Rob Ritchie - Author
I confess I’m not actually very Bio-Savvy. So rather than try vainly to consolidate my endeavours into one definite bio, I thought I would instead list my bios through the years … a chronology of ‘me’ as it were.
From 1996-2002 I had been the piano player and a contributing songwriter for the Canadian folk group Tanglefoot. I had little reason to write a bio back then. It was all for one and one for all. In fact it wasn’t until I left the band and recorded my solo CD, Five O’clock Shadow in 2004 that I was called upon to describe myself in detail. Here’s what I came up with.
Rob Ritchie is probably best known from his days as the piano player with the Canadian folk-roots powerhouse Tanglefoot. From 1996 to 2002, his signature keyboard stylings were an integral aspect of the group's sound, and many of his songs still rank among Tanglefoot's most recognizable, including "Seven a Side", McCurdy's Boy", "The Garden", "Minnie's Lullaby" and the bitterly powerful "Buxton".
Now he's struck out on his own with a debut solo album. Five O’clock Shadow is a ten-track CD that draws from Rob's own wry and colourful sensibilities. Accessing his wide-ranging stylistic palette, these songs open the door to some of the inner reflections of a keenly observant artist.
The piano-centred orientation to the album is something of a departure from most of the writing Rob did for Tanglefoot, and is perhaps more true to his creative muse. As he says himself, "the piano is what inspires me to create; that's where I'm sitting when the mood strikes." This orientation alone sets Five O’clock Shadow apart from the singer-songwriter-with-guitar stereotype.
One thing the CD does have in common with Rob's Tanglefoot days is the producer. Veteran Paul Mills was at the helm. Paul has produced and engineered albums for Stan Rogers, Sharon, Lois & Bram, Ron Hynes and a host of other Canadian luminaries.
Rob's performing credentials extend back to the early 1990s when he wrote, produced and toured musical theatre throughout Ontario. He has also penned three stage plays, a short story collection and is currently shopping his first novel to prospective publishers. Rob lives in Wiarton, Ontario with his wife Ande and two boys, Josh and Toby.
Wow … the detail … the name dropping …
A far cry from the necessarily succinct version of myself that appeared at the end of my first novel Orphans of Winter (It comes at the end of 248 pages of prose after all…)
About the Author:
Rob Ritchie is a born storyteller fluent in many genres. He is a gifted musician and lyricist as well as an incisive author. In the early 90s, he wrote, produced and toured three musical dramas throughout Ontario’s schools. From 1996–2002 Rob served as piano player and contributing songwriter for the Canadian folk/roots group Tanglefoot (Borealis Records). He marked his return to performing with the release of his debut solo CD Five O’clock Shadow in 2004. Rob resides in Wiarton, Ontario with his wife, Ande, and two boys, Josh and Toby. Orphans of Winter is Rob’s first novel.
But if one would prefer something in between, I submit the copy that graced the Tanglefoot website in 2007 when I returned for another stint with the band (Isn’t this fun?)
Back for a second kick at the can, piano player & songwriter Rob Ritchie has returned to Tanglefoot after a five-year hiatus. During that time Rob released his debut CD Five O'clock Shadow, performed solo concerts throughout the US and Canada, and had his first novel, Orphans of Winter published (Seraphim Editions, 2006). Rob also kept busy playing with the locally notorious road-house band Midnight Blue, where he developed his keen appreciation for the speed of a Two-Step, the roots of classic rock and the catharsis of a good ole hurtin’ country song. Rob lives in Wiarton, Ontario, with his wife Ande, his two boys Josh and Toby, and the family dog Ziggy, who by all accounts has a bark that sounds like the high strings of a banjo being played with a chainsaw.
Yup, that gets it done. Oh sure I could mention hobbies. Soccer, hockey, movies … sunsets, quiet walks with my dog … but really ….