Meet Paula Boggs | Musician, Public Speaker and Writer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Paula Boggs and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Paula, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Risk for me is an old friend. We met when I was six year old, the only Black girl in my first grade class, attending the only integrated school in an otherwise segregated city. At the time the word “risk” was not in my vocabulary but the emotions often associated with risk — fear, resolve, adaptability, adventure seeking, courage, curiosity, the “why not” when it’s not been done before — I remember. I had a great role model too in my mother. When I was thirteen my mom took herself and four children to Europe to teach the kids of military personnel despite never having been to Europe and not knowing anything about the military. She ended up living in Europe 23 years and across that almost quarter century there was a lot of risk taking, including her decision to remarry someone with children. These early experiences in, and examples of, risk taking helped guide a life replete with it — everything from jumping out of planes as a US Army paratrooper to leaping from the perfectly well-functioning planes of Starbucks and law to pursue a music career. Within those two markers was the risk in “coming out” as a gay person when to do so could be career ending. In this post-law chapter, my wife and I also became the legal guardians of our niece when she was a 10 year old, when most of our friends with kids were already empty nesters. Those same emotions that first surfaced at six still show up. I don’t fear failure any more though. I expect it and have developed life tools to recognize it, learn and hopefully carry on.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Though I have other creative outlets, including essay writing and public speaking, I’m a musician. Creating and performing music started at age 10. Reaching early adulthood I abandoned music and then returned to it in 2005. The tragedy of losing someone dear brought me back, initially as a way to grieve. As a Catholic kid I got exposed to folk music in grammar school and that led to an obsession with acoustic guitar. Once I started learning chords, songwriting followed. From my earliest years as a musician I was influenced by two church traditions that don’t often come together — the music heard in the Roman Catholic Church and that heard in African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Churches. Because my dad was Catholic and mom was AME I would toggle between the two — enjoying their respective music offerings equally. Those influences still show up in what Paula Boggs Band calls “Soulgrass” — folk and Gregorian music, gospel and Black spiritual influences, minor chords, unusual chord progressions, the use of rhythm and harmonies, the social justice content of some lyrics. Our band is more racially and generationally diverse than most and about half our band members are conservatory trained. When I first left law for music there were a lot of naysayers — “she’s too old,” “she’s not that good,” “it must be just a hobby,” etc. I’m proud Paula Boggs Band has gained fans and critical recognition, that our music keeps getting better. I’m excited by our upcoming 2023 shows and returning to the studio to record new music. I want the world to know Paula Boggs Band is still in its early innings. I also hope my story inspires others to find, honor and celebrate things in life that fulfill them, that make them whole, that bring them joy.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
As someone who lives in Seattle but visits Los Angeles, my favorite neighborhood is Santa Monica. I love that it’s not far from LAX and on the water. The hike and bike trail never gets old, running along the shore at sunrise or sunset is a spiritual experience. It’s close to Venice, where I can indulge in first class people watching, but also escape from when Venice gets a little too intense for me. Sure it’s touristy but I dig Third Street Promenade. If I’m there for a week of course I’m taking my friend to the Farmers Market, Bergamot Station Arts Center, Sweet Rose Creamery, The Mint, where we played in December and, of course, The Troubadour.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I stand on the shoulders of too many to name adequately but call out my parents, Nathaniel Boggs, Jr. and Janice Barber. Though I was raised mostly by my mom, the older I get, the more I understand and appreciate my father’s life journey. I’ve learned a lot from it. A Black man born into 1926 Jim Crow Alabama, he survived much to become Howard University’s first PhD in Zoology. I can’t know what that was like and am grateful I don’t. Throughout my life, my mother has redefined “the possible” for me, including her decision to leave a place she’d lived 25+ years, San Antonio, for Seattle at age 85. May I live that long and if I do be as courageous as she’s always been.

Website: PaulaBoggsBand.net

Instagram: Instagram.com/paulaboggsband

Linkedin: LinkedIn.com/in/paulaboggs

Twitter: Twitter.com/paulaboggsband

Facebook: Facebook.com/thepaulaboggsband

Youtube: YouTube.com/plutorevenge

Image Credits
Tom Reese, photographer Niffer Calderwood, photographer Mathias Fau, photographer Brendan Capuano, photographer