CHANGES ...... my first EP of Skinny Richie Songs is out.  BIG THANKS to my Village!!! No one gets through this world alone. Procuring the EP Cover Photo almost damged me physically and financially. The above video tells the harrowing story......

CHANGES

Produced and Mixed by Skinny Richie (During the COVID-19 Lockdown)
All Skinny Richie Tracks Recorded @ MONOLisa Studios
Mixed @ MONOLisa Studios
All other Tracks Recorded Remotely @ Artist’s Home Studios
Mastered by Alan Silverman @ Aerial Sound NYC
All Songs written by Skinny Richie

1) “Desire” (Song about hard won Wisdom)
All Tracks Skinny Richie

2) “Fools Gold” (Song inspiration Kyle "Kyoti" Turner) (Song about hard won Wisdom)
Tenor Guitar and Mandolin - Karen Hogg
Violin Section - Chris Tedesco

Upright Bass - Larry Cook
All other Tracks Skinny Richie

3) “Legend in My Own Mind” (Song about Perseverance)
Pedal Steel - Lap Steel - Resophonic Guitar and Sonic Deconstruction - Gregory James Elroy McMullen
Background Vocals - The GRAMMY Sisters
All other Tracks Skinny Richie

4) “Homegrown in the USA” (Celebrating Diversity and Freedom)
Fiddle - Libby Weitnauer
All other Tracks Skinny Richie

5) “Soulful Man” (For my Grandpa and Dad)
Fiddle - Libby Weitnauer
Banjo - Ann Klein
Soulful Man Vox - Frank H Carter III
All other Tracks Skinny Richie

I've been admiring Enrique's work for quite a while. He works from Pikart Estudio in Madrid, Spain.   

INSTAGRAM

Nervously…… I reached out when I wanted to produce a music video for “Here Comes The Sun.” I was nervous because I wanted to ask if he would share a few of his fabulous watercolors to use in Final Cut Pro. My skills with Final Cut Pro are still developing and the last thing I wanted for an initial collaboration, was to disrespect his work. I’m happy to say he was pleased with the results!!

Here tis......  hope you enjoy it and BIG THANKS again Enrique for trusting me with your Beautiful Watercolors.

Well...... no GRAMMY Nomination this year, but my Family Mantra has always been “Don’t Quit.” So to Celebrate not being Nominated...... here is another Skinny Richie Song called “Desire.”

I wrote this song at a very low point in my life. My personal struggle has been finding a healthy balance between Human Desire (Selfishness) and Big LOVE ( what some might also call The Creator’s LOVE ) It’s Human to have Desires, and Love may be intertwined with this Desire, but there is always a price to be paid. We make decisions. Big LOVE never fails us.

Onward we go......

Skinny Richie: Songwriter c. Skinny Songs 2020

Recorded @ MONOLisa Studios

Produced, Engineered and Mixed by Skinny Richie

MASTERED by “The Amazing” Alan Silverman: Alan Silverman

The Above Image is by Marvin Franklin. Sadly, Marvin lost his life on April 29th 2007. His Art is “Otherworldly!!!” Search his name and you will be treated to his Fabulous Life’s Work.

The 2020 Holiday Season is going to be very different than years past. If The Holiday Classics don't seem to resonate this year, why not try some NEW Holiday Music. My Pal Sharon Kenny has a Wonderful new EP out now called Holiday Happy  and DECOSTERS Many Ways To Celebrate The Holidays  is all about Respecting and Enjoying the Diversity of The Holiday Season. This has indeed been a challenging year of amazing highs and heartbreaking lows, and Community is so important now. Please be safe and considerate. Lucy Kalantari and The Jazz Cats It's The Holidays will keep your Holidays Upbeat and Warm .......... ENJOY!!!!

Here is your Official ramp up to HALLOWEEN…….

WARNING: Do NOT go HERE …. and Click on the eyes; unless you have some extra time to have FUN. It’s VERY Addicting!

Denise Barbarita, my Wife - Head Engineer at MONOLisa Studios and I are so grateful to share the news that the wonderful interview we did back in 2018 with Bren Davies and Brian T Silak for Tape Op has been published!!! Oct/Nov Issue No. 139. 

We have been a part of the Tape Op Community for many years. Devouring every issue that arrives at MONOLisa Studios. So to be included in the pages of Issue No. 139 feels like a Rite Of Passage.

Thank you to Tape Ops Founder and Fearless Leader Larry Crane for extending a welcoming hand. Enjoy the Oct/Nov 2020 Issue.

The GRAMMY Awards F.Y.C. Season is Officially upon us and Skinny Richie has two songs on The First Round Ballot. For Best American Roots Performance "FAMILY" Ft. Leah Coloff and for Best American Roots Song "Here Comes The Sun" 

If you are a Recording Academy Voting Member, Thank You for your kind consideration.

Lastly, as we continue to slowly and safely emerge from The Worldwide COVID-19 Pandemic, I would ask that you treat your fellow Human Beings with RESPECT. We have all been through a lot and it will take time to recover Mentally, Physically and Financially! Be Mindful of the need to Chill.

ONWARD.............

This song woke me up in the morning and wrote itself, so I am not certain what it's about! It seems like a twist on the theme of Woody Guthries "This Land Is Your Land."  It's called "Here Comes The Sun."

BIG THANKS and GRATITUDE to my Team on this one. The Best of the BEST!!!

Skinny Richie: Songwriter c. Skinny Songs 2020

Recorded @ MONOLisa Studios NYC

Engineered and Mixed by Skinny Richie

MASTERED by “The Amazing” Alan Silverman

Banjo: “The most Fabulous” Ann Klein ( Engineered by Ann Klein in her Home Studio )

Fiddle: “The Monstrous” Libby Weitnauer ( Engineered by Libby Weitnauer in her Home Studio )

Skinny Richie: Guitar / Vox / Drums

Well it has been quite the journey from winning a GRAMMY Award for "All The Sounds" by Lucy Kalantari and The Jazz Cats ; to slowly and cautiously emerging from a Worldwide Pandemic!!! I'm saddened by the loss of Life we have endured and can't emphasize enough the importance of thinking about your Family, Friends, and Neighbors; and how your actions affect them. PLEASE be Mindful as we move forward........

I've been using my unexpected time away from Performing and Teaching to finish more Skinny Richie Songs. BIG THANKS and Gratitude to Leah Coloff 

and Alan Silverman for helping me to finish "Family"  Hope you enjoy it ...

These wonderful Albums are out now as well..... Sharon Kenny - DECOSTER -

Spiros Soukis Trio

ONWARD......

The 61st Annual GRAMMY Awards .....All The Sounds 

Skinny Richie finished another song "The Profiteer" BIG Thanks to Michael Brunnock again for his stellar Lead Vocals - My HDB Bandmate David "Deeps" Patterson for the "Inverted Jigs and PolyRhythmic Reels" - Teddy Kumpel for the very musical Mix - and Alan Silverman from Arf Digital for his equally musical Mastering!

More News to come when I have more time to post it!!!  BE WELL .... Ciao4 Now

Skinny Richie is slowly but surely finishing the songs from his collection entitled "CHANGES"  .......Here's "Dr Time"  It's looking like Skinny will be working with Michael Brunnock on another song very soon, "The Profiteer" Feeling blessed...he's amazing! 

 Thanks to Teddy Kumpel     Mixing/Mastering 

 Steve Jabas    Cool Guitar Overdubs and 

Denise Barbarita    Live Drum Tracking

ROCK On..

Skinny Richie "Changes"
My Songwriter/Producer alter ego…..
This is the second Mastered Track to be released ……FREE DOWNLOAD!

One of the many goals of this Project is to work with some of my Favorite Voices and with this in mind,  I will be tracking the "hauntingly beautiful" voice of Michael Brunnock for the next song "Dr. Time"
In the meantime,  LISTEN to Michael sing one of my favorite songs of his…..HERE: Man Overboard

I've FINALLY gotten the Patent Filed for my "NU MILLENNIUM TRAP CASE" I built a Prototype and have been using it for over a year now and it hasn't fallen apart!  PHEW …..I've got a lot of time and Benjamins invested in this project, thanks POP!! Necessity truly is the mother of invention in this case ….har har!!  After MANY years of lugging gear using carts, dollies and outdated Trap Case Designs this sucka is a Godsend. I can't wait to share it with the Drumming Community ….more on that to come!!!

ROCK On!!

Well, Skinny Richie tried to exercise President Obama's mantra of "Hope" ....and hoped to find someone to produce a video for the first completed song from his collection of songs entitled "Changes" But alas, when your video budget is $0.00 and you're tired of waiting for hope to manifest itself into a proper budget,  you roll up your digital sleeves and make a video yourself .....and here it is "Love Is Calling" Hope you dig it!!