Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Rick Landers. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Rick, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
I grew up as a Navy dependent, or what we called a “Navy Brat”. My father was an enlisted man and retired as a Chief Petty Officer. So, we moved several times around the country and my siblings and I were often the new kids in school. I suppose under those circumstances, you learn to navigate your way in new social and academic environments. And, of course, after developing great friendships along the way, we also had to go through the emotions of leaving friends and schools where we became comfortable. I was a nice kid and did well in school, so after being in a place for a few years I gained some popularity. Still, it wasn’t easy migrating from place to place. As an adult, I’ve found other friends who were military kids and all seem to have developed a solid base of resilience that gave them social skills that help them navigate life’s emotional crests and troughs. And, when my Dad became a civilian, we moved even more as he had to find a career where he could use his skills as an aviation electrician. So, when he retired from the Navy (Whidbey Island, Washington) I was in the seventh grade, class president, and left again to be the new kid in school. We then moved four more times, then graduated high school as class president. And, so that whole scenario gave me enough experience, good and not so good, to handle life’s vagaries, and at least have a facade of confidence to break through challenging situations. Today those early experiences sometimes helps when I have to “go for it” when I’m preparing to get on stage. It’s kind of like jumping off a high dive or out of a plane, which I managed to do over fifty times. Sorry, that was a bit long winded, but no single life experience helped me gain resilience or a sense of confidence. And my parents were solid role models, who I adored. So, it helped, growing up in a happy home. As far as gaining confidence, I think that’s been a matter of being willing to try experiences outside of my comfort level, skydiving, long distance bicycling,, hitchhiking solo through Europe, teaching business courses solo around the country and now getting in front of audiences to perform original songs. That’s like working without a net, but it’s exhilarating too.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
After a long and successful business career, I retired and enjoyed bicycling for years. I gathered up some great bikes, built a recumbent and rode quite a few century rides, RAGBRAI and rode the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) and the C&O Canal trail from Pittsburgh to the D.C. area, solo and self-contained. I also served on cycling advisory boards. I’d been a guitar player since I was a teen, busked in D.C., then just played at home for decades. On a lark, I decided to read a poem I’d written and play an original song at an open mic. Afterwards, the manager asked me to be his first featured singer-songwriter. I was surprised, but keen on the idea and when I got back to perform a guy named Ron Goad came up to me telling me we needed to talk. He’s a seven-time award winning “best supporter of DC music” dynamo. We quickly became good friends and he’s now the drummer in my band, Rick Landers and Heartland. We added two other top musicians, John Werntz on bass and Jim Nagle on dobro and since 2020 have been pretty successful, in our small pond.
We all feel pretty lucky to have gained some interest and repeat gigs since we got together. We only play my original songs and in 2023 we were invited to perform at the National Cherry Blossom Festival and the Washington Folk Festival. We’ve also been working to develop a debut album and a five-song EP. We’ve been fortunate to work with Les Thompson, a co-founder of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band; BIAS Studios where Mary Chapin Carpenter, Tony Rice, Dave Matthews recorded, and with Stacy Hogan, a brilliant producer out of Nashville. I’m researching whether I should seek a record label or not, and collaborating with a new friend on learning the sync side of the music business. I’ve also hosted house concerts and driveway concerts with great musicians, like Johnny Farina (Sleep Walk), NY Blues Hall of Fame artist, Toby Walker, who I also opened for twice in 2023, and Craig Bickhardt (“Tender Mercies” soundtrack).
I’ve also published Guitar International magazine since 2004. It’s been a free on-line magazine and I’ve been honored to have interviewed such music icons as: Les Paul, Jimmy Webb, Slash, Judy Collins, Jose’ Feliciano, Steve Earle, Jesse Colin Young, Buddy Guy, Joe LaMond, Paul Reed Smith, Chris F. Martin IV, and many more. And, I co-wrote a “how to” book with Dr. Matthew Warnock about press releases for working musicians.
I’m also seeking a publisher for a children’s book series, “The Adventures of Digit & Tess” about a Canadian girl and her robotic AI cat, where they visit Niagara Falls, Paris, and hot music spots around North America.
I’ve been moderating Writer’s Circle for the past year that includes two amazing authors, HP Newquist and J.R. Potter. And, just this month I’m kickstarting a Songwriters Circle of some very good songwriters.,with several songwriting awardees. I received awards in 2021 and 2022, for my songs, “Maria” and “Angel on the Wing”.
I’m very fortunate to be surrounded by some great musicians in my band, all are better than me. I write the songs and sing them, but they really bring them life
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?I think everyone is best served to have a strong work ethic, a solid sense of fairness when dealing when others and a generosity of spirit in helping others, who in a sense may be competitors, but who are also fellow music and writing enthusiasts, who we now call “creatives’”.
As far as advice, I’d suggest folks should be true to themselves and have a vision or a strategy on where they want to be in a year, five years, ten years and more. Study other creatives, such as authors or songwriters and entertainers that they respect, and learn from them. Work with people who share your core values. I think success comes in many flavors, so define what success is for you and that may mean, volunteering for gigs at senior homes, for military veterans who are challenged by their experiences, and for others that need some help. Be kind, seek joy for yourself and others. But, remember it’s a business and transactional in nature.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
Great question, especially given where I am at now with respect to my music and writing pursuits. I’d be thankful if a respected musician would check out my songs at my performer site: www.ricklanders.com and consider covering them, or media folks looking to possibly sync a song or more in films or commercials. And, like I mentioned earlier, if there’s a complementary record label interested in including me in their family or artists, that would be incredibly satisfying and appreciated. I can be reached through my www.ricklanders.com website’s contact page or my email address: [email protected]
Nearer to home, I can’t say enough about Ron Goad, my friend and music collaborator who has an encyclopedic knowledge about music, who’s worked with Fleetwood Mac, The Youngbloods, and an uncanny number of musicians. Ron’s helped me navigate the world of music, as well as literally with hundreds of other musicians, with his generous spirit and sense of humor.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ricklanders.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rlandersmg/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpaTyzwdSY0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUebKxUk7i0 - Other: www.guitarinternational.com
Image Credits
Mike Davis Diana Quinn Sherry Stewart Dustin Deluge Adam Stern Joseph A. Rosen John Monger
