Paul Ranger, the Singer and Song writer, was born in Kingston, Jamaica WI. At age 10, he came to Brooklyn, New York, USA, where he grew up being exposed to many genres of music including Church Hymns, Gospel, Reggae, Soul, Country, Soft Rock and Classical Music to name a few.
Although in the early years he played with a local band called the Music Masters, a band that played soul and funk with a rock mix, he also loved Reggae music from the land of his birth. Artists such as Dennis Brown, Bob Marley, Johnny Nash, Junior Murvin, bands such as the Mighty Diamonds, and many more influenced his love for reggae and his love for soul music was influenced by Lou Rawls, Marvin Gaye, Bill Withers, the stylistics, the chi-lites, tavares and many others.
Even though Paul disagrees that there is a country sound to his voice, If it is true, it’s probably because he spent time listening to artists such as Ray Price, Charley Pride, Loretta Lynn and other country artists from earlier years of country.
When he was 15 years old, with his trumpet, he joined the “Music Masters” with hopes of making it “big” in the music industry. When the band broke up the following year, his hopes were dashed. He joined another band, but, being a minor at the time, he had to move with his mother to Florida shortly after.
When he was barely old enough to be on his own, he returned to Brooklyn to restart his music career, but life on his own was harder than he anticipated. He put the music on the back burner while trying to meet life’s demanding financial requirements. holding many different low paying jobs before becoming a tractor trailer driver and Computer network technician but never holding a paying job as a tech.
After many years away from music, a friend who recognized that he had a talent for singing, encourage him to record a demo. That friend was Sam Archer a proficient keyboardist who eventually produced his first cd called “Love Things” an album of love songs which are different love situations between men and women.
Lately another friend DJ Craig Mcken of Special Effects music suggested that he take a song from the “Love Things” cd called “Who’s That Girl” and do a collaboration with the Artist “Hawkeye.”
The collaboration is a fresh take of the well liked song, giving the R&B song different beats mixed with the DJ sound of “Hawkeye.” The new mix includes, a Reggae version, with and without Hawkeye and new R&B sound with and without Hawkeye. The Reggae Riddim known as “PC Riddim” is the creation of Grammy winning drummer Sly Dunbar and his crew, Delroy Nevin and Paul Crossdale The new R&B beat is the work of Ed Robinson well known for his Reggae version of the song “Knocking On Heaven’s Door.”
Paul is busy working on new music for release in the future. in the mean time The single “Who’s That Girl” remix as well the original is making it’s mark in all corners of the internet, at internet radio stations , social media, on-line retailers plus at traditional over the air stations.