"The Grand Prize" is Paul's first solo effort and is a collection of songs written and recorded from 2003-2010. He wrote and recorded about forty songs in that time and picked these eleven as the best songs and/or performances. All of the vocals and all of the instruments save one violin part were played by Paul, and many of the songs have never been performed live. The mastering and production of the album were funded by a Kickstarter campaign, and otherwise would probably never have happened; Paul is extremely thankful to all of those who donated. The music on "The Grand Prize" represents the everchanging influences over the years of playing in many different bands, and styles span from the sentimental to the hard rockin'. "Fall to Pieces," the opening track, was originally written for Paul's rock band Drifter and is the oldest song on album. It is immediately followed by a few songs that definitely show the influence of his time playing in The Light Rock Express. "The Angel" dips into the alt country sounds of The Small Sounds and Katie Stuckey, and the four songs of the "Threadbare Suite" (tracks 7-10), which were written only weeks apart, tie several styles together. The record closes with a the Beatles-esque "I'm in Love," a nod to his many years in the Houston Beatles cover band Beetle. Despite the many styles, there is still a consistency to the record. Needless to say, if you don't like one song, don't count out the rest. "The Grand Prize" was recorded at Beebe Gunn Studio in Houston, TX. Mastered by Allen Corneau Mastering. Printed by Any and All Media. © 2012 Paul Beebe