MP3 Rick Devin - Row Of Doors

Rick Devin uses all of the 'crayons in the box' on this hour long musical journey, combining 3 cowboy standards with 11 heartfelt originals.

14 MP3 Songs
FOLK: Traditional Folk, COUNTRY: Country Folk



Details:
Picture a guy with a guitar slung over his back, skis in one hand and a saddle in the other, tromping through the mountains somewhere, singing a tune...... and you've drawn a picture of my life.

I humbly admit, that throughout my life, I have been blessed... Blessed to have had such good family, good friends, good women, good fortune and good music in my life. Playing musical instruments and singing always came naturally to me. It's what some people would say as, 'having a good ear'. All I know is that, for as long as I can remember, I have always enjoyed music... all kinds of music.

I grew up in the 60's playing folk and pop songs of that time period. Some of my early influences included Crosby, Still, Nash & Young; Eric Clapton; The Beatles; Bob Dylan; Simon & Garfunkel, etc. My first 'on stage' band performance was in May of 1972, singing 'House Of The Rising Sun' from The Animals. I really enjoyed that experience and I joined as many musical activities as I could find such as: theater clubs, choir and school band. I had started writing and composing music at the age of 9 and had started dabbling with 'recording equipment' at age 13. Believe me, it wasn't much in those days and I got 'zapped' a few times, as I learned the laws of electricity, while trying to build my own 'recording studio'.

In 1973, also at age 13, I joined a mountaineering adventure to climb Mount Ascutney in Vermont. That trip started into motion a wanderlust that would last me until this day. I called my obsession with mountaineering, "Mountain Madness", and since then, it has taken me to mountain ranges all over the world.

In the late 1970's, I earned an Electronic Engineering Degree from Boston University's Franklin Institute, but my dreams were to take me on another path. So, armed with a God given talent to sing and play music and a genuine love of the mountains, I moved to the Canadian Rockies in 1980. After a year of skiing and playing music, I moved to the North Cascade's of Washington State. It was here that I started working in the horse industry. I worked at thoroughbred racetracks, breeding ranches and 'layover' ranches, learning the ways of the horse, knowledge that would prove useful throughout my cowboy years.

My first Album, 'My favorites', was recorded and engineered by Ray Imes of Rodji Music in Sedro Wooley, Washington in 1982. It featured 19 folk and country songs that I enjoyed. The album helped open the doors for my future in the music recording industry.

For over two decades, I lived in the Cascades, the Sierra Nevada's and the Colorado Rockies, fulfilling my dreams of skiing, riding horses and picking my guitar. I am honored to have shared stages with Glen Campbell, Tanya Tucker, Loretta Lynn, Joe Cocker, Pat and Debbie Boone, Minnie Pearl, Kris Kristofferson, Michael Martin Murphey, Bill Miller, Riders in the Sky, Sons of the San Joaquin, The Dixie Chicks, Jim Messina, Don Edwards, Karla Bonoff, Suzy Bogguss, and Peter Yarrow, to name a few. And, I am proud to have shared some of the most demanding horseback trails with the finest cowboys and cowgirls in the west.

During the 1990's, music was my full time career, often averaging over 300 shows a year. I recorded "Colorado Reflections" in 1998, selling the cassettes at my shows. Shortly thereafter, I was honored to have re-known soundman, Chuck Leary (Beach Boys, Paul Anka, Loving Spoonful) help engineer my "Colorado Cowboy" and "Row Of Doors" CDs and I saw my music spread to the far corners of the globe. I recorded Cowboy Classics in 2003, reflecting on my many years, as an outfitter and cowboy, riding the ranges of the west.

I have been blessed to have had so many different experiences to look back on and I often can't believe that this is 'my life'. I've ridden boxcar freight trains across the US; I've hitch hiked over 12,000 miles; I've been in numerous movies and commercials including Marlboro; I've been to all North American States and Provinces, most of Europe and South America and recently mainland China; I've climbed more mountains and onto more stages than I could possibly ever remember; and I've met some of the greatest people on this planet, who have profoundly touched me in one way or another.

I currently live in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, beneath the 9,000 foot peaks of their beach side mountains. I own a state of the art recording studio and I find myself endlessly writing and recording new songs that reflect my varied past. I have over 32 musical instruments in my collection and I play them all. I am an active member of The Folk Alliance, ASCAP, The Recording Academy and the Americana Music Association, to name a few. All in all though, I'm just a simple guy who likes the mountains and I am blessed to be able to share my life, through my music. I invite you to visit my photo gallery here and I thank you for your support to help make my dreams become a reality.

Your friend in music,

Rick