Paula Sinclair

Paula Sinclair is a “goosebump” musician—you know, a musician whose songs grip you and move you from the moment they draw their breath for the first word? I met Paula at the William Stafford celebration reading in Portland in 2008. She didn’t merely read a Stafford poem, she performed one. She played guitar and put music to Stafford’s “A Story That Could be True.” This rendition particularly moved me because I have a broadside of this poem hanging in my living room, so I see it every day. It’s part of my daily life. Paula’s album The Good Horse puts five Oregon poets’ words to music. William Stafford, Dorianne Laux, Joseph Millar, Debbie West, and Jarold Ramsey are enriched with her music and voice. She’s currently performing songs from her new album, Steadygirl. I recommend catching her at one of her upcoming shows. She’s performing at Imbrie Hall on Tuesday.