PAULA COLE

pop-rock singer-pianist

“The first album that I remember being given to me was a John Denver record. And I listened to it all the time. But when I was growing up we didn’t have very many records around the house. My parents made so much music at home, and most of my earliest musical experiences were from a live situation rather than recordings. It was very old-fashioned in a way, kind of turn of century parlor music where we’d sit around and play songs after supper.

“My parents did have one or two Dolly Parton albums that I really liked, Buck Owens and Simon & Garfunkel. But I didn’t start buying albums until I was in high school, and then I remember buying ‘Synchronicity’ and Eurythmics. When Eurythmics came out, I immediately fell in love with them. I identified so much with Annie Lennox’s voice. It’s such a strong voice, but at the same time it’s lush and gorgeous. It definitely isn’t a little girl voice. I’ve always been drawn to nice fat timbres, you know?”