Tom Paul has been writing and playing his own music for two decades and in the past five or so years he has been successfully presenting it on-line. Now, with a lot of critical support and some of the finest musicians pop music has to offer, Tom has released his first CD, I Was King. The singer-songwriter, who resides in western Pennsylvania and who built a state-of-the-art recording studio in his home, has a bevy of influences, all of which contribute to his unique style and none of which are invasive of Tom's original twist on lyrics and music. Touched by the gravity and breadth of solid songs written by Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, David Grey, John Hiatt, The Beatles and a host of others, Tom Paul is the quintessential singer/songwriter. He is seasoned enough to allow his songs to have a voice that speaks for others while never abandoning his personal perspective. On I Was King, Tom Paul is joined by Charlie Morgan, John Marsden and Charlie DeChant, who interpret Paul's music and lyrics with heartfelt professionalism, never straying from the artist's vision. Tom Paul is a family man with a wife, three children, and has trodden enough dramatic paths in life to bring the gift of experience to his songs. Tom devotes an enormous amount of time and energy to transcribing his understanding of life to song. "I write about the world as I encounter it," he says. "I have a fairly positive outlook without being blinded by optimism." Through the years Tom has learned to support his own music in many ways. He plays guitar and bass, sings and has become proficient in the art of recording, maintaining a high standard for the presentation of his material. To that end, Tom enlisted John Marsden of Little-Big Sound to mix his new album. Tom Paul's original and accessible poetry, along with his keen sense of melodic- oriented songwriting, make his tunes attractive to other artists' interpretations and, through his own devise, stand strongly. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.