Richard Shindell

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Richard Shindell
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Richard Shindell, November 2014.
Background information
Birth name Richard Shindell
Born 1960 (age 63–64)
Lakehurst, New Jersey, US
Genres Folk
Singer-songwriter
Instruments Vocals
Guitar
Years active 1991–present
Labels Shanachie
Signature Sounds
Koch
Associated acts Cry Cry Cry, The Pine Hill Project (with Lucy Kaplansky)
Website www.richardshindell.com

Richard Shindell (born August 3, 1960, in Lakehurst, New Jersey)[1] is an American folk songwriter. Shindell grew up in Port Washington, New York. He lives in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with his wife, a university professor, and their children.

Shindell's songwriting often involves storytelling from a first-person point of view: an INS officer and illegal immigrant in "Fishing," a World War II soldier in "Sparrow's Point," a Confederate drummerboy in "Arrowhead," an Argentine grandmother in "Abuelita," and a power broker in "Confession." His other personas include a New York City cab driver in "Last Fare of the Day," a man on death row in "Ascent," a Civil War widow in "Reunion Hill," and Mary Magdalene.

Shindell's career received a boost in 1997 when Joan Baez recorded three of his songs ("Fishing," "Reunion Hill" and "Money for Floods") for her album Gone from Danger and invited the aspiring singer-songwriter to join her 1997–98 tour.

Shindell collaborated with Dar Williams and Lucy Kaplansky to form the group Cry Cry Cry. On their eponymous 1998 album, Cry Cry Cry covered an eclectic mix of songwriters, from the well known (R.E.M.) to the lesser known (folk singer James Keelaghan). The trio toured in support of their album before resuming solo careers. Shindell and Kaplansky have often performed live together in the years since.

A recording of cover songs, South of Delia, was released on Shindell's website in March 2007. An album of original material, Not Far Now, appeared in 2009. 13 Songs You May Or May Not Have Heard Before, a compilation of reworked previous releases and some new material, followed in 2011.

Shindell and Lucy Kaplansky have reunited to collaborate on a new album of cover songs, Tomorrow You're Going, funded through Kickstarter, and released in March 2015.[2]

Discography

File:Richard Shindell at Falcon Ridge folk Festival 2004.jpg
Richard Shindell at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival 2004

EPs:

  • Scenes from a Blue Divide (Shanachie, 1995)
  • Spring (Signature Sounds 1256-2, 2000). Contains "Spring" (single edit), "Confession" (acoustic version), "Shades of Black, Shades of Blue" (Charles Lyonhart), and "Spring/Summer Reel" (album version)
  • 3x2 Sampler (Signature Sounds, 2000). Contains "Beyond the Iron Gate" (alternate version), "Abuelita", and "Transit" (album versions). Also contains three songs by Peter Mulvey.
  • The Sonora Sessions (Signature Sounds, 2001)
  • Mariana's EP (Amalgamated Balladry, 2009)

Various artists compilations:

  • Main Stage Live: Falcon Ridge Folk Festival (Signature Sounds 1253, 1999). Contains live version of "Paddy's Green Shamrock Shore" (traditional arranged by R. Shindell).
  • Wonderland: A Winter Solstice Celebration (Signature Sounds 1266, 2002). Contains "Before You Go".
  • The Folk Next Door: A Collection of Connecticut Roots Music (WWUH 1992). Contains live version of "Home Team".

References

  1. Henkle, Doug, "FolkLib Index"
  2. Kickstarter page, "The Pine Hill Project"

External links