Free at Noon Flashback: Eli “Paperboy” Reed brings his musical dreams to World Cafe Live

Eli “Paperboy” Reed | photo by Gabriela Barbieri for WXPN

If you’ve ever wondered where Eli “Paperboy” Reed‘s stage name comes from, he told the moving story just last week, via an Instagram post, of the gray newsboy cap he found in his grandfather’s closet that helped him build his musical identity. Six albums later — and sans the hat, which he wore so much it fell apart — Eli “Paperboy” Reed stopped by World Cafe Live Friday afternoon to fill the second set of a Free at Noon doubleheader with some spirited jazz- and soul-inspired tunes.

Eli “Paperboy” Reed released his latest album, 99 Cent Dreams, last month, and packed his energetic six-song set with many of his brand new songs. Though Reed currently lives in Brooklyn, his time spent in Mississippi and Chicago shines through in the eclectic, retro sound of the new record (which was recorded in Memphis). The influences he’s picked up through his nomadic travels have shaped Reed’s musical style into something pretty incomparable, all with his trademark “humor and heart.”

With songs from “Bank Robber” to “Burn Me Up”, Eli “Paperboy” Reed continues the persisting optimism he’s carried through his decade-long music career — and he makes achieving your 99 Cent Dreams seem possible.

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