Paul Siebert
Purveyor of acoustic-based family entertainment to the Midwest and central Nebraska for over 30 years. With a repertoire of hundreds of songs, his experience in live performance from living history events, concert stage, singer-songwriting, classrooms to retirement living- all ages seem to be at home with Paul’s inviting charisma. Having a disarming habit of drawing listeners out of themselves into his show, Paul may be just what the doctor ordered for your next event.
From his early days, Paul Siebert has emerged as one of the Midwest’s most respected and loved folk singers. As an instrumentalist, he is a master of several traditional instruments, including the hammer dulcimer. His songwriting and showmanship creates an atmosphere that envelopes you in the music and draws you away to a simpler, lighter place. Totally at ease on stage, classroom or in a corner at the local club, his ability for interact with any crowd is amazing. Laughing and joking, playing around, taking requests, bringing out a funny hat for an old western tune, things never get boring at a Paul Siebert show.
Paul started playing guitar at the age of 5. He was so captivated by the sound of his dad’s J160 Gibson acoustic guitar, he would sneak it out of the case while dad was at work. He learned to play guitar from old folk music books, listening to the sound of the guitar, reproducing the music he heard from old record albums, and was self taught for many years. At 12 he was able to take several years of classical guitar lessons from Joan Alexander, a classically trained guitarist-violinist from New York who moved into the area after retirement.
Paul’s music career started at age 14 when he was recruited to play lead electric guitar and sing for a local country music band. Not able to commute by car yet, he was chaperoned by his parents to the gigs. Splitting his time as full time high school student, football, track, weightlifting, motocross, and helping with the family manufacturing business; Paul was able to peruse many of his interests. Performing in a number of local country and rock bands, high school stage band and concert band through his high school years brought him to graduation from high school. It was then he had to make a decision…music as a career? Being from the Midwest, it was not likely to make a living as a performing artist, so Paul chose a career in Manufacturing, still performing for local club bands during college.
After marriage and 3 children, he realized his passion was music. A career as a manufacturing engineer lasted him until his youngest daughter was in high school, then Paul went after his passion…music. He started his solo touring full time in 2004 with the release of his first solo album “Echoes of an Era”, accompanied by the re-release of an earlier album “Reason to Play” where Paul had been the lead guitarist and vocalist for the band by the same name. Also promoting a wedding music CD, a Christmas CD, and a live version of the “Echoes” album.
His interests had changed. He was now a fully acoustic solo show using up to as many as 8 different acoustic instruments and as little electrical support as possible, making his live performance his home. His songwriting abilities, musicianship and knowledge of pop music of all genres has brought his music into the lives and homes of the broadest audiences of any regional performer the Midwest has ever known.
Enter the year 2013, Paul currently is performing over 400 shows per year. He has over 200 senior living facilities he regularly performs at in the 5 state area. Traveling from his home in Lincoln Nebraska, Paul is listed with the Nebraska Arts Council and the Nebraska Humanities programs. He is a regular living history re-enactor at the Stuhr Museum in Grand Island NE and Fort Atkinson Museum in Ft. Calhoun NE, as well as many more Nebraska museums. He can be found at local coffee houses to corporate and private events across the Midwest.