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J. Paul Slavens

J. Paul Slavens
Born (1962-05-20) May 20, 1962 (age 54)
Dakota City, Nebraska
Origin Denton, Texas, United States
Genres New
Occupation(s) Songwriter, Musician, Producer
Instruments Piano, Keyboards, Vocals
Years active 1962–present
Associated acts Ten Hands
Notable instruments
Piano, Keyboard, Guitar

J. Paul Slavens is an American composer and musician based in Denton, Texas. He plays piano and keyboards along with many other instruments, primarliy in the Dallas/Fort Worth/Denton area but has toured nationally with several bands including Ten Hands, Baptist Generals, The Travoltas and others. In addition to regularly composing and playing live music, Paul produces a weekly radio show on KXT in Dallas.

J.Paul Slavens was born May 20, 1962 to J. Phil and Marion F. Slavens in Dakota City, Nebraska and graduated from South Sioux City High School. He then attended Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa receiving a BM in Piano Performance. He then moved to Denton, Texas to pursue a Graduate Degree in Computer Aided Music Theory from NTSU (UNT).

He began taking piano lessons at age 9 and began composing music almost immediately. His siblings also took lessons and he wrote his first songs with his older sister Karen while still in Jr. High School. Always active in band, choir and theater he won awards for acting in High School and was offered a Theater Scholarship to Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa. He decided to pursue music instead and received a BM in Piano Performance in 1984. While at college he performed in a "progressive" rock band called Onyx for which he composed most of the music. The band played mostly in the Sioux City area opening for bands such as Steppenwolf, Vixen and John Cougar Mellencamp. The group disbanded when Slavens moved to Denton, Texas to study Music Theory and NTSU (UNT).

Upon moving to Texas he continued to compose and play in bands. It was in one of these groups named The Gonemen that he met future Ten Hands guitarist Steve Brand. When that group dissolved Brand and Slavens teamed up with Gary Muller, Matt Chamberlain and Mike Dillon to form Ten Hands.


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