Eli "Paperboy" Reed

Eli "Paperboy" Reed built his reputation the hard way: at eighteen he moved to the Mississippi Delta to learn his craft in raw juke joints, then worked in Chicago as musical director at the church of soul legend Mitty Collier. That background shines through in his heartbreaking falsetto, his gift for pop melodies, and his unbridled energy.

Reed has now been in the business for 20 years, a milestone he celebrated with a vinyl reissue of his very first album from 2005. Since his official debut 'Roll With You' in 2008, he has delivered a legendary SXSW performance, signed with Capitol and Warner Bros., and placed music in countless films and series.

His later work shows the same breadth: a critically acclaimed album recorded at the legendary Sam Phillips Studio in Memphis, featuring contributions from The Masqueraders and Big Daddy Kane, and a tribute to country legend Merle Haggard that earned him an invitation to the Grand Ole Opry. Beyond his own career, he teaches in Harlem, where The Harlem Gospel Travelers emerged from his mentorship.