Randy Richards, founder of the Sunapee Community CoffeeHouse returns on February 19th
Sunapee, NH, USA
R. Richards
Singer songwriter Randy Richards returns to the Sunapee Community CoffeeHouse on February 19th at 7PM. Richards will play two different sets, one on guitar and the second on piano. Piano is his first instrument, which he learned as a child, and started playing professionally at age twenty-one in Austria. However, says Richards of his guitar playing, “I had advice when working in France, from the lead singer of The Rascals – to write music on something other than my first instrument.” He adds, “After years of playing guitar, (since college) I finally feel as comfortable on the guitar as on the piano”. He will also be playing a bit of Native American flute and a Zampona from Peru.
Richards says he learned a lot during a brief stint playing keyboards with the Click Horning band, on “raising the bar regarding rehearsals and expectations of performing live”. Richards however has had a long list of engagements ranging from hotels in Europe and venues in New England to concerts and coffeehouses on the west coast. Says Richards, “Until I headed out west, I had mostly backed up other artists or played background piano”. I started a volunteer CoffeeHouse series in Leavenworth, Washington to create a venue with a supportive audience, where I could practice being on stage”. Adds Richards, “It worked. It gave me the practice and confidence to go out and play.” The concert series took off and is still running today. When Richards returned to his hometown in Sunapee, he saw the need for a similar venue, and started a sister Sunapee Community Coffeehouse in July of 2004. “Hopefully,” says Richards, “the theme of supporting new musicians will continue as the Sunapee Community CoffeeHouse grows in popularity.
Richards’ first love is world instrumental and regional folk music. During his travels as a mountain guide and facilitator for Mountain Spirit Institute he has run across songs from Newfoundland to New Zealand. However his evening is primarily originals, with one or two other artist’s songs included. Says Richards, “It’s hard to peg me into a box, regarding my music style. It ranges from world music, to folk to classical and jazz.”
The Sunapee Community Coffeehouse located downstairs in the Methodist Church at 17 Lower Main St. in Sunapee, is an all-volunteer effort started to provide a listening room for professional and amateur musicians and appreciative audiences. There is no cover charge but they pass the hat for the musicians and venue expenses. Businesses and individuals interested in sponsoring a night at the coffeehouse which cover rental expenses, or for performance, volunteer and venue information should check out their website at www.sunapeecoffeehouse.org
Mountain Spirit's Blog 
23/02/2010 at 04:06 |
It went well. I just realized I’d not played out for a few years! We had a good crowd and they didn’t even throw tomatoes. A good sign.