to record ''Woodsmoke and Oranges'' (1970) and ''Jack-Knife Gypsy'' (1971). His songs were covered by, among others, Bromberg, Willy DeVille, Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt, Jerry Jeff Walker, Kate Wolf, Mary McCaslin, Emmylou Harris, Waylon Jennings, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Rick Roberts and Leo Kottke; but he remained mostly unknown to the larger public.

After 1971, his songwriting production stopped. Siebel became depressed and developed drug problems. Now and then his name came up in interviews with other artists. Kris Kristofferson tips his hat to Siebel in his song "The Pilgrim". Siebel played McCabe's Guitar Shop in 1978, which was considered a comeback, and appeared on a 1977 release, ''Music From Mud Acres'', with a cover of the Hank Williams song "Weary Blues".

In 1996, folk magazine ''Dirty Linen'' tracked him down and talked with the then 58-year-old bread baker.

In 2004, Elektra released a compilation CD with most of Siebel's songs. Its booklet contains an interview by Peter Doggett where Siebel looks back on his career.

Siebel made his home on Maryland's Eastern Shore in the 1990s. According to a 2010 profile in ''American Songwriter'', Siebel was then working an "outdoorsy job with the Parks Department" in Maryland. As of 2016, Siebel retired from working in Queen Anne's County, Maryland, and no longer played for the public.

Siebel died from complications of pulmonary fibrosis on April 5, 2022, at the age of 84. "David Bromberg Quintet and Band", April 5, 2022
Davidbromberg.net, Retrieved April 5, 2022

Discography

* 1970 ''Woodsmoke and Oranges''
* 1971 ''Jack-Knife Gypsy''
* 1978 ''Live at McCabe's'' (with David Bromberg and Gary White)
* 2004 ''Paul Siebel'' (compilation CD, includes all songs from ''Woodsmoke & Oranges'' plus five songs from ''Jack-Knife Gypsy'')

References

External links

Official website



Blog with chords and lyrics
*

{{DEFAULTSORT:Siebel, Paul
1937 births
2022 deaths
Musicians from Buffalo, New York
Elektra Records artists
Singer-songwriters from New York (state)