In an industry that's constantly changing to adapt to what's new, Ellis Paul has a refreshingly – and modestly – old-fashioned sensibility to his work and music. Part of that vibe comes from his music itself, folky singer-songwriter storytelling with thick roots in the likes of Woody Guthrie (a connection so close Paul has a tattoo of Guthrie on his arm and honorary citizenship from Guthrie's hometown of Okemah, Okla.). 

A large part of that vibe also comes from his old school musician's work ethic, doing 200 shows a year across two decades in the business, plus 19 albums along the way. One of those 200 shows is Friday night, performing over at Shank Hall starting at 8 p.m. (cover $15). In the midst of his busy schedule, Paul found the time to chat with OnMilwaukee.com about his crazy work life, his love for Woody, the state of the industry ... and, of course, Kanye West's award show theatrics. 

OnMilwaukee.com: What was it about his music that really spoke to you?

Ellis Paul: There are a few things. I mean, the writing is so spectacular, for one. Just his ability to capture, in three or four minutes, a story or someone’s life or tragedy, and be honest about it and be insightful about it and use language that’s infectious and can make your heart race. That’s always been really important to me within his music.

Secondly, just his life story. He was just sort of a character. He lived through a tumultuous time in U.S. history, and he had a life full of constant tragedy and sorrow. All of those things are very compelling from the outside to have a lot happen to form him. I think that’s part of it as well.

OMC: I have to ask: During the Super Bowl, there was a Jeep ad featuring "This Land Is Your Land." How’d you feel about that?

Ellis Paul: You know, there are some mixed emotions about it, but I thought the performance was great by whoever sang it. It obviously wasn’t Woody. (laughs) In a way, to me, it’s important for his legacy to reach out to people, and these days, that might be the best way. If it opens the doors to a bunch of people who haven’t really listened to him, I’m all for it. But I’m wondering if he’d roll over in his grave about it being used that way. Hard to say how he’d feel about it, but I feel like it’s a victory for the little guy (laughs) even though he’s not really little in my world; he’s more of a superstar. 

OMC: Your current career is incredibly prolific – and that's not including all of your other stuff on the side, like children’s books and songwriting lessons and such. How do you keep up with all of that?

EP: Caffeine. (laughs) Caffeine helps, and I’m on a bit of a mission, you know. In the same way Woody had a manic way about writing so much, I have a manic way about traveling and touring and writing. I’m not getting those major commercials, so the best thing I can do is go out and play through the PA systems in these clubs. I’ve had some songs in movies and TV, but the only way you really can touch people is to get out there and do it in person.

OMC: For your last album, "Chasing Beauty," what were kind of your inspirations and motivations for that release?

EP: I wanted it to be more of a raw sounding record. My last one – which I love as well – was a little bit more produced and orchestrated. This one, I wanted it to feel more like the instruments were a little more naked, my voice a little more raw. I wanted it to feel more like it was live when we recorded it. I think that just gives it just a little bit more presence, a little bit more urgent.

OMC: It was produced by Brandon Bush (Sugarland, Train) and Kristian Bush (also of Sugarland). What were they able to bring to this particular album? Were they able to help with that raw sound you were looking for, or was there something else?

EP: Yeah, their tastes are really eclectic. Kristian is a country star, but he’s got a real history with rock ‘n’ roll, and he understands what singer-songwriters are. And Brandon plays keys and is kind of into avant garde music and stuff that’s sort of more progressive and less traditional.

So I feel like I had this broad swath of talent between the three of us, what my ears were saying and what their ears were saying. We might not have always agreed, but we were always surprised by what the result was. It was cool, because we were in the same house but trying to make music that was outside of the box.

OMC: How do you feel about the industry nowadays? Obviously the Grammys were Sunday night …

EP: I feel like the best thing the music industry right now could do is just not allow Kanye West to come up on stage at any of the award shows. (laughs) I think that would show a sign of solidarity and would just improve it for everybody.

I wish I could tell you that I had it all figured out, but it seems like the music industry is in constant flux, and it has been for the last 10 years. All I know is that in order to make a living, you have to multitask. You have to be a manager. You have to be a record label. You have to be a performer and a writer. You have to create income streams that you might not have done, like what I’m doing with children’s music and books. You have to do all the things that you can in order to make up for the money that was lost in intellectual property rights.

I’m hoping that congress will come around and legislate in our favor. Unfortunately, we don’t have the big money lobbyists on our side, so it’s hard. But I feel like I was lucky because I came in at the tail end of the old school music industry. I was on a label for seven albums, and back then, it wasn’t guerrilla warfare. There was one path you’d take, and your record label would get you down it.

Now, I feel like it’s a free-for-all. (laughs) We’re all trying to whatever we can to get attention, including make fools of ourselves with ridiculous videos and these narcissistic Facebook posts that are so not fun to do. But you have to because you’re not getting a chance to communicate with people in the same way as we used to. You have to do it.

OMC: So I take it that you weren’t a fan of Kanye’s statements during and post the Grammys?

EP: Yeah, it’s funny because we give these awards to people, like Album of the Year, and it goes to an artist. I saw that when Beck was getting his award, he had, like, eight people go up on stage: co-producers and all these different players in the process. For Beyonce, there probably would’ve been 50 people on stage really.

It’s just hard to understand. It doesn’t seem like there’s one person creating the art; it’s just a group of people. I think the perception is that these artists are deserving of the awards themselves, and that somehow Beyonce is somehow more talented than Beck – and all of that is relative anyway. It just seems funny that you give this award to a single entity, and then there’s all these other writers and singers on it.

It’s just bizarre. To me, the Grammys are just an excuse to make money for people. It’s sort of a marketing thing, like Valentine’s Day. It’s just an excuse for people to make a lot of money.