Paul Dempsey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Paul Dempsey
Dempsey on guitar and vocals, September 2006
Background information
Birth name	Paul Anthony Dempsey
Born	(1976-05-25) 25 May 1976 (age 49) Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Genres	Alternative rock Australian rock folk
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter musician
Instruments	Guitar vocals bass keyboards drums
Years active	1994–present
Labels	Sony BMG EMI

Paul Anthony Dempsey (born 25 May 1976) is an Australian musician. He is most famous as the lead singer, guitarist, and main songwriter for the rock band Something for Kate. Paul released his first solo album, Everything Is True, on 20 August 2009. This album reached number 5 on the ARIA Albums Chart in Australia. He has also helped other artists by producing and co-writing their music.

Paul has openly shared about facing personal challenges, including periods where it was hard for him to write new songs. People in the music world have noted that he is very honest in his music. In 2006, Paul married Stephanie Ashworth, who is the bass guitarist for Something for Kate.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Paul Dempsey was born on 25 May 1976 and grew up in Melbourne, Australia. His parents, Charlie and Gillian, had recently moved from Ireland. Paul's father passed away in a car accident when Paul was only one year old. Paul and his three older sisters were raised by his mother and grandmother.

Paul first learned to play the piano from his grandmother. When he was eight, he switched to the guitar. He later taught himself how to play the drums too. For his last years of high school, he went to Padua College and enjoyed playing basketball.

Paul's Musical Journey

Starting Something for Kate (1994–2007)

In mid-1994, after finishing high school, Paul Dempsey formed a band called Something for Kate in Melbourne. He was the lead guitarist and singer. His school friend, Clint Hyndman, played drums. They found Julian Carroll to play bass guitar by putting an advertisement in local music stores.

The band was first called Fish of the Day. They changed their name after a show, inspired by Paul's Jack Russell dog, Kate. They played a couple of shows before releasing a demo tape in 1995. In early 1996, they signed with Murmur Records, a part of Sony. All the band members were 19 years old at the time. Between 1996 and 2007, Something for Kate released five studio albums. Four of these albums reached the top 10 on the ARIA charts. In 2007, the band announced they were taking a break.

Solo Music and Everything Is True (2008–2011)

In 2007, Paul started writing songs for his first solo album. By 2009, he was recording the album, called Everything Is True, in Los Angeles. The recording was finished in April 2009. The first song from the album, "Out the Airlock", was first offered as a free download. It was officially released on 15 May 2009. The album came out on 14 August 2009 and reached number 5 on the ARIA Album Chart. Paul and his album were nominated for three ARIA Awards in 2009.

After his solo album came out, Paul and his wife Stephanie moved to New York City, USA, for two years in 2010. While there, Paul formed a band to play with, but he also performed solo shows. He said that he played more shows in those two years than in the previous ten. He felt like a "working musician" playing music often. He believes it's important to put yourself in new situations to keep growing as a musician.

Paul also released a solo album of cover songs called Shotgun Karaoke. This album was released on 4 October 2013 and reached number 17 on the ARIA Album Chart.

Something for Kate and Solo Work (2012–Present)

Dempsey performing in Melbourne, 2018

In September 2012, Something for Kate released their sixth studio album, Leave Your Soul to Science. It debuted at number 5 on the ARIA Album Chart. The band went on a tour across Australia in June 2013 to support the album. Paul shared that he enjoys performing live more than ever. He feels eager to play music as often as he can.

Paul has also spoken about how the internet has changed the music industry. In November 2014, he said that while many things have changed, many have stayed the same. He noted that a big challenge is that most music is now free to take. He feels that many people don't value the hard work that goes into creating music. He believes the most important thing for musicians is to perform live as much as possible. He said, "If you want to be a musician, go be a musician. Be prepared to lose money and play to no one [but] hopefully it'll get better as you get better."

Paul Dempsey also worked with Bernard Fanning on a project called Fanning Dempsey National Park. Their first album, The Deluge, was released on 2 August 2024.

Other Music Projects

Paul Dempsey has been involved in many other music projects.

• In late 1997, he played guitar for the bands Fur and Ammonia. He also played drums for two Bluebottle Kiss shows and for his sister's band, John Smith.
• In 1998, he recorded an album of songs for a side project called Scared of Horses. He worked with other musicians on this.
• In 2003, he produced and played many instruments on The Givegoods' album, I Want to Kill a Rich Man.
• Between 2006 and 2010, Paul produced an album called The Gleaner for Brendan Welch.
• In October 2009, Paul performed in a musical show called Dirtsong at the Melbourne International Arts Festival. The songs were written by Alexis Wright, and some were sung in Indigenous languages.
• In 2010, Paul played instruments on several albums for T-Rek and contributed to The Nation Blue's album Protest Songs. He also produced and mixed an EP for the band Papa VS Pretty.
• In October 2011, Paul performed with the Black Arm Band and other famous artists like Mavis Staples and Joss Stone. He played guitar, sang duets, and performed songs with other Australian singers.
• In January 2014, Paul produced the first album, Humdrum Star, for the band Mosman Alder.
• In late 2014, Paul started producing a new album for Mike Noga, who used to be the drummer for The Drones. Mike Noga raised money from fans to help pay for the recording costs. Mike said that Paul is very good at songwriting and knows a lot about recording.

Television Appearances

Paul Dempsey has appeared on the TV show RocKwiz several times.

• On 24 February 2007, he performed a solo version of "Monsters" and sang "Careless Whisper" with Kate Miller-Heidke.
• He also appeared on Good News Week on 26 October 2009, singing "Fire" by Bruce Springsteen.
• On 8 June, he was on RocKwiz again. He performed "Survival Expert" and sang "Out of Touch" with Emily Lubitz.

Personal Life

Stephanie Ashworth, on bass guitar with Something for Kate, April 2006. Dempsey and Ashworth were married in Las Vegas during 2005.

In 2006, Paul Dempsey married his bandmate and long-term partner, Stephanie Ashworth, in Las Vegas, Nevada. They have a son named Miller, who was born in May 2011. In 2010, the couple moved to New York City for two years.

Paul has been open about facing personal challenges. In a 2010 interview, he explained that many people who go through similar struggles might feel guilty or selfish. He believes it's important to talk about these feelings so that others know it's okay to share their experiences too. He has received many messages from people who found strength in knowing that someone they respect also goes through similar things.

In November 2014, Paul shared that his all-time favorite band is Fugazi.

Discography

Solo Albums

Solo Extended Plays (EPs)

Solo Singles

See Also

• Something for Kate
• Fanning Dempsey National Park

Awards and Nominations

Paul Dempsey and his bands have received several awards and nominations for their music.

APRA Awards

The APRA Awards celebrate Australian composers and songwriters.

National Live Music Awards

The National Live Music Awards celebrate Australia's live music scene.

EG Awards / Music Victoria Awards

The Music Victoria Awards celebrate music from Victoria, Australia.