Eli “Paperboy” Reed Interview

KFFR’s DJ Mateo interviewed Eli Paperboy Reed on-air about his auspicious musical beginnings, his latest project in partnership with Colemine Records + Eli’s father to bring the long lost recordings and story of the great bluesman Fred Davis out into the light of day after over 5 decades, as well as Eli’s latest album, the 2022 release, Down Every Road released on Yep Roc records. 

Growing up in Massachusetts, Reed’s path eventually took him to Clarksdale, MS, where he immersed himself in the juke joint culture of the Delta as a teenager, and the south side of Chicago, where he played piano and organ in the church of famed gospel singer Mitty Collier in his twenties. 

In 2008, Reed returned to the Boston area and began turning heads with a series of studio albums that earned widespread critical acclaim, with NPR hailing his music as “inspired, raw and powerful” and Uncut lauding its “urgent, electric energy.” The records landed Reed multiple major label deals, scores of song placements in film and television, and festival dates around the world as he established himself as one of the most compelling and consistent soul men of his time.

We then turn our discussion to talking about Eli’s latest project in partnership with Colemine and his father: “Until just recently, the name Fred Davis might not mean anything to the average music fan. The story goes that Davis was your average Cleveland factory worker in the summer of 1969, he worked alongside a man named Howard Husock (Eli’s father). The two bonded over their love of Bobby Bland’s music and it wasn’t too long after that Davis began teaching Husock the basics of blues guitar. Husock quickly learned that Davis was far beyond the average guitarist, and his voice was so powerful it filled up the room with no amplifier. Husock decided if his voice could fill up any room, why not his living room? The two set to recording Davis’ work to tape. These tapes would lay dormant for over 50 years, until today as Colemine is releasing Cleveland Blues on April 21st, resurrecting these incredible recordings from over 50 years hence. [Source: Glide Magazine] 

Finally, we discuss Eli’s latest album from 2022, Down Every Road, where Eli pays homage to country legend Merle Haggard by putting a soulful spin on some classic tunes. Recorded in Brooklyn with longtime collaborator Vince Chiarito (Black Pumas, Charles Bradley), Reed taps into all the heartache of Haggard’s iconic catalog and channels it into explosive, high-octane performances that blur the lines of genre, geography, and race to reveal the common, distinctly American threads tying them all together. [Source: Yep Roc] 

Please give a listen to the interview. Eli is an incredible force in today’s music scene and as we discussed, we’ll keep trying to get him to Colorado and hopefully Grand County very soon!