Singer Paula Cole Joins Berklee College’s Voice Department

Image via kirkstauffer / Flickr

Berklee College of Music announced on Monday that Paula Cole, the Grammy-winning singer and songwriter (Dawson’s Creek theme song, anyone?), will be returning to Berklee to teach. Cole is a graduate of the music school, class of 1990, and is a multi-platinum selling recording artist (“I Don’t Want To Wait”, “Where Have All The Cowboys Gone?”) Cole begins her tenure on September 1.

A former resident of Rockport, Cole grew up in a musically inclined family. She attended Salem State College and went on to study at Berklee, where she was educated in jazz singing and improvisation. Now, Cole has sold more than three million albums and performed with other musical phenomenons like Dolly Parton. Her songs have been covered by Annie Lennox and Katherine McPhee.

“I like to think of what I do as a loving gesture of giving back, and teaching is a natural extension of this personal philosophy. I’m grateful and excited to be returning to my Berklee roots and community,” Cole said in a statement.

Berklee also hired Bonnie Hayes, a Hollywood singer, producer and songwriter, to their staff this year. Hayes is most famous for writings songs for Bonnie Raitt, Cher and Bette Midler. She will take over for Jack Perricone, Berklee’s Chair of the Songwriting Department, who held the position for 26 years.