Paul Steward - You Can Dance to My Blues (2025)

Paul was born on December 20, 1984, in Wine County, California. His family are Native Americans, members of the Pomo Indians. He was raised on the Elem County Indian Colony Sulphur Bank Ranchera and moved to Santa Clara as a teenager. Paul keeps his Native American heritage in front of his music and has a major fanbase in the Native American community. His albums have been nominated three times for the Native American Music Awards.

His dad, Richard, gave him a toy piano when he was little and then taught him to play guitar at age 13. The twosome joined together and released multiple albums as a duo, Twice as Good. Unfortunately, his father passed away earlier this year. Richard studied music at the University of Nevada, Reno, Santa Rosa Junior College, and Sonoma State University. In addition to vocals and guitar, he also plays the bass, sax, harmonica, keyboards, drums, trumpet and violin. He cites his influences as B.B. King, Luther Allison, Magic Slim, George Benson, Joe Louis walker, Robert Randolph, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Santana and vocalists like Wilson Pickett and The Temptations. He has performed with Charlie Musselwhite, Big Bill Morganfield, and the Bay Area Blues Society All Stars among others. He was a semi-finalist at the 2016 International Blues Challenge in Memphis. On this album he plays the guitar, drums, bass, keyboards and provides the vocals on all but two songs.

The title song opens the album with smooth vocals and some slick guitar as he calls out to his girl “I feel good. I sing my song. Play my guitar all night long”. Artist Mike Paul produced and provided the beat for “808” Blues” with Paul providing the lyrics, guitar and vocals. The song slows things down in a soulful biographical tale citing his family’s encouragement “to chase my dreams. The way was hard, and it drove me mad. This is the message, this is the blues, you can never quit, and you can never lose”. “It takes hard work.” “Only the strong survive and I did it.”

“Ride With Me (Paul Mix)” was composed and produced by Omo Phola, a South African artist. The song is a remix of an originally released version on Omo’s 2023 album partially in Phola’s native language. “Aishiteru” is Japanese for I love you. The song is a slow waltz again partially sung in a foreign language but concludes with the declaration that “I love you with all of my heart”. “Mth’alal (Hey Ay, Ah Ho Ho)” offers a rhythm clearly from his heritage with his guitar prominent against the beat. Paul plays the Pomo clapper stick on the song. With A little on-line investigation into the University of California’s Southeastern Pomo Language Project I discovered that Mth’alal means summer. With Paul’s help, the further translation of the Pomo language song means to “eat blackberries in the summer”. Paul said the song is based on a childhood memory of picking blackberries in August and early September when they were ripe.

His guitar kicks into a rocking groove as he declares “Everything’s Gonna Be All Right” “as I got you and you got me” and exclaims “that everywhere I go they like my blues”. Next, he proclaims ” I am so tired sitting home alone. “Going Down to the Club” to find someone”. “They better play the blues and they better play it right.” Ronnie K. Stewart, who is the bandleader for West Coast Blues Society Caravan of Allstars and the Director of the West Coast Blues Society, guests on lead guitar on the song. The album concludes with “Number 9 Train” as he tells “Number 9 took my baby up the line. When I hear that lonesome whistle, I just can’t keep from cryin’.”

Paul’s guitar playing is constantly awesome and intriguing. Blend that with his soulful mix of soul and blues, it is a winning combination. His Native American language and other foreign language songs can easily be compared to some of Santana’s Spanish incursions into his songs. Every song on the album is a comfortable listen and should be heard by everyone who likes the blues.