Eli Reed had a very wide exposure to music during his childhood. His father was a critic and lent his extensive record collection to his son, who soaked up as much as he could, gravitating toward the gospel, soul, blues and R&B albums especially. Reed taught himself piano, guitar and harmonica and began busking in Boston’s Harvard Square in order to practise his performing skills.

After finishing high school Reed relocated to Clarksdale, MS, and introduced himself to the music community, performing frequently at local clubs and finding himself under the tutelage of drummer Sam Carr. It was in Mississippi that Reed got his nickname ‘Paperboy’ thanks to the newsboy-styled hat he was wearing at the time.

Reed then moved north to attend the University of Chicago where he met soul singer Mitty Collier who had had a hit in 1964 with the single ‘I Had A Talk With My Man’ but had since turned to ministry. Reed impressed her so much that she asked him to be the Minister of Music at her church – a position he held until he returned to Boston after a year of school.

In 2005, alongside his band The True Loves he self-released the record Sings “walkin’ and Talkin’ (For My Baby) and Other Smash Hits, a selection of both covers and originals.

The band began to gain recognition around town, particularly thanks to Reed’s enthused and passionate singing, and a performance at 2007’s SXSW attracted some label interest. Signed to Boston based Q Division, Eli ‘Paperboy’ Reed and The True Loves released their second full-length ‘Roll With You’ in the spring of 2008, which was extremely well received by both fans and critics alike.

Since then Reed and the True Loves have toured the world and gained international attention for their famously fiery live shows. Of course it also helps that Reed is an electrifying showman who puts his heart into every song with a depth of feeling that would do his musical forefathers proud. “I just want to make people feel something,” he says. “You’ve got to get the audience emotionally involved and make people feel what you’re feeling. That’s the whole point of soul music. You have to make them feel like they got their money’s worth.”

After two albums Reed received a nomination at the 2009 Mojo Awards for Breakthrough Artist of the Year in the UK. He is scheduled to release his new album, titled Come and Get It, via Parlophone in April 2010. On Come and Get It, Reed proves to be the life and soul of a swinging, sweaty party in which everyone gets dragged onto the dance floor. He incorporates the feel of classic r&b, blues and soul into a largely self-penned twelve track set.

Eli Paperboy Reed and the True Loves will be performing live at Manchester Academy 3 on Wednesday 12th May.