DePaul signs management contract

Staff report

NASHVILLE, TENN.

Jordan DePaul, the Nashville-based singer-songwriter who hails from Youngstown, signed with Nashville Underground Management this week.

DePaul mixes folk, country, American and indie-rock. He moved to Music City in January of 2013 and made his presence known through his performances.

Shawn Carnes and Matt Williams, co-founders of Nashville Underground Management, recognized his universal appeal.

“Matt and I saw Jordan at a showcase, and when he started playing we just looked at each other in amazement,” said Carnes in a news release. “We intuitively knew what the other was thinking: that we wanted this kid to be a part of the Nashville Underground family as soon as possible.”

DePaul fronted his own band, Jordan DePaul and the Reputations, in Youngstown until he was 19. But he didn’t realize he wanted to be a songwriter until his father died. Reaching the lowest point in his life, he locked himself in his bedroom for months and poured his heart into music. When he emerged, DePaul had written 30 heartfelt songs.

Although he has recorded only two short albums so far, the 25-year-old has a prolificness that promises much more. It is not uncommon for him to play one or two new songs at each show.

“I wish I could record them all right now,” said DePaul. “The songs are all dying to get out there.”

DePaul returns to his hometown every so often to perform, most recently at the Revive Festival in downtown Youngstown last month. He will next appear Aug. 29 at JD’s Summer Songfest at Quaker Steak & Lube in Austintown.

“Jordan represents everything we look for in an artist,” said Williams. “Sure, he’s a killer performer and a great singer-songwriter; but he’s also an extremely hard worker. He’s been grinding it out alone for a while, and already has great momentum.”

This momentum led DePaul to start The Neighborhood Watch, a monthly showcase highlighting other artists in Nashville.

“If there’s one thing I’ve learned in the two and a half years of living in Nashville, it’s there’s a huge sense of community,” DePaul said in an interview with MillennialType.com. “It’s a small town; we go to each others’ shows. Everybody wants to see each other succeed.”

Another motivation for starting The Neighborhood Watch was DePaul’s love for the stage. A consummate performer, he is capable of delivering a full-band party, but also of standing alone with his guitar. In the past two years, he has filled staple venues in Nashville such as The Basement, Exit/In and Mercy Lounge.

Depaul has been hard at work in the studio as well. His first EP, “Troubles I Had,” gained the recognition of local songwriters and producers.

He quickly released his sophomore EP, “Live From The Henhouse,” which – according to DePaul – contains more “desperation” than the first.

DePaul is currently working on his third EP, which will be available later this year.