Paul Kaplan (b. 1948)
Paul Kaplan was born in Philadephia but moved to New York City in 1968, where he became a neighbor of Sis Cunningham and Gordon Friesen. He played some of his songs for them, and Broadside eventually published seven of them, the first being "I've Been Told," which he wrote when he was 19. Kaplan was involved later in benefit shows for Broadside and was guest editor of issue 150 in 1984, which dealt with the environment. Sis Cunningham asked Kaplan to produce her own Broadside album. Kaplan currently lives in Massachusetts and teaches guitar.
The Best of Broadside: 59. "Vietnam"
Vietnam was written by Kaplan and published in Broadside issue 117 in 1972. He remembers purposely using a minor key for this song to try to capture the depressing feeling of the conflict itself. Recorded at a Broadside hootenanny, it was also released in a different version on Broadside Ballads, Volume 7.
Paul Kaplan. Photo by Diana Davies.
Text extracted from the notes by Jeff Place accompanying The Best of Broadside.
Smithsonian Folkways Recordings featuring Paul Kaplan:
Broadside Ballads, Volume 4 (FW05306)
Broadside Ballads, Volume 7 (FW05316)