Paul Janeway of St. Paul and the Broken Bones

Paul Janeway, frontman for St. Paul & the Broken Bones, grew up in Chelsea, Alabama, and first began singing in church at four. After non-stop touring pre-pandemic, he and his band have gone from the cramped stage of a small Tennessee pizza joint to opening for the Rolling Stones.

Get to Know Paul Janeway

Southerners value their relationships with their families, and Paul Janeway, frontman of the Birmingham-based band St. Paul and the Bones, is no exception. So it's no real surprise that on the band's 2018 album, Young Sick Camellia, the eight-man rock-meets-soul band, added a member—Janeway's grandfather.

What Paul Janeway Talks About in This Episode

*Growing up in Chelsea, Alabama

*His relationships with family members

*Singing at an early age and in the church

*Making lasting music

*Working through the pandemic

*What it means to be Southern

Quotes from Paul Janeway

"Actually, one of the reasons I love Tom Waits is that it reminds me of this lady in our church that would play during the offering, and the way he plays is kind of how she played. And I just have distinct memories of it being hot as hell and then there'd be worship and then you'd have the message and then it was altar call time. And you never knew—sometimes that took five minutes, sometimes it took 30 minutes, just depending on what was happening, right? And so you just never knew what, what the service was going to bring."

"My first solo was "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands." But like I said, storm songs always for some reason, so like something like "I Surrender All" or "His Eyes on the Sparrow," you know, those kinds of songs that I just always loved singing. You know, some of those hymns are really hard to sing."

"We just kind of, we had the same sensibilities, like, where I am weak, he is strong, and where he's maybe not as strong, I'm stronger. And that relationship worked. Yeah, he was pivotal. I mean, if it weren't for him, this band wouldn't be around."

About Biscuits & Jam

In the South, talking about food is personal. It's a way of sharing your history, your Family, your culture, and yourself. Each week Sid Evans, editor in chief of Southern Living, sits down with celebrity musicians to hear stories of how they grew up, what inspired them, and how they've been shaped by Southern culture. Sid takes us back to some of their most cherished memories and traditions, the family meals they still think about, and their favorite places to eat on the road.

Listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Stitcher.

Get a transcript of the full interview with Paul Janeway.