Howard R. Paul (born November 15, 1960, in

Petersburg, Virginia Petersburg is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 33,458 with a majority bla ...

) is president and CEO of Benedetto Guitars, a company he founded with American luthier Robert Benedetto in June 2006 after Benedetto's departure from a seven-year licensing agreement with Fender. Benedetto Guitars was begun in 1968 and is a boutique American archtop guitar manufacturer which builds hand-carved instruments.

Education and military service

Paul joined Benedetto after a ten-year career as a

U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of the United Stat ...

logistics officer and ten years as an executive with Chatham Steel. He holds a degree in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and was commissioned as a lieutenant after completing Infantry

Officer Candidate School An officer candidate school (OCS) is a military school which trains civilians and Enlisted rank, enlisted personnel in order for them to gain a Commission (document), commission as Commissioned officer, officers in the armed forces of a country. H ...

in January 1987 and the U.S. Army Transportation School. He served tours of

Desert Storm , combatant2 = , commander1 = , commander2 = , strength1 = Over 950,000 soldiers3,113 tanks1,800 aircraft2,200 artillery systems , page = https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-PEMD-96- ...

assigned to 3rd Army HQ and

Somalia Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia, is the easternmost country in continental Africa. The country is located in the Horn of Africa and is bordered by Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, Kenya to the southwest, th ...

attached to the

10th Mountain Division The 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) is a light infantry division (military), division in the United States Army based at Fort Drum, New York. Formerly designated as a mountain warfare unit, the division was the only one of its size in ...

Musical background

Paul's musical background began at age four in

Northfield, New Jersey Northfield is a City (New Jersey), city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the city's population was 8,434, a decrease of 190 (−2.2%) from the 2010 United Stat ...

with his first guitar. He began playing jazz at age ten and worked professionally beginning at age thirteen in

Atlantic City, New Jersey Atlantic City, sometimes referred to by its initials A.C., is a Jersey Shore seaside resort city (New Jersey), city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Atlantic City comprises the second half of ...

. He has worked with Bob James, George Mesterhazy, Tony Monaco,

Bucky Pizzarelli John Paul "Bucky" Pizzarelli (January 9, 1926 – April 1, 2020) was an American jazz guitarist. He worked for NBC as a staffman from 1964, including for Dick Cavett (1971) and ABC with Bobby Rosengarden in (1952). Musicians he collaborate ...

Howard Alden Howard Vincent Alden (born October 17, 1958) is an American jazz guitarist born in Newport Beach, California. Alden has recorded many albums for Concord Records, including four with seven-string guitar innovator George Van Eps. Early life Ho ...

Jack Wilkins Jack Rivers Lewis (June 3, 1944 – May 5, 2023), known professionally as Jack Wilkins, was an American jazz guitarist. Career A native of New York City, Wilkins grew up listening to his parents' music, such as Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, a ...

Joe Beck Joe Beck (July 29, 1945 – July 22, 2008) was an American jazz guitarist who was active for over 40 years. Biography Born in Philadelphia, Beck moved to Manhattan in his teens, playing six nights a week in a trio setting, which gave him an opp ...

Andreas Oberg Andreas () is a name derived from the Greek noun ἀνήρ ''anēr'', with genitive ἀνδρός ''andros'', which means "man". See the article on Andrew for more information. The Scandinavian name is earliest attested as antreos in a runestone ...

Jimmy Bruno James Michael Bruno (born July 22, 1953) is an American jazz guitarist from Philadelphia. Biography Born in Philadelphia, Bruno started playing guitar at the age of 7. He began his professional career at the age of 19, touring with Buddy Rich. ...

Joe Negri Joseph Harold Negri (born June 10, 1926) is an American jazz guitarist and educator. He appeared as himself and as "Handyman Negri" in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe segments on '' Mister Rogers' Neighborhood''. He appeared on the 1959 children ...

Gene Bertoncini Gene J. Bertoncini (born 6 April 1937) is an American jazz guitarist. Biography A native of New York City, Bertoncini grew up in a musical family. His father, Mario Bertoncini (1901–1978), played guitar and harmonica. His brother Renny (1934� ...

, and

Frank Vignola Frank Vignola (born December 30, 1965) is an American jazz guitarist. He has played in the genres of swing, fusion, gypsy jazz, classical, and pop. Career Vignola grew up on Long Island, New York. His father played accordion and banjo and his ...

. He has performed at the Savannah Jazz Festival and Savannah Music Festival, Smithsonian Jazz Cafe, Napa Valley Opera House, The Jazz Standard, The Jazz Corner, The Jazz Kitchen, Kuumbwa Jazz Center, Yoshi's, The Blue Wisp, Silo Jazz, and Shanghai Jazz. His albums include Tony Monaco & Howard Paul: ''New Adventures'' (2014), Bob James & Howard Paul, ''Just Friends: The Hamilton Hall Sessions'' (2011), and Ali Ryerson Trio, ''Jamin' at the Jazz Corner'' (2008). He has recorded with Claire Frazier, bassist Ben Tucker, Bob Mastellar's Jazz Corner Allstars, singer Bobby Ryder, and guitarist Jerry Sims. He was inducted into the Savannah Coastal Jazz Hall of Fame / Savannah Jazz Festival in 2011.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Paul, Howard R. 1960 births Living people People from Petersburg, Virginia University of North Carolina at Greensboro alumni United States Army personnel of the Gulf War Seven-string guitarists Guitarists from Virginia American male guitarists 20th-century American guitarists United States Army soldiers American chief executives 20th-century American male musicians