Pope Paul & The Illegals

Pope Paul & The Illegals started up in 2014 in their hometown of Santa Ana, CA. Their style combines most elements of Americana music including rockabilly, psychobilly, swing, country, honky-tonk, blues, and rock n roll. They bring a fun, high-energy show guaranteed to get crowds dancing, drinking, and having a great time.

Touring frequently, Pope Paul & The Illegals have entertained crowds in 27 different states with a mix of their original material and classic cover tunes. They have opened up for high-profile Americana acts such as Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys, Supersuckers, Shooter Jennings, The Blasters, The Cherry Poppin’ Daddies, Slim Jim Phantom (of the Stray Cats), The Bellfuries, The Walcotts, Gamblers Mark, The Delta Bombers, Deke Dickerson, and Wanda Jackson. They have performed at several festivals throughout the USA including the So-Cal Hoedown (Santa Ana, CA), the Nashville Boogie (Nashville, TN), and the Great American Rockabilly Riot (El Paso, TX), all of which feature numerous high-profile national and international acts.

They have released two full-length albums, "White Smoke Rises" (recorded at Orange Blossom Studios, Placentia, CA) and "Dial Back Boogie" (recorded at Dial Back Sound, Water Valley, MS). Their 3rd release is currently being recorded at Dial Back Sound, all live and straight to tape!

Pope Paul & The Illegals gig frequently and will happily play your bar, lounge, saloon, brewery, festival, private party, wedding, private jet, historical ruins, barn dance, local prison, swanky mansion, religious ceremony, satanic ritual, political event, anniversary, habadashery, seedy alley, Mexican restaurant, Waffle House and more! Just message us here on our Facebook page and we will get back to you ASAP.

From the So-Cal Hoedown performance:

“The performances this writer caught across an eight-hour span were mostly inspired, beginning with Pope Paul & the Illegals, the first act to play the Main Stage. The Santa Ana-based singer-guitarist Pope Paul and a rotating set of other players blended rockabilly with a good dose of country swing, blues and honky tonk including on several sterling originals ("Home Just Ain't No Place For Me," "Stars Don't Shine in Santa Ana").”
Robert Kinsler - OC Register