Since beginning drum lessons at the age of 12, Paul Wolf’s musical career has evolved with many twists and turns in the styles of music he has played and the people he has performed with. Of course, like all budding musical prodigies, he joined his first rock band in junior high school, The Crystal Blues, which made all the girls go crazy. As he was rocking his way through junior and senior high, he was also involved with the school’s concert band, marching band, and chorus.
For reasons known only to Paul (because apparently nobody asks), he was inspired by Anne Bowen of the Deadly Nightshade to take up the washboard as a musical instrument (as opposed to a career in laundry). Believe it or not, a handful of thimbles and a rippled metal plate the size of a serving tray have propelled Paul to semi-fame as one of the premiere washboard players in the country. His washboard chops dazzle audiences and musicians alike in such diverse styles as ragtime, blues, bluegrass, cajun, and swing. As a result, since the late 70s he has played in a variety of bluegrass and cajun bands, and even shared the stage with such notables as Ricky Scaggs, Jerry Douglass, Leroy Troy, and many others. No Old School Band show is complete without Paul ripping off at least one washboard solo to the delight of the crowd.
Getting back to the drums... While Paul was scratching the washboard in the 70s, he was also playing in a new-wave/punk band called the Scientific Americans (now there's some versatility!). From there he moved to Coupe DeVille, playin classic 70s rock during the early 80s. From the mid 80s to the 90s, Paul played in many Portsmouth-area bands, such as the Dance Pilots, The Swingin’ Bachelors, followed by seacoast surf/rockabilly icons, The Beach Cowboys. During this time he also moonlighted with a few other Boston-based rockabilly bands, including Johnny Reverb, and the Boston Rockabilly Conspiracy. The mid 90s ushered in new direction with the Bob Halperin Blues Band and The Boogaloo Swamis Cajun-Zydeco Band. Then, in the late 90s, he made the move to the Jumbo Circus Peanuts, the Seacoast’s premiere party and dance band, with whom he still plays.
Finally, in early 2009, Paul reunited with Jim Taylor and Rick Watson (from his Swingin’ Bachelor days) to form The Old School Band. It started out as a Monday night ‘card game’ – an excuse for some old friends to get together and play some music every week. From there, it has morphed into the most popular Monday event in the area as a full-blown jam session, which draws musicians from the amazing pool of talent the Seacoast offers. We feel it is Paul’s background and proficiency that allows Old School to do real justice to nearly any popular music form, from bluegrass and country to blues, jazz, soul, and funk, as well as classic rock. Forty years of polishing his craft in so many styles makes Paul invaluable to the concept that is “Old School.”
Oh yeah, Paul sings pretty damn good too!
