Although he would spend his free time at school hanging out in the music room, Reed discovered that his talent was not only for playing instruments, but also for singing.
Shortly after graduating from high school, Reed travelled to Clarksdale, Mississippi, where he would play any gig that he could. He began to get popular, playing frequently in lounges that various famous blues artists had also played in throughout the years. From his time playing in the lounges in Mississippi, Reed’s fellow musicias gave him the nickname ‘Paperboy,’ which, according to Reed, was due to the fact that he would wear a newsboy hat quite often. The nickname stuck, and now is pretty much a part of his name.
After a few months of playing music, Reed decided to try going to University. He enrolled at the University of Chicago; however, he still felt drawn to music more than he was drawn to academic material. At University, he hosted a radio show and developed his passion for music. He soon decided to make his own band, and released two albums that were both received well by the public. The first, ‘Sings Walkin' and Talkin' and Other Smash Hits!’ was released independently, however, by the time his second album ‘Roll With You’ was being created, he had Q Division Records on his side. The success of his albums earned Reed titles such as ‘Breakthrough Artist of the Year’ and caught the attention of Capitol Records, who quickly signed him.
Under the supervision of Capitol Records, Reed released “Come and Get it,” his most successful album yet, that skyrocketed him into the mainstream. The record contains 12 songs, all influenced by the soulful music of the 1920s. For fans of Eli’s, seeing him perform live is a mesmerising and awe-inspiring experience. This young and extremely talented musician plays music with a passion and strength that is rare to find today. Eli ‘Paperboy’ Reed is reincarnating the soul and R&B of the 1920s in a way that we can all relate to in today’s times.
