The band rehearses Willie Nelson's Whiskey River for our upcomiing shows at Center of the Universe, The Coffee Pot and Hardywood.  Kevin McCloskey - drums and vocals, Chad Bennett - bass, Dan Sessler - lead guitar.  No credit taken for work.  Copyright owner reserves all right.

The Rateros - Whiskey River (Willie Nelson Cover)

This song was inspired by Jenny Vanderlinden.  She is fighting cancer with such grace and taught so many people what it means to live life.  I met her briefly this summer at Kenyon and was moved by her story.  On January 3, I learned that her fight may be coming to an end.  She has posted so much positive energy through her messages that I was inspired to write a song for her.  I hope you like it.  To find out more about an amazing human being that has touched so many lives please go to http://www.iheartjenny.org/

Words and music (c) 2014 by Paulo Franco/BMI, all rights reserved.

Don't Cry For Me When I'm Gone.MP3

This is the new arrangement of the tune I wrote yesterday for Jenny Vanderlinden in honor of her light and grace as she fights cancer.  Jenny went to my alma mater, Kenyon College.  Her story is an inspiration to those fighting similar battles, but more importantly for those of left behind living.  Find out more about Jenny at www.iheartjenny.org

Words and Music by Paulo Franco (c) 2014

Don't Cry For Me When I'm Gone.1.MP3

I had this motif kicking around and some of the words.  After a few minutes with Shane, we had this.  My first attempt at playing in Open E tuned down a whole AND singing while finger picking.  That's like rubbing my chest and patting my head at the same time for me.  

Words and Music by Paulo Franco/BMI and Shane Cooley/ASCAP (c) 2013 All Rights Reserved

Wrong Side of the Tracks (idea)

Don't Cry For Me When I'm Gone.Studio

Carolina Girl

Richmond's Just Fine

An ode to the salacious details spewing out of the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Richmond Division.

Jonnie's Ferrari

An original song paying homage to the beautiful city of Medellin, Colombia, the land of my mother and father.

Una canción original - homenaje a la ciudad bella de Medellin, Colombia, tierra de mis padres.

Estrella del País, words and music by Paulo Franco/BMI (c) 2014.  All rights reserved.

Estrella Del Pais

A brand new song inspired by Lickinghole Craft Beer's La Calavera Catrina, a Belgian Tripel flavored with lime zest and aged in tequila barrels, this song tells the tale of a man who encounters a beautiful and mysterious woman named Catrina who has a skull (calavera).  He is taken in by her beauty and falls for her but he's not sure what to make of her - angel or spirit?  She finally kisses him at the end, and he feels it all the way to his bones.

Catrina y su Calavera (c) 2015 by Paulo Franco/BMI.  All rights reserved.

Catrina y su Calavera

La Estrella del País (version estudio)

Catrina Y Su Calavera from the forthcoming new record by Paulo Franco

Catrina Y Su Calavera

Paulo Franco is a Richmond based singer/songwriter.  In the summer of 2012 he was named a finalist in the Southeast region of the Mountain Stage NewSong songwriting contest.  He was the only Virginia songwriter so selected in 2012. He also was a winner in the Ashland Coffee & Tea Songwriter's Showdown.
His backing band are the Rateros - They play a unique blend of rock, old school country, alt-country and blues. The music draws heavily from influences like Steve Earle, the Gram Parsons inspired music of the Rolling Stones, and The Grateful Dead.

Peffer69

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