René, Dr. Buzz (the late, great bluesman), and Wes, 25 years ago in Pennsylvania

And then ... there were two

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At Mother Blues in the famous “Blues Room” in July, ’73

PARADIGM today at STUDIO WEST

..... at David Byboth’s PICKFEST

PARADIGM is a musical duo featuring René Lawrence on acoustic guitar and vocals, and Wes Schaefer on string bass and vocals. Although newly-reformed in Dallas,Texas, the duo was originally conceived in the early seventies in the mountains of Pennsylvania. In those days René and Wes were interested in performing authentic blues and original music on their own terms. Twenty-five years later, not much has changed. Instead of an old camper, they drive a Winnebago, and they’ve traded a mountain cabin for a more urban environment with a modern recording facility.  Most importantly, they now only perform original material.

Upon the untimely departure of Dr. Buzz in a plane crash, the act was born. Taking the name Deadman Band, they specialized in original music and blues from past blues legends. Highlights included being the house duo at the old Mother Blues on Rawlins in Dallas, Texas, playing opposite headliners David Bromberg, Yusef Lateef, Ray Wiley Hubbard, Rusty Weir, Tim Weisberg, and the late blues legend Lightnin’ Hopkins, to name a few. Their travels took them throughout Texas and states east of the Mississippi playing clubs and colleges. Traveling the blue highways of the nation enjoying the unconventional life and freedom of artists, they camped in national parks, played by kerosene lamp in the Ozarks and once for a nuns’ pool party in New Orleans’ French Quarter. Their music reflects that era of their lives.

Amicably parting ways in 1975, Wes spent the next twenty-two years criss-crossing the United States, playing clubs, casinos, dinner theaters and concerts with groups that opened for headliners Branford Marsalis, Al Hirt, Joe Sample, Tim Weisberg, John Sebastian, Al Demiola, Lee Ritenour, Doug Cameron, Freddy Hubbard and Melba Moore - focusing mostly on shows and jazz.

René continued his artistic ways and opened as an original soloist for many major and diverse artists including Dizzy Gillespie, Steve Fromholtz and Lightnin’ Hopkins. He had a major impact on the underground art and music scene in the Dallas area and gathered stage, film and television music credits.

During a 1996 summer break from a theater engagement in Florida, Wes contacted René about a visit to Dallas only to find that he was hard at work on a solo recording project. It was during that trip, and after playing their “time-tested” music again after twenty-five years, that they made the decision to regroup. Now audiences once again have the distinct pleasure of enjoying original compositions by these seasoned performers in the duo format. Their music covers a very wide range of influences: blues to bluegrass - jazz to rock and more. The look is right. The duo is PARADIGM.

They are currently working on new material and recording their repertoire - target: CD. They hope to offer samples on the Net soon.

PARADIGM performed September 29, 1997 for the

Pioneers of Country Music Reunion

at the Bronco Bowl Entertainment Center in Dallas, Texas

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We wish to thank everyone involved in the production for their invaluable assistance.

And ...

We have been asked to play the next one!

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