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Alan Paul

Alan Paul is an entertainer in every sense: He has always loved to perform, from the early days in Red's Candy Store to concert stages all over the world, he has delighted audiences during his lifelong career.

Alan was born in Newark, New Jersey, his earliest musical experiences came from his family. "There was always a lot of singing in my house. We had an old Emerson tape recorder that we would all take turns singing into. My grandfather was a cantor and his singing influenced my mother, who in turn sparked me," he recalls. When Alan was about seven years old, his family bought the album Jerry Lewis Just Sings. Lewis had recorded this album of old songs, with the most prominent in the collection being his version of the old Al Jolson song "Rock-a-bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody." It was fairly popular at the time, and the family heard it on the radio, which prompted them to buy the album. Alan loved "Rock-a-bye" and sang it all the time. Alan was never shy and would sing for anyone, anywhere, anytime. His first performances were in Red's Candy Store in his neighborhood. Red would ask Alan to sing "Rock-a-bye" for him, and Alan would, drawing a small crowd. The man who cut his hair at Joe's Barbershop would ask him to sing as well, and he would sing and then the man would give him a free haircut! It was during this time that his family noticed he could sing, and sing well.

Around this time, he joined the South Ward Boy's Club of Newark. "The people at the Boy's Club were very supportive of my singing and encouraged me to develop my talents," Alan says. He credits them with helping in his early theatrical training by awarding him a scholarship that enabled him to study privately in New York and put him through college. Alan's talent led to invitations to sing at Boy's Club events. The president/founder of the Boy's Club was active in the political scene and he asked Alan to perform at many important events for councilmen, the mayor, and the Governor of New Jersey. He also landed his first theatrical role during this time, playing Ally in "A Hole In The Head." In 1959, when he was nine years old, Alan entered a statewide talent contest open to all kids under age 18, hosted by New Jersey's Governor Meyner. Over 500 contestants entered, and it was narrowed down to about thirty finalists, including Alan. The finals were held in Atlantic City. He sang a medley his mother wrote for him entitled "A Song & A Dance Man/A Quarter To Nine." He won the contest hands down! Right after that, he began studying with Charlie Lowe, a vaudevillian who held classes in Manhattan. "From Charlie, I learned the fundamentals of performing, like how to use your hands and body to express the words of a song," Alan recalls.

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Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Shoo Bop

Unknown label
2011

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