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NEW CD DRAWS INTERNATIONAL

ATTENTION

JUST DAYS AFTER ITS RELEASE!

SEE THE REVIEW BY GREAT BRITAIN DJ JIM HULMES
AUGUST 2009

"The Emperor" CD is great, and Paul has a really great voice, [with]
traces of Gene McDaniels and Lou Rawls in there!!!

...The choice of songs on the project is great; a very diverse collection, but all tracks are delivered equally well.

I love the version of Doug Banks' "Emperor of My Baby's Heart" and
Shelly Fisher's "Girl I Love You" as well as the duet arrangement of "Let It Be Me" and the Gene Chandler song" (I'm Just A) Fool for You." "Blue
Moon" is another of my favorites.

All tracks are very well done, and we (in Great Britain) can't wait to see Paul work live when we come over (to the United States) for a holiday next year.

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The project, with The Heritage Bank as a sponsor, is Craver's fourth solo CD and is available at Judy's House of Oldies and online. See Craver's Shop page for details.

'The Emperor' CD Review
Mike Little
July 2009

Mr. Distiinctiveely Beach, Paul
Craver, has now released his
fourth solo album, "The
Emperor," on the KHP label
The title, of course, relates to
his recent superhit, "Emperor
Of My Baby’s Heart" from the
Ripete/KHP compilation
release, "Keep On Shaggin".
The song topped the charts and
still remains a favorite for
dancegoers.

Also found on Paul’s new
release is his current hit, "Girl I
Love You," which was originally
released on the KHP
compilation, "Gettin' Ready
For Showtime", as well as "(I’m
Just A) Fool For You," which
appeared on the KHP/NARBDJ
release, "Coast To Coast…Let’s
Dance". His latest single, "Blue
Moon," which recently entered
the charts and is rising, is
also part of "The Emperor".

There are a number of new
songs on the album that are
sure to catch everyone’s
attention, including "Wine Spo-
Dee- O-Dee," the Jimmy
James & The Vagabonds’ "Hey
Girl," the Charlie Rich classic,
"River Stay Away From My
Door" and "I’ll Be There," the
song that was originally
recorded by Bobby Darin. You
will also find an up-tempo
number, "Feeling Happy," a Big

Joe Turner original, as well as
"One Hundred Pounds Of Clay."

The latter is a blend between
the Gene McDaniels charted
song and the version that was
recorded by Bobby Womack.

Check out "Love Won’t Wait."
Originally done by Bobby
Caldwell, you will like Paul’s
rendition. In fact, I believe
that "Love Won’t Wait" will be
the next Paul Craver hit out of
the chute, quickly following
"Blue Moon," as this song
continues to rise in the charts.

He joins Marlissa Dillon in a
Jerry Butler/Betty Everett
duet, "Let It Be Me."

There is also a bonus track on
the album, "I Could Be Your
Everything," which was
originally recorded in 1984
when Paul was with ShagTime.
You did know he was with
ShagTime with Willis Blume.
Paul also sang lead on
ShagTime’s biggest hit, "Mr.
Beach". Prior to that he was
with Cannonball, the group that
recorded the single, "You Keep
Telling Me Yes." After
ShagTime, he moved on to
partner with Tony Davis,
reviving the Kruze Band. It was
then that "Shoo Do Foo Foo
Ooh" was recorded as a single,
which later appeared on the

Ripete compilation, "Shag Yer
Blooz Away Volume 2" and the
Quickhouse Productions
release, "Salt Air". Returning
to ShagTime, Paul stood as the
group’s leader until The Men Of
Distinction was formed, with
his singing lead on The Men’s
hits, such as "It Won’t Be This
Way Always," "Brand New Me,"
"Don’t Be Afraid" and others.
He later began performing solo,
yet keeping his position with
The Men. During this period, he
won several Carolina Beach
Music Awards for his music,
including his 2002 induction into
the organization’s Beach Music
Hall Of Fame. In 2003, Paul
retired from The Men of
Distinction, continuing to
perform and record solo. In
2007, he received the CBMA
award for Smoothie of the
Year, "Emperor Of My Baby’s
Heart." Paul also recently
began deejaying, subsequently
becoming a member of the
Association of Beach & Shag
Club DJ’s. Between his singing
performances and his
deejay stints, he stays busy
with his successful Craver Tile
Company.

Paul Craver is truly the
“Emperor of Beach Music”, and
his new release,"The Emperor",
proves Paul is distinctively “Mr.
Distinctively Beach”.

Grand Opening features Craver, Dillon Ms. DistinctivelyBeach February 17, 2009
This Saturday, the grand opening of The Valley at Eastport will be more than your basic discounted golf rates, cocktail party, etc. First, the day-long event is open to the public. In fact 94.9 The Surf will hold its Weekly Top 40 Beach & Boogie Countdown on location there beginning at 9am. But secondly, the event presents a reunion of sorts. For the first time in six years, Marlisa Dillon will join Paul Craver for a live vocal performance between 6 and 8pm. "When I hear a song," said Craver earlier this week, "first I listen to see what kind of message it has...Does it paint a picture in one's mind? Next I consider [whether] I like a song well enough to record it." "Deed I Do" met Craver's criteria several years ago. With Dillon, he delivered an upbeat recording of "Deed I Do" on Let the Music Play, the CBMA's Solo Album of the	year back in 2003. If you missed the Craver-Dillon rendition of the jazz standard, go get it. Get it now. With music written by Fred Rose, the simple lyrics penned by Walter Hirsch became a hit during the Jazz Age - those wonderfully Roaring `20's just before the Depression years. Initially recorded in 1926 by Ruth Etting, the song charted just a year later and was destined to become a classic. Among the string of artists to follow up with their own versions through the years are Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles, Lena Horne, Marvin Gaye, Peggy Lee and Nat King Cole. But it's that vocal combination of Craver and Dillon - his smoothness and her sass - that makes the song an oft- overlooked gem in studios and clubs within the Carolina Beach Music industry. Maybe the tables will turn after Craver deejays at The Valley and brings Dillon onstage Saturday. Hopefully those in attendance	will tell their friends how Dillon's voice surges into the duet with infectious fun at just the right time. Or how Craver strides with utter confidence through his expert vocal paces. Or how seamlessly the two vocal styles mesh over the well-tuned beat - one-and- two, three-and-four, five, six - that makes the song so "shaggable". Or how the song fits the voices as well as the voices fit the song. And maybe, just maybe, these friends beyond The Valley will tell their friends, who'll tell their friends, and so on until "Deed I Do" surfaces on radio and club circuits to prove the final point of Craver's theory: that selecting the right material is a two-way street. The selection of a successful record, he says, requires more than a singer's like for a song. "To have a hit (with a song), that song has to like me. [When] it does, more than likely it'll be a hit."

DJ Jean Benard'S Blog
(Posted May 19, 2008
on Popcorn World, Belgium)

What better way to enjoy this beautiful weather than with beach
music?

And speaking of beach music, there is no better entertainer than
Paul Craver.

The multi-award-winning vocalist is among the best of the best in
the style of Carolina Beach Music, and personally sent me his new
release, "(I'm Just A) Fool For You," originally recorded by Gene
Chandler.

I am very pleased to recommend to you this song as well as
"Emperor of My Baby's Heart," the artist's version of the Kurt
Harris original.

I play both songs every night during my radio program, and the listeners enjoy them very much.

Nobody's `Fool'; Craver's
Got Another Hit
(Posted February 8, 2008
on DistinctivelyBeach)

It's not available on CD yet, but
Paul Craver's latest release is
scaling radio charts so fast it'll
make your head spin.

Members of 94.9 The Surf's
listening community cast online
votes that gave "(I'm Just A)
Fool For You" its debut spot on
the Weekly Top 40 Beach and
Boogie Countdown two weeks
ago. The following week, the
song moved up - get this - 18
notches to claim the #12
position.

And in case you're wondering,
yeah...it's that good, and
yeah...it's in the Ms. Distinctively
Beach Top 20 this month.

The original recording,
performed by Gene Chandler
on the 1966 Constellation
release, has that classic mixture
of Motown and R&B that made
the 1960's such a prominent era
in music history.

"(I'm Just A) Fool For You" is
already gaining momentum as a
contender for Smoothie of the
Year in the 2008 CBMA Awards
and, I'm betting, will result in
other Cammy nominations for
Craver as well.

Visit The Surf on the web
to learn how you can become a
participant in its weekly voting activities.

"Macon, Memphis & Muscle Shoals" (Posted by Neal `Soul Dog' Furr on Beach Music 45)
Is there a nicer, more humble individual in the world of Beach music today than Paul Craver? He has quietly been getting it done for what about thirty five years or so, never tooting his own horn but always praising those around him. Whether he is leading a band, performing as part of a duet or going solo, the sterling effort displayed by Paul is always a model of onsistency. Paul has had two previous solo album releases on the Ripete label – Let The Music Play and Where Ever Love Is Found. Normally when a recording artist comes out with a new album, the DJ’s tend to get behind one or two songs at most. Those are the ones that	generally go up the charts over time. On each of Paul’s first two releases, the DJ’s were all over the place. There were so many good selections on these albums that at least seven songs from each were getting listed. The title track from Paul’s latest effort zoomed into the Top 10 of the beachmusic45 “Smokin’ 45” and stayed on the chart for nearly two years. The song, written by Ron Moody, is a fitting tribute to the soul music recording hot spots in the South in the late ‘60’s and early ‘70’s. Another outstanding tribute song on this CD is the late great	Little Milton’s "We’re Gonna Make It" as performed by Paul and Shaggie Maggie’s Pam Russell. They also team up on a smooth version of Delbert McClinton’s"Just You And Me". Also featured are the hard hitting "In Her Own Way", "Love Looks Good On You" and "You Better Move On" in the distinctive Craver style that just gets better with time. His solid cover of the O’Jays’ "Don’t Let It Get You Down" was previously released as a single and had already been getting some radio and DJ recognition. Ten tracks in all on Ripete Records – go out and get it and tell them Soul Dog sent you. If you see Paul, tell him you are listening. He will stop and take the time to talk – I guarantee it!