There was a moment near the end of veteran singer-songwriter Ellis Paul’s performance at the Avalon Theatre’s Stoltz Listening Room on Sunday night that perfectly captured why a sold-out crowd had braved the rain to hear live music. As Paul prepared to close out his set, an audience member called out a request for “Home,” a song Paul wrote two decades ago. The fan explained that the song had helped save his marriage.
Paul, visibly moved, paused for a moment before settling in at the keyboard to play it. The audience, which had been singing along moments earlier, fell silent as he delivered the lyrics with quiet intensity: “Home… sits across the table / Home… is dreaming in my sheets / Home… home… / This house is just an address / You lift me from all sadness / This house is just an address, you’re my home.”
Throughout the night, Paul proved why he remains a beloved presence in folk and Americana music after more than four decades on the road. His set was filled with stories—some true, some embellished, all engaging. “Kick Out the Lights (Johnny Cash)” recounted the famous tale of Cash “dancing with his demons” at the Grand Ole Opry, smashing out 54 stage lights in a rebellious frenzy. “Holy” captured an Irish immigrant’s determination to chase the American dream despite the doubts of those he left behind:
“His friends say, ‘Christ, Declan, please / You’re wasting your prayers on a dream.’ / He says, ‘Watch me.’”
One of the most powerful moments of the evening came with “Troy’s Song,” based on the real-life story of a Desert Storm veteran suffering from PTSD. On the brink of taking his own life, Troy found salvation in a program that pairs veterans with retired racehorses. The song’s lyrics painted a poignant picture of healing and trust: “In that ring with Whiskey and me / Our hearts beat in some kind of synchronicity / And I trusted him / And he came to trust me / We were two old warriors / Starting all over again / Building trust / Like two old friends.”
Other highlights of the night included the “only slightly sacrilegious” “I’m No Jesus,” a wryly tender love song (“Now I can’t walk on water / Can’t part the sea / The only miracle that I’ve seen / Is you walking down the aisle to me”), and the stunning “Gold in California,” which painted a vivid picture of the California coastline bathed in golden light.
Paul was completely at home on stage, delivering songs and stories with passion, energy, and humor. Many of the acts that pass through the Stoltz Listening Room are young artists on their way up, bringing the thrill of new discovery to their performances. Paul, who recently celebrated his 60th birthday, has been touring relentlessly for over 40 years, playing hundreds of shows annually. And yet, his enthusiasm remains undiminished.
In the end, it wasn’t just Paul’s songs or stories that made the night special—it was the genuine joy he brought to the stage, a joy that filled the room and reminded everyone why live music, even on a rainy night, is worth showing up for.
Mark Pelavin, the founder of Hambleton Cove Consulting, is a writer, consultant, and music lover living very happily in St. Michaels.
