For over a decade, Ellis has played Club Passim on every New Year's Eve. At the beginning of 2006, Black Wolf Records released the record entitled Live at Club Passim, and compiled from Paul’s 2005 New Year's Eve performances. In spring 2006, the musician toured across European countries playing to sold-out concerts in France, England, England, and Germany. The music tour also included 2 BBC radio interviews and one interview in Paris.
The singer was included on the Woody Guthrie Coalition’s DVD entitled Woody Sez: a Tribute to Woody Guthrie that was released last year. The tribute concert that was recorded in July 2005 at the Crystal Theater in Okemah, included Ellis performing together with The Burns Sisters on “God’s Promise”. Ellis Paul's "best of" album Ellis Paul Essentials was released on October 10, 2006.
The 2-disk retrospective of the performer’s fifteen-year career contained several tracks that were absolute hits and others that were included in the compilation based on polls that were held on Paul’s website and discussion board.
The artist continues playing close to two hundred dates every year on the folk circuit. Paul’s compositions have appeared on more than fifty compilation disks. Ellis has made about forty guest appearances on the records of many performers, including David Wilcox, Lori McKenna, and Mark Erelli. In the review of Ellis Paul Live for the Folk and Music Exchange, Roberta Schwartz said that Ellis Paul has “finely honed songs” that tell stories that are filled with “images that sparkle like jewels”.
Ellis Paul is the recipient of the Second Annual Boston College Arts Council Alumni Award for artistic achievement. This award was presented as part of the 6th annual Boston College Arts Festival.
