- BOYHOOD: Overstreet is the
youngest of five children raised in small-town Mississippi.
- DREAMING OF BECOMING A COUNTRY
"STAR": The first time Overstreet thought of becoming a
country "star" was when he saw George Hamilton playing
Hank Williams in the movie, "Your Cheatin'
Heart."
- DISC DEBUT: When Overstreet was a
senior in high school, a family friend arranged for a recording
session in Little Rock, Arkansas. On Gold Hat Records, he recorded
"The Wanderer," which he sold in local convenience stores.
- AFTER GRADUATION: Overstreet went to
live briefly with an older brother in Waco, Texas and worked
construction. That is where he saw his first big-time country
concert with Tanya Tucker and Johnny Rodriguez.
- COMING TO NASHVILLE: ln 1973,
Overstreet came to Nashville in a 1968 Ford Fairlane. He slept in
his car. He slept in a cheap motel. He slept in an empty church. He
earned money driving a forklift for a water-heater company. He met
Dolly Parton's uncle, Bill Owens, who produced Paul's next single, a
tune titled "Keep It In Mind" and released as "Paul
Overtone" on the tiny Artistry label.
- FAMILY: He met a petite makeup artist
named Julie at a TV taping in 1985. Three months later, Paul and
Julie Overstreet were married. Today they have six children - Nash,
13; Summer, 12; Chord, 10; Harmony, 9; Skye, 6; and Charity, I
month.
- CAREER LAUNCH: In 1986, Overstreet
wrote and sang "You Can't Stop Love," the song that
launched the career of the trio S-K-O.
- AS COMPOSER: Also beginning in 1986,
Overstreet became the composer behind the multi-million selling
success of Randy Travis by penning five major hits for this
superstar: "On The Other Hand," "Forever And Ever,
Amen," "Diggin' Up Bones," "Deeper Than The
Holler," and "No Place Like Home."
- BMI SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR: Overstreet
was BM l's Songwriter of the Year for five consecutive
years-1991,1990,1989,1988 and 1987.
- SOLO STARDOM: In 1988, Overstreet
vaulted to solo stardom when five consecutive RCA singles from
Sowin' Love debut LP became top -10 hits: "Love Helps Those
," "Sowin' Love," "All The Fun,"
"Seein' My Father In Me" and "Richest Man On
Earth."
- MISSIONS: Overstreet works with the
ministry of Samaritan's purse, an international relief organization
committed to meeting the spiritual and physical needs of people in
crisis situations. He has traveled with Samaritan's Purse to places
like Nicaragua and Honduras where natural disasters have wrecked
havoc.
- SCARLET MOON RECORDS: In 1998,
Overstreet founded his own record label, Scarlet Moon Records, on
which he produced and recorded two albums, A Songwriter's
Project Volume I and his new Christian project, Living
By The Book.
- MAJOR MOTION PICTURE: In June of 1999,
Overstreet's song, "When You Say Nothing At All" was
released on the major motion picture, "Nottinghill," with
Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant.
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