Paul Cebar Shares Jubilant New Single + Video “When We Sing”

Produced by Alex Hall (J.D. McPherson, Nick Lowe),

New Album is Cebar’s First In Over a Decade

Cebar’s Long-Running Way Back Home Radio Show Celebrates 35 Years on Milwaukee’s WMSE This Year!

 

Milwaukee music icon Paul Cebar returns with “When We Sing,” a soulful, high-spirited new single out June 24 via StorySound Records. It marks the first release from his forthcoming self-titled album, Paul Cebar—a deeply personal and stylistically expansive collection arriving September 12. Rooted in themes of community and perseverance, “When We Sing” channels a Pete Seeger-like spirit, weaving Cebar’s signature global soul sound with gospel fervor and an irresistible rhythmic drive. Originally penned for the Blind Boys of Alabama, the track carries a joyful, communal message—another shining example of why Cebar is a cherished tourmate of on-the-record admirers like Nick Lowe, Bonnie Raitt, and Joe Ely.

Pre-Save The New Album Paul Cebar Here

Built around a shimmering 12-string parlor guitar that lends the track its distinctive texture, “When We Sing” exemplifies Cebar’s craftsmanship and love for soul legends like Dan Penn and Bert Berns, whose influence subtly permeates the song’s timeless feel. Produced in collaboration with Alex Hall (J.D. McPherson, The Cactus Blossoms), the album features members of Cebar’s Tomorrow Sound band, along with notable contributions from his extended musical family in New Orleans and Chicago.

The album, arriving September 12, explores themes of love, loss, resilience, and celebration—woven through with the sonic threads of soul, reggae, Tex-Mex, gospel, rock, and beyond. Cebar, known for decades as a beloved purveyor of R&B gems, world rhythms, and roots music, describes the new album as his most personal yet: “This one’s really where I’m at. This is me.”

With a career spanning decades and genres, Paul Cebar has long been celebrated as a joyful conduit of R&B, global rhythms, and American roots music. From the R&B Cadets and the Milwaukeeans to Tomorrow Sound, he’s built a devoted following as a genre-hopping, dance-floor-packing bandleader with encyclopedic knowledge of blues, gospel, Afro-Caribbean, and vintage soul. That deep curiosity drives everything he does—from his beloved Way Back Home radio show - celebrating 35 years on Milwaukee’s WMSE Radio in 2025! - to collaborations with artists like David Greenberger and his recent folk trio with Peter Mulvey and Willy Porter. 

 

Paul Cebar 2025 Tour Dates

Saturday, June 28 – Summerfest, Milwaukee, WI

Friday, August 8 – Shawano Folk Music Festival, Shawano, WI

Saturday, August 9 – Shawano Folk Music Festival, Shawano, WI

Sunday, August 10 – Shawano Folk Music Festival, Shawano, WI

Saturday, September 6 – Tosa Fest, Wauwatosa, WI

Saturday, September 13 – FitzGerald’s, Berwyn, IL — Record Release Show

Friday, October 3 – Shank Hall, Milwaukee, WI – Record Release Show

Saturday, October 25 – State Street Theater, New Ulm, MN — Opening for Los Lobos

Friday, November 7 – Hook & Ladder, Minneapolis, MN

 

Photo Credit: Ken Hanson

FOR PRESS INQUIRIES

Lena Wright / Shore Fire Media / lwright@shorefire.com

Matt Hanks / Shore Fire Media / mhanks@shorefire.com