Paul Fotsch Grace

Paul got his first guitar at the age of fourteen and was soon playing and singing Kingston Trio songs. He comes from a long line of "hams" and singers. Like Paul, there is nothing his family appreciates more than a good joke! His grandfather was in Vaudeville, while both his mother and father are church soloists. Paul has been a singer all his life -- singing in church choirs, barbershop quartets, choral groups, and school musicals. He is a by-ear, completely self-taught musician.

In 1973, he began to teach himself mandolin, and a year later he began on the fiddle. Having previously played folk (The Kingston Trio!) and soft rock music on the guitar, he soon discovered the joys of American old time music on the fiddle and mandolin. His love of singing led him to work on mastering singing and fiddling simultaneously -- an initially painful (He had to go out and practice behind the woodshed!), but eventually rewarding skill. Paul plays the mandolin and guitar in a cross-picking style, and he plays a rhythmic Appalachian or shuffle-style fiddle.

Paul lives, breathes, and has fun with his music. When Paul and Win were first courting, their walks in the woods were accompanied by Paul on the harmonica. (Perhaps this was to slow him down a bit so that Win could keep up!) Paul has a great sense of rhythm and his deep-seated love of and enjoyment of music shines through in performance.

Paul was a radio D.J. for KOPN Radio in Columbia for 10 years, programming two shows: Woody's Children, a folk show; and Les Bon Temps Roule, a Cajun show.

Paul is an avid reader with a mind like "a steel-jaw trap" as they say here in Boone County. He's one of those guys that could win Jeopardy if given the chance (and the right categories!). He is also an amateur astronomer having recently acquired a 12½-inch Dobsonian telescope. Paul maintains and drives the motorhome that the "band" travels in, and is the band's sound engineer, meteorologist, and resident jokester. He has recently learned to type (Give him a hand!!), and works with Win on accounting, marketing and booking work for the duo.

Paul also occasionally works as a substitute teacher at the State School for the Severely Handicapped where he gives a school-wide concert for special occasions; as a professional driver for Columbia College; and as a sound engineer.