When fedora-hatted Mexican/Canadian Tom Landa formed The Paperboys in 1993, success in the music industry meant finding a genre and staying there. The gifted vocalist/guitarist/bandleader never got that memo. On any given night, his globe-touring
sextet has a playlist without borders: Celtic reels, Mexican folk, New Orleans brass band music, classic pop songcraft, bluegrass, philosophical waltzes, and Latino/West African
sing-alongs. A Canadian treasure.
The heart of The Paperboys is a trio of gifted songwriters and musicians: Founder Tom
Landa, a fedora-hatted vocalist/guitarist/bandleader who immigrated from Mexico to
Canada in his teens; Kalissa Landa, a lifelong fiddler/vocalist with a preternatural command
of melody; and Spirit of the West’s flautist/guitarist/vocalist Geoffrey Kelly, already a
Canadian musical icon when he hopped on the P’boys bus in 1997.
Though best known for their live show, The Paperboys also have another ace up their sleeve:
A deep and impressive discography. The band has released 10 recordings—including the
Juno Award-winning Molinos—receiving accolades from MOJO Magazine and fRoots
Magazine along the way. They’ve been two-time recipients of the West Coast Music Award, composed scores for two films, and been nominated for a Leo Award for best original song
in the Hong Kong/Canada film release, Lunch With Charles.
Although perennially adored and praised by alternative media and national radio networks
NPR and CBC, commercial success has eluded the band. Undaunted, The Paperboys have
kept in perpetual motion, building a cult following through the impact of its incendiary live
show and proud DIY spirit.
Artist website