Josh Ritter

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Biography

Moscow ID, United States

Josh Ritter (born in Moscow, Idaho on October 21, 1976) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist and author who performs and records with The Royal City Band (as Josh Ritter & The Royal City Band). Ritter is known for his distinctive Americana style and narrative lyrics. In 2006 he was named one of the “100 Greatest Living Songwriters” by Paste magazine.

Born to two neuroscientists, Ritter bought his first guitar from the local K-MART after hearing the Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash classic Girl From the North Country. He started at Oberlin College with the intent to follow in his parents’ scientist footsteps, but instead discovered songwriting, and the music of artists like Gillian Welch, Townes Van Zandt, and Leonard Cohen. He graduated and then moved east, favoring its close proximity to historic folk clubs such as “Club Passim” in Boston. On a shoestring budget he recorded his critically acclaimed breakthrough album Golden Age Of Radio in 2002 at various tiny, one-room studios on the East Coast. He has continued to grow from there, further developing his sound on subsequent albums.

Josh has recorded several records and E.P.s. In chronological order, they are:

Josh Ritter (Self Titled) (2000)
Golden Age Of Radio (2001)
Come and Find Me EP (2003)
Hello Starling (2003)
4 Songs Live E.P. (2005)
The Animal Years (2006)
Girl In The War E.P. (2006)
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  • jaydodge

    So excited to see him in Louisville!

    19 Apr 4:25am Reply

  • Evan-nightingal

    Very good !!!

    13 Apr 7:31am Reply

  • futchadoc

    Josh Ritter has some awesome live albums available for free on Noisetrade right now. Here's the link: http://noisetrade.com/joshritter

    10 Apr 6:21pm Reply

  • eriksilkensen

    the new album is really nice, my favorite of his that I've heard

    24 Mar 4:12am Reply

  • johnstamos068

    <3

    23 Mar 9:03pm Reply

  • catachrestic

    He let her off too easy. Not worthy of a divorce album.

    21 Mar 6:12am Reply

  • toledoluke

    or perhaps parts of tom petty's wildflowers album

    6 Mar 2:54am Reply

  • toledoluke

    it kind of reminds me of Paul Simon's first solo effort.. I could be wrong though.

    6 Mar 2:32am Reply

  • jaydodge

    It's fantastic, as I knew it would be. It's not So Runs or Animal Years (which are probably my favourites) but it's so beautifully raw and personal. It's difficult to listen to, but in a good way. It might be known as "his divorce album" for years to come but he did it really nicely.

    5 Mar 6:51pm Reply

  • DaanBorrias

    (I loved So Runs The World Away too, just so that's clear)

    4 Mar 10:31pm Reply

  • DaanBorrias

    I think it's very good. I like how So Runs The World Away was all about big things; discoveries, far away lands, murders, death, life. This one feels tiny in comparison, but it's so touching; love loneliness and happiness. It's so much more personal. I love it.

    4 Mar 10:31pm Reply

  • doqtor

    New album is much more consistent in comparison to his last, meaning there are not such strong immediate hits like "The Curse" but there are also no songs that feel out of place or anything to skip. It's probably his most accessible album yet (not mainstream-like of course) because it's just somehow very sweet, easy-going and likable (even though the theme of the whole album is his recent breakup with his now ex-wife). Anyway it's 4/5 for me so far, and maybe even a bit more someday because the whole album feels like a grower, I just hope I'm not wrong :)

    3 Mar 11:00pm Reply

  • WLDB

    I like it.

    3 Mar 8:53pm Reply

  • gui_x

    is the new album good?

    3 Mar 8:07pm Reply

  • Sovereignty

    New album's pretty decent. More simple and straight forward.

    2 Mar 12:27pm Reply

  • toledoluke

    thanks, i was prairie doggin pretty hard.

    27 Feb 2:39am Reply

  • Knirrie

    Stop pooping and start listening: http://www.npr.org/2013/02/24/172486394/first-listen-josh-ritter-the-beast-in-its-tracks ;)

    26 Feb 3:02pm Reply

  • toledoluke

    I'm just about pooping my pants in anticipation for the new lp!!

    22 Feb 2:27pm Reply

  • WLDB

    Just discovered him a few months ago. Really cool. Glad I found him. Sucks that I found out about him after his show here sold out though. Oh well, next time around!

    20 Feb 10:38pm Reply

  • Knirrie

    New album in March! http://www.joshritter.com/news/

    12 Dec 2012 Reply
    • All 395 shouts

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