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Biography:A Long Winding Road.
Gary Paul Hermus brings a poet's ear for words, a cinematic
eye for detail & an actor’s insight into character to his songs;
melding intricate finger style guitar work & intelligently crafted
lyrics with a down-to-earth relaxed attitude. Not blown sideways by
life; rather “laterally enhanced,” his colorful story & broad
musical
journey winds through his songs. Winner of the 2006 Xtreme Folk Scene's
Song Contest for, "The Man In the Black Chapeau," he also degrees in
Psychology, Public Administration & Computer Science.
A recent immigrant to New Mexico, Gary was born 1950 in
the slums of Brownsville, Brooklyn, NY, where he grew up poor, but
surrounded by music, theater & poetry. He studid piano at age 5
&, though he
left piano behind, it taught him a love for melody. Summers on his
grandparent's farm in rural upstate New York, taught him to love
bucolic settings & bluegrass music. But it was around Boy Scout
council fires that he grew to love storytelling.
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Though an acoustic player now, Gary played rock guitar in his teens, at
the same time that he studied acting at NYC's High School of Performing
Arts, It was drama by day & music by night at the Peppermint
Lounge, the Purple Onion, the Cheetah & other NY hot spots. He
continued acting studies at HB Studios, acting Off-Off
Broadway while playing folk music throughout New York City's Greenwich
Village appearing at The Bitter End, The Village Gaslight, Folk City
& elsewhere.
But to make ends meet, Gary Paul played bass guitar on club dates,
learning the American song-book, & becoming familiar with authentic
Latin music. This led
Gary Paul to study with famed Latin bassist, Victor Venegas, while
also studying ragtime guitar and banjo with Jack Baker.
Short stints followed with "Bill Jeffcott & the Swamprockers,"
& "The New York Frets." before he began a long love affair with
Brazilian jazz, playing bass with "Satie," a Brazilo-Cuban fusion band.
All the while, he worked by day with the mentally retarded, completing
a B.A. in Psychology & a Masters degree in Public Administration.
Satie evenutally moved into World Music as "The North American Udu
Band," but separated shortly thereafter. He then played with "Shotgun
Wedding," and "Joined @ the Head" before dropping out to write original
music. By day, though, Gary Paul focused on computers, receiving a
Masters degree in Computer Science.
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In 2002 he began playing original songs at small clubs & open
mikes. By 2003, he was playing coffeehouses & Folk Festivals
throughout the Northeast, appearing on Ralph Litwin's cable TV show,
"Horses Sing None of it,” & on line as part of blowupradio.com’s
“Folk You!” & their Hurricane Katrina benefit. Then came the Xtreme
Folk Scene Song Contest win & a triumphant appearance at XFest.
His debut CD, “Sid’s Gaseteria,” was released in 2007 on the Big Moose
Music label (available through cdbaby.com). Most recently he’s added
lap slide to his arsenal after studying with lap guitarist Pat Wictor.
Now a resident of Sant Fe, New Mexico Gary Paul has begun establishing
himself locally, with plans perform throughout the Southwest & to
return at intervals to tour in his Northeast/Mid-Atlantic stomping
grounds. He is a member of the Southwest Regional Folk Alliance
(SWRFA), a chapter of Folk Alliance International, and a founding
member of the NewMexico subcommittee. He is also involved in
preproduction for his Sophomore CD.
Stay tuned to this web site for details as they develop!
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Photo (c)2002 by
Barbara Carroll
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