Wedding Words to Music
Paul Stookey has been known for being one part of the iconic folk group Peter, Paul and Mary. And his life for more than seven decades has been filled with music. He has also been a key artist in the young Jesus music movement, which has grown into the Christian music industry according to his Wikipedia page.
Stookey has also been awarded the Kate Wolf Memorial Award by the World Folk Music Association in 2000. He continues to tour as a solo artist and remains a life long activist. Stookey was interviewed by phone for this interview.
Jupiter Index: You continue to create more music on the record label New World Media. Talk about that and why it was formed?
Paul Stookey: Well, we brought a hen house in Blue Hill, in 1973, and we thought we could remodel it into a home, but it turns out it since it was made for chickens, it had seven-foot ceilings. So we decided that was not a good option. However, it did make a great home for a recording studio, the equipment for which I had in my basement in Westchester, New York. Many of my recordings from that studio became CD’s for my new independent label called Neworld.
JI: What is the Young Jesus movement and what does it mean to you?
PS: I have changed since I have become a believer in my life. And drastically changed since the early 1970's. Phrases like 'born again' [and others] have a particular meaning to a church goer but often have a particular meaning to a church goer, but often become awkward or misunderstood when you are communicating with someone else. I am a songwriter – so I work a lot in metaphor - but then again so did Christ. So I often use the metaphor because I know that I can open the door to a deeper understanding of the part of the listener. They can take a broader term, and apply it to their own faith, their own belief, their own heart, and their own experience.
JI: Would you like to talk about Music to Life and its international work? And what it means to you?
PS: I think we all agree that music is important because it breaks down emotional barriers. If you read something as text you might be moved by it – but not as much as if it was set to a piece of music. So, all my life I’ve attempted to wed words with music. Sometimes more successfully then others. Music to life was created by my daughter Liz and as a world-wide support organization for singer-songwriters of social concern.
by G.M. Burns
Stookey has also been awarded the Kate Wolf Memorial Award by the World Folk Music Association in 2000. He continues to tour as a solo artist and remains a life long activist. Stookey was interviewed by phone for this interview.
Jupiter Index: You continue to create more music on the record label New World Media. Talk about that and why it was formed?
Paul Stookey: Well, we brought a hen house in Blue Hill, in 1973, and we thought we could remodel it into a home, but it turns out it since it was made for chickens, it had seven-foot ceilings. So we decided that was not a good option. However, it did make a great home for a recording studio, the equipment for which I had in my basement in Westchester, New York. Many of my recordings from that studio became CD’s for my new independent label called Neworld.
JI: What is the Young Jesus movement and what does it mean to you?
PS: I have changed since I have become a believer in my life. And drastically changed since the early 1970's. Phrases like 'born again' [and others] have a particular meaning to a church goer but often have a particular meaning to a church goer, but often become awkward or misunderstood when you are communicating with someone else. I am a songwriter – so I work a lot in metaphor - but then again so did Christ. So I often use the metaphor because I know that I can open the door to a deeper understanding of the part of the listener. They can take a broader term, and apply it to their own faith, their own belief, their own heart, and their own experience.
JI: Would you like to talk about Music to Life and its international work? And what it means to you?
PS: I think we all agree that music is important because it breaks down emotional barriers. If you read something as text you might be moved by it – but not as much as if it was set to a piece of music. So, all my life I’ve attempted to wed words with music. Sometimes more successfully then others. Music to life was created by my daughter Liz and as a world-wide support organization for singer-songwriters of social concern.
by G.M. Burns
