WarHen & WNRN Present: Dogwood Tales

Dogwood Tales hails from the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Beginning in the basements of Harrisonburg as a duo in 2016, Ben Ryan and Kyle Grim started with the intention of writing, playing, and singing as one, grounded in a love of working together. Upon releasing their first album and beginning to tour more frequently in 2018, Dogwood Tales expanded into a full band, joined by their best friends and collaborators, Jake Golibart, Danny Gibney, and Stephen Kuester on the drums, bass, and pedal steel. Influenced by an eclectic local DIY scene of lo-fi, shoegaze, and country acts, as well as songwriting staples like Neil Young and Jason Molina, Dogwood Tales present their own alt-country sound with Grim and Ryan singing away their valley blues to the backdrop of lush steel and humming electric guitars. Their new EP, “13 Summers 13 Falls” was released in fall of 2022 via WarHen records, with the follow EP “Rodeo” set to release in Spring of 2023 alongside a vinyl pressing of the two EPs.

Musically, Small Paul is a 4 headed collaborative effort that began fortuitously during the pandemic as a fusion of 4 musicians living in the same pod. 
While originally bonding over the shared love of Wings, NRBQ sounding records and singing harmony together late into the night, Small Paul became an outlet and excuse to reckon and engage with each individual's own past and present struggles and to use music as an outlet to create light out of dark days. Their debut album reflects themes of rebirth and renewal, and pulling oneself into the light. While songs like, “A Midnight Sun”, “Miner for a Dream”, “Live Along” reflect hope for better days today and ahead — “Some Love”, “I Don’t Wanna Die”, and “Sinkin’ like a Stone (acoustic)” are opportunities to reflect on the past and grow, and let go. Then there are lighter upbeat songs like “Laugh it Off” and “Amber Light”, which are reminders to not take yourself so seriously all the time. Furthermore, a reminder to try and have a healthy acceptance and perception of the unpredictability of life.
Come Alive & Live Again is the debut album from Small Paul. Produced by Erik Blood (Shabazz palaces, Tacocat, Moondoggies) in the fall of 2022. This is an album that sounds best on a long drive over the mountains or to the ocean.
Born in and raised Seattleite Kevin Murphy (leader of The Moondoggies) shares drumming and guitar duties with California’s born and raised Chris King (leader of the Chris King & The Gutterballs). Chris brings bandmate and collaborator Malcolm Roberts into the fold on bass guitar and harmony and Seth McDonald to fill it out on keyboard and harmony (member of hip-hop band All Star Opera). These different perspectives all pulled together create the vibe that is Small Paul.