By: Staff
Our publisher, Rick Landers, got back in to live performing in 2018 and picked up gigs playing house concerts, an art space, special events, festivals and even a foreign embassy. And, he began writing more original songs along the way.
As venues began to re-open in 2021, he lined up performances, while keeping Guitar International magazine pages fresh, writing a children’s book series and he started to build his home studio to produce scratch tracks for later production work in Nashville and Virginia.
Recently, Rick heard about the 80-person capacity Blue Wing Frog restaurant in Front Royal, Virginia whose owners wanted musicians who wrote and performed their own songs at their venue. Some traditional-roots songs were fine, given their Piedmont location. So, a mixed bag of sorts, but one focused on a niche of original and regional roots music beyond their local haunts.
After a few email and phone conversations with co-owner, Kelly Sprague and Rick worked out an evening gig at the Blue Wing Frog scheduled for Thursday, July 29 between the peak hours of 7-9 pm.
Rick Landers – Image by Mike Davis (c) 2018
Rick’s songs dig into several music styles that include, both British and Americana folk that include songs of love and loss, historical compositions (“Leviathan” – “No Holiday for Madiba” – “1913 Stage Canon No. 2” etc.), a few road songs, and a clever and poignant jazz piece about a 911 dispatcher. His latest work includes, “Red,” “Angel on the Wing,” “It’s Not My Fault,” and a few country-style romps that include, “Cross Country Drive,” “Feeling Busted,” “Misunderstood,” and “She Loved Me Better, More Deader than Alive.”
Kelly and her husband and co-owner, Robert Hall, have been scheduling performers from around the local area where there’s a ton of talent, as well as looking beyond Virginia, seeking out touring musicians with their bags of original tunes. C’mon out and enjoy some great cuisine and great original songs!
Blue Wing Frog – Featuring GI Publisher Rick Landers!
JULY 29th (THURSDAY) 7-9 pm
219 Chester St, Front Royal, VA 22630-2680
Phone: +1 540 622 6175
