Paul Cardall
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Paul Cardall is an American new age pianist.
[edit] Early life
Cardall began piano lessons at the age of eight but quit after six months because he was more content to sit and sound out familiar tunes than to practice written pieces. During high school, he found solace at the family piano after the loss of a close friend and he discovered his ability to transcribe the feelings of his heart through music. Soon, Cardall was playing the piano two to three hours a day. He studied a couple of months with Utah pianist, Craig Kaelin, and credits him with teaching him how to chart music, a valuable tool he has used countless times in his studio recording sessions.
While continuing to develop his composing skills, Cardall took jobs playing the piano at Nordstrom’s and a few Utah restaurants. In 1995 he recorded his first album entitled SIGN OF AFFECTION. A copy of the home-pressed album made its way to author Richard Paul Evans, writer of The Christmas Box, and he invited Cardall to create a musical adaptation of the book. The resulting album The Christmas Box sold more than 50,000 copies its first year.
In 1999 he partnered with Narada, a division of Virgin Records, to re-release The Christmas Box and debut his third album The Looking Glass. Both records were listed on Billboard’s Top 25 New Age Charts. One of the highlights of his career came during his association promoting these albums[citation needed]. At a memorial of the Oklahoma City bombing, the victims’ families requested his music be played as they placed flowers on the empty chairs representing their lost loved one.
During the last few years Cardall has continued to produce albums. In 2002 he recorded two albums, Daily Devotions and Miracles, A Journey of Hope and Healing. Miracles spent more time on New Age Voice’s Top 100 radio charts than any other album in 2002. The song “Driving North” debuted at #3 on Amazon.com’s Smooth Jazz Top 200 MP3 charts.
In 2003 Cardall took new age piano to a whole new level with his release of Faithful . Wind & Wire magazine gave Faithful the #2 spot of best contemporary instrumental albums of 2003. In 2005 Cardall released a CD called Primary Worship inspired by the innocence and spiritual development of childhood. The album debuted at #12 and spent 11 weeks on Billboard Magazine’s Top 25 New Age Chart.
Cardall is also featured on two compilation albums, 20 Years of Narada Piano (Narada) and Piano Portraits (Excel Entertainment Group). He founded independent label Stone Angel Music which produces, markets and distributes not only his catalogue of recordings but represents other artists.
Now, with his newest album released April 1, 2007, Cardall is playing a different tune and venturing into a new sound – trading in the traditional piano for the electric guitars, keyboards and drums of Christian Rock. In his eleventh disc titled Songs of Praise Cardall blends memorable melodies and upbeat rhythms with meaningful lyrics with guest singer Steele Croswhite. Cardall said, “These songs celebrate my love of God, family and life. Steele sings what I wish I could.”[citation needed]
