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"On An empty Street" / Rick Snyder @ Banjo Jim's / film by eric herzlich
"Like A Moth To A Candle" / Rick Snyder @ Banjo Jims's / film by eric herzlich
Born in the front-seat of a Buick on the streets of New York City, Rick Snyder learned at an early age that things don't always work out as planned. His parents gave him his first guitar, a Stella (which he still owns), on his 12th birthday. He calls that guitar "Little Blue" 'cause there was a little spot of blue paint on it when he got it...you can hear the whole story in his song of the same name. *
Rick took that Stella, & he learned a few chords.... learned some Hank Williams Jr. songs, some Taj, & some Jesse Winchester songs, and found that he could entertain people by just workin' with what he got...which is just what he does in his song "Work With What You Got". *
Rick was kind of a casual guitar player over the years...but always found himself playing for hours at parties to eager listeners. while consuming serious quantities of bourbon or tequila. He became more serious about his playing, & his consumption, when he lived in Amsterdam on a houseboat that was full of musicians. The houseboat, situated in the infamous Red Light District, was known around town as the Music Boat, and musicians of all genres & nationalities would drop by to jam till the sun came up, & then some. *
A world traveller many times over, Rick busked the streets of Europe, Asia, the Middle East...he played to audiences great & small (the people were great, the audiences small)... and he learned that there was lots of money to be made in the music business... *
As fate & necessity would have it, Rick gave up his guitar playing for many years, to pursue other endeavors...but would always play till the wee hours when he got together with his old buddies from Amsterdam...the ones who had survived. You can hear about it in his song "The Lesson". *
He has written over 400 songs...from Appalachia to Hip Hop...and his mother thinks the stuff is "damn good" ! *
Being a multi-genre artist, Rick has created many different characters to fit the variety of music he plays...he's been called the Andy Kaufman of the music scene...often referred to as Sybil....he takes this to heart, as he knows very well who he is...& through all his guises...he always remains unmistakably, Rick Snyder *....
Visit Rick's "Top Friends"....many of them are indeed Rick himself....& come see Rick play live....there's never a dull moment...& always somethin' new.... *
Rick didn't plan for all this to happen...just kinda did...like love.....or a song. *...
Keep the light on...
Rick! Had a dream about you the other night... Can't exactly remember what you were doing but it was in a Banjo Jim's kind of place. You had on a light blue denim button down shirt... anyway, I thought you should know.
He's gonna be at the 92Y in Tribeca at 9PM this Friday.
We should set up a show together in NYC sometime....Maybe November?
Let me know what you think....You're a great songwriter and I wish I could've gotten to know you better before I headed back to VA. And I'd love to do a show with ya.
Hey Rick i just listened to the astronuats song Its amazing Sounds like a lost David Bowie song Wow and thanks for makin us cry ya devil!!! LL and her Demons