Paul Gregg
Email: Paul@RestlessHeartBand.com
Plays: Bass Guitar, Lead Vocals
Birthday: December 3rd
Musical Influences: Nat King Cole, Crosby- Stills & Nash, Grand Funk Railroad, Jimi Hendrix, Stepenwolf, Simon & Garfunkel, Mahalia Jackson, Santana, Bing Crosby, The Beatles and The Eagles to name a few
Paul is a “Road” scholar. We mean he actually honed his skills “On the Road” and in the trenches. He relies solely on what he hears and feels in his heart for his contribution to the music of Restless Heart.
Born in Altus, Oklahoma, Paul is the son of a cotton and wheat farmer. Hard work, hometown values and a tenacious desire to follow his heart are what drive him. That and a bus driver with plenty of sleep.
Paul left Altus early on to chase his dream. He and his brother got their first taste of the road performing at ski resorts throughout New Mexico and Colorado in the summer of 1976. Still not sure if, music would be a career that would sustain him he attended a Tech School in Okmulgee, Oklahoma for two years where he studied fuel injection. In may of 1978, under the encouragement of his brother, he moved to Nashville, where he worked for two years as a fuel injection specialist on Main Street to make ends meet. When an opportunity finally came to do a couple of road shows for Opryland, he took it.
Over the course of the next four years he continued to play and travel, meeting and making new friends with ties to the music industry. One of those people was Greg Jennings, the bands lead guitarist. Greg, after sitting around a table at Paul and his brother’s house listening to them sing and play, insisted that they meet a friend of his named Tim Dubois, a song writer in Nashville. Tim, along with his partner Scott Hendricks, would end up being the bands first producers and would later become heads of major record labels in Nashville. Paul and Greg teamed up with Tim on different projects to try and get record deals as outlets for some of the songs that Tim was writing. Paul had also been working in a rock band with a drummer named John Dittrich for about a year when, once again, Tim came to him with the idea of putting together a band and doing some music that was off the beaten path for country music at that time. Paul called John and together with Greg and two other singer musicians, Dave Innis and Larry Stewart, the band Restless Heart was formed. It was 1984 and after a showcase where the band performed for just about every record label in town, Joe Galante, the head of RCA Records, decided to sign the band. The rest is history.
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Comments
Paul…my husband and i attended the concert in san bernardino, CA… wow! AWESOME!!! That solo you did.. i was told is called “Santa’s Prayer” ..wow! What a beautiful, amazing song- you performed it beautifully! Quite a few audience members were trying to locate it on the CD’s for sale in the lobby… please think about recording it on a Restless Heart cd! Cant wait to hear it again!
Hi Paul,
I really enjoyed the concert yesterday in Silver Springs, Ocala.
I was the short little blond that was always up by the stage taking pics. This was the first I have seen you guys in concert.
I just want you to know that the song you did honoring the military really hit home. I as a veteran know what it is like being away from home. I have never been over there because I got out in 99 but still I feel honored to be a veteran. I also admire the men and woman overseas fighting for our freedom away from family and knowing they may never come home alive. They are truly the heroes and thank you for that beautiful song.
I seen your concerts dates and I see you will be in my old home town of Rice Lake, Wi. That is where I used to live before I went in the Navy back in 1989 and if I get up that way from Florida I will definitely stop in and see you guys. My family still lives up there and it is hard being away from them down here. I promised my kids I would not move them anymore til they graduated high school. I have a 18 yr old girl and a boy who just turned 16 and my youngest girl will be 15 in February so I have a ways to go yet. I have raised them as a single parent all of their life and being a single mom I think I did a pretty good job.
I wish you and the band all of the best and stay safe on your tour and I really enjoyed the concert yesterday.
Thank you,
Lisa Mangelsen Homosassa, Florida
I enjoyed the show in Amory, Ms. I wanted to know where I can go and hear the song “home” again. It was beautiful and it made me cry! Please post it somewhere. Yal come back sometime. We enjoyed it
hey paul!
my husband and I were in Gatlinburg this past October celebrating our 15th wedding anniversary. he took me to see ya’ll in concert(which was awesome!). you sang a song about santa’s christmas wish and the soldier’s song. your songs were my favorite part of the concert. where can i find these tracks?
thanks, nicole
Nicole, figured I would answer this for you from what I understand at the moment. Neither song, Santa’s Prayer nor Home have been released. (I was at that show too, and LOVE both songs) Word around the forum and various interviews is that the band is working on a Christmas CD and hopefully SP will be on there. HOME too is suuposedly in the works to be “officially” recorded to be released. We can only hope and pray it is soon!!!
Hey Paul – Any chance you will be around next June for OUR 40th Class Reunion (class of 1970) in Altus?
That would be cool – if you are were there!!
Paul Gregg, I went to school with your brother Danny and my Brothers went to school with you…my my you have done well. I’ve seen u in concert once..good job ! I saw Danny when he was at Opryland. My brothers you might remember..Paul, Pete, Perry Robison. Good Luck to you and Enjoy your life as we enjoy your music….Pam Robison- Fossee
Paul, hope you don’t mind, I posted your bio on our website!
(you might want to have them correct spelling and caps!)
hope you’re doing well, am trying to guilt you into responding! Your 35th reunion is around the corner and we would love to see you for the first time in 35 years! Don’t you think the class officers should attend at least one reunion??!! Anyway take care, we still love ya! Oh I borrowed some of your pics too! let me know if you want me to put courtesy of on any of them! SEE YA SOON!!!!
XOXOXO
Lori Elliott
ps got some great pics on our website, take a look at what the 74 geezers look like now at
http://www.myspace.com/altusbulldogs1974