Biography

“I was at my home in Memphis one evening and heard a car pass by blasting Al Green's ‘Love and Happiness,’ which was recorded just a couple miles away,” says singer-songwriter John Paul Keith. “I was struck by how Howard Grimes' drumming just seems to embody something about the feel and the pace of life for me here. I thought to myself, ‘Howard Grimes is the rhythm of the city.’ My next thought was, ‘That sounds like a title track.’” Keith’s fifth solo album – and his first self-produced effort – The Rhythm of the City finds him expanding his approach on a horn-heavy 10-song collection that’s in thrall to the classic sounds of Bluff City soul and rock and roll. Conjuring up his own unique musical mélange –a sweet spot where the sound of Sun blues, Stax soul, and Hi R&B all meet – it’s a record steeped in the geography and culture of Memphis, which Keith has called home for the last 15 years. “The vibe came about organically from playing Beale Street and Graceland and working with horn sections more frequently the last few years,” says Keith. The Rhythm of the City was recorded mostly live to tape at Electraphonic Studios, and engineered by Keith’s frequent collaborator, Scott Bomar (bandleader of the Bo-Keys, Don Bryant producer, and film composer for Dolomite Is My Name). As Keith notes, “Most cities have one sound, but there are many Memphis sounds. I tried to make a record that honors that.” The Rhythm Of The City will be released worldwide by Wild Honey Records.