Paul Dempsey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Paul Dempsey
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Dempsey on guitar and vocals, September 2006
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Paul Anthony Dempsey |
| Born | 25 May 1976 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
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| Years active | 1994–present |
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Paul Anthony Dempsey (born on May 25, 1976) is a talented musician from Australia. He is most famous as the lead singer, guitarist, and main songwriter for the rock band Something for Kate. Paul also has a successful solo career.
His first solo album, Everything Is True, came out in 2009 and reached number 5 on the Australian music charts. Besides his own music, Paul has helped other artists by producing and co-writing their albums. Paul has faced some personal challenges, like periods of feeling down or finding it hard to write new songs, which he has spoken about publicly. In 2006, Paul married Stephanie Ashworth, who is the bass guitarist for Something for Kate.
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Paul Dempsey's Early Life
Paul Dempsey was born in Melbourne, Australia, on May 25, 1976. His parents, Charlie and Gillian, had recently moved from Ireland. When Paul was just one year old, his father passed away in a car accident. Paul was too young to remember him.
He and his three older sisters, Jill and Moira, were raised by their 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 high school years, he went to Padua College in Melbourne. He was also very interested in playing basketball during that time.
Paul Dempsey's Music Career
Something for Kate: The Early Years
In mid-1994, after finishing high school, Paul Dempsey started a band in Melbourne. He played lead guitar and sang lead vocals. His school friend, Clint Hyndman, played drums. They found their bass player, Julian Carroll, by putting an advertisement in local music stores.
The band was first called Fish of the Day. They changed their name to Something for Kate after a show. The name was inspired by Paul's Jack Russell dog, Kate. They played two shows before releasing a demo tape in 1995. In 1996, when all the band members were 19, they signed with Murmur Records, a part of Sony. Between 1996 and 2007, Something for Kate released five studio albums. Four of these albums made it into the top 10 on the Australian charts. In 2007, the band decided to take a break.
Paul's Solo Journey
In 2007, Paul started writing songs for his first solo album. By 2009, he was recording his album, Everything Is True, in Los Angeles. The recording was finished in April 2009. The first song from the album, "Out the Airlock," was first given away for free online. It was officially released on May 15, 2009.
The album came out on August 14, 2009, and reached number 5 on the Australian Album Chart. Paul and his album were nominated for three ARIA Awards in 2009. These awards included Best Male Artist and Best Adult Contemporary Album. After his solo album, Paul and his wife, Stephanie, moved to New York for two years in 2010. Paul played many solo shows and formed a backing band there. He said he played more shows in New York than he had in the previous 10 years!
Paul also released a solo album of cover songs called Shotgun Karaoke. This album came out on October 4, 2013, and reached number 17 on the Australian Album Chart.
Something for Kate and Solo Work Today
In September 2012, Something for Kate released their sixth studio album, Leave Your Soul to Science. This album also debuted at number 5 on the Australian Album Chart. The band then went on a tour across Australia in June 2013. Paul shared that he enjoys playing live music more than ever. He feels excited and eager to perform as often as he can.
Paul released another solo album called Strange Loop in May 2016. It also reached number 5 on the Australian Album Chart.
Other Music Projects
Paul Dempsey has worked on many other music projects. In 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 with other musicians for a side project called Scared of Horses.
In 2003, Paul produced an album for The Givegoods. He also played drums, bass, guitar, and keyboards on it. 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 different instruments on albums by T-Rek. He also played keyboards on The Nation Blue's album Protest Songs. In April 2010, Paul produced and mixed an EP called Heavy Harm for the band Papa VS Pretty. In October 2011, Paul performed with other famous musicians like Archie Roach and Joss Stone at the Melbourne Festival. He played guitar, sang duets, and performed a song with Shane Howard.
In January 2014, Paul produced the first album, Humdrum Star, for the band Mosman Alder. In late 2014, Paul started working on a new album for Mike Noga. Paul also collaborated with Bernard Fanning on a project called Fanning Dempsey National Park. Their first album, The Deluge, was released in August 2024.
Paul Dempsey on TV
Paul Dempsey has appeared on the TV show RocKwiz several times. On February 24, 2007, he performed a solo version of "Monsters." He also sang "Careless Whisper" with Kate Miller-Heidke. He appeared on Good News Week on October 26, 2009. On that show, he performed "Fire" by Bruce Springsteen.
He returned to RocKwiz on June 8. He performed "Survival Expert" from Something for Kate's album. He also sang "Out of Touch" with Emily Lubitz.
Paul Dempsey's Personal Life
In 2005, Paul Dempsey married his bandmate and long-time partner, Stephanie Ashworth. They got married in Las Vegas. They have a son named Miller, who was born in May 2011. In 2010, Paul and Stephanie moved to New York City for two years. Paul has mentioned that he would like to return to New York in the future.
Paul has faced challenges like periods of feeling down and finding it hard to write new songs. In 2014, Paul shared that his all-time favorite band is Fugazi.
Paul Dempsey's Solo Albums
Paul Dempsey has released several solo albums:
- Everything Is True (2009) - This album reached number 5 on the Australian charts and was certified Gold.
- Shotgun Karaoke (2013) - This album of cover songs reached number 17.
- Strange Loop (2016) - This album also reached number 5 on the Australian charts.
He has also released several singles, including "Out the Airlock" and "Ramona Was a Waitress."
Awards and Nominations
Paul Dempsey has been recognized for his music with several awards and nominations.
APRA Awards
The APRA Awards celebrate Australian composers and songwriters.
- In 2002, the song "Monsters" by Something for Kate (written by Paul Dempsey, Stephanie Ashworth, and Clint Hyndman) was nominated for Song of the Year.
- In 2020, "Fear Of Missing Out" by Ainslie Wills (co-written by Paul Dempsey) was shortlisted for Song of the Year.
- In 2021, "Situation Room" by Something for Kate (written by Paul Dempsey, Stephanie Ashworth, and Clint Hyndman) was shortlisted for Song of the Year.
National Live Music Awards
The National Live Music Awards celebrate Australia's live music scene.
- In 2016, Paul Dempsey was nominated for Live Voice of the Year.
- He won the Victorian Live Voice of the Year award in 2016.
EG Awards/Music Victoria Awards
The Music Victoria Awards celebrate music from Victoria, Australia.
- In 2009, Paul Dempsey was nominated for Best Male Artist.
- His album Everything Is True was nominated for Best Album in 2009.
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