Paul Howard is a Connecticut-born guitarist,
singer and songwriter who has been working as a professional musician and teacher for all of his adult life.
Paul operates a private music teaching studio in Avon, CT and was also a founding faculty member and author
with the prestigious National Guitar Workshop. He has five nationally published guitar instruction books
under his belt as well as two videos.
Paul's musical adventures were launched by the Beatles on Ed Sullivan in 1964. After a few years of high school rock & roll, the 70's
found him discovering acoustic music via the music of Jonathan Edwards and Dan Hicks. This led to the pursuit of other acoustic musicians
who played instruments other than guitar. Of course the journey brought him to bluegrass music and a fortuitous ad from Last Fair Deal
seeking a lead singer and guitar player.
Paul joined Last Fair Deal in 1975 and solidified the progressive direction the band was beginning to take by infusing his interest in
swing and roots/rock into the country and bluegrass style the band had been perfecting. He also carried the torch during the brief
time off that Phil and then Tom took from the band in the early 80's. During the band's hiatus, which began in 1992, he also continued
to play with Tom and bass player Jim Stevens in The Paul Howard Group.
During the 90's Paul spent most of his performing time working with Grammy-winning resophonic guitarist Stacy Phillips. Paul and Stacy
have toured in Europe, the west coast of the U.S. and have one CD recorded together on Vancouver Island, BC.
Paul has contributed many of the original songs that the group performs, does a good share of the lead singing and has been known to
occasionally strap on the harmonica rack
The revival of the group is giving him a chance to work with his son Todd and he is excited about reforming the tight vocal and instrumental
blend that has always been the hallmark of Last Fair Deal.
