I was born in Michigan and now live in Virginia. I taught myself guitar when I was 13 years old and now write songs and perform them. I've published a free on-line site, Guitar International Magazine since 2004 and been fortunate to have interviewed many music legends, music industry leaders, and others with talent. 

My desk is always in disarray, and I hope that's an indicator that I'm creative. I think I am, but I know that. such delusions come easy and some can't be trusted. I want to create likable songs and try to do my best to be helpful to others, and humane in all the things I do. I like guitars. I like the sound of guitars. I like that they are portable, but I also find carrying them around in public a bit embarrassing and I'm not fond of any attention they might bring, other than when I'm with fellow musicians. Then, there's a sense of belonging to a community and I find some comfort when part of that community. 

Some of my most favorite times are when I'm sitting with a guitar, writing a song, and some melody or riff shows up, certain words or phrases surface and these things come together to create a song that I personally find satisfying in some fashion. I also like laughing with my friends and being tethered to my couch by a dog or cat cuddling me or on me,  My humanity extends to other sentients; dogs, cats, bugs, birds, and other creatures living their lives, so I'm nearly a Buddhist in this respect.

I hope you enjoy my music or some of it. You will find that my songs are a mix of styles and topics. 

Five new scratch tracks were recently added to the Tracks & Info area; they are: "Maria," "Red," "Leviathan," London After Michigan," and an award winning, "Angel on the Wing".  If you click on the INFO link for any song, you will get to a little information about the songs, lyrics, sometimes guitar tabs and the songs themselves. 

Two of the songs at this site are  studio recordings, with all others being iPhone or "basement" recordings; all awaiting studio production.  Be careful, for now some of the song titles lead you to the wrong song...this is an anomaly of the site platform that I will soon correct. 

On August 16, 2021, I was honored to front and debut with a fine group of award winning musicians to add some great accompaniment.  They are: Ron Goad (percussion), Jim Nagle (dobro/guitar), and John Werntz (stand up bass).  They are known as "Heartland." And, others may join in to support us, most notably, Bill Bowman (bass) and Peter Grattan (harp, keys, percussion).

My band and/or I are available for listening rooms, house concerts, farmers markets, venues near and far, festivals, and charitable events where we may be able to alleviate someone's loneliness or suffering by supporting good causes or, in need situations. 

I'll soon be working with Les Thompson, a co-founder of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band with Jackson Browne, in his Cabin Studios, to lay down tracks for my debut album.  Les and I have agreed to write some songs together, and we've begun.

In September (3rd-4th),  I'll perform solo near Raton, New Mexico, in order to honor nearly 400 coal miners who passed away in 1913 and 1923. My song,, "1913 Stag Canon No. 2" was written to help memorialize their work and their lives. Some of those who died in 1923, were the sons of some who passed away tragically in 1913. 

On Friday (11/12/21)) in the early morning, I grabbed my recently acquired 1950 Gibson CF-100  ("Joy" named after Joy Lundy who was gifted the guitar in 1949 by her father, Everett (Fiddling Buck" Lundy.) and "we" wrote a new traditional roots song called, "She's Working Overtime." It is one of my favorites.

Here it is - "Working Overtime" 

New scratch track - "I'll Believe"

New scratch track - "She's Better Than Me"

Thanks for listening!

Rick 

My performance gear is usually limited to a 1946 Gibson J-45 or a 2001 Larrivee OM-9K (Koa), an SA330x Fishman sound system with a Shure SM58 microphone, a Roland Cube EX amp,  a Fishman Platinum effects pedal and a Boss VE-8 Harmonizer. My other guitars include: a 1931 Gibson L-00 (Tuxedo - 12 fretter); a 1964 Gibson J-200;  a 2001 Larrivee OM-09 Koa, a 1950 Gibson CF-100, a 1976 Martin D-35, a  1973 LoPrinzi 12-String; a 1993 Yamaha LA-28e Special Edition/Japan Custom Shop); a Takamine 12-String; a 1991 Custom Telecaster with early Joe Barden pickups; a 1981 Yamaha CJ-838, a custom made 2014 Appala Grand Symphony, a Gruene OG-30 (Serial Number 1),  a 1994 McFadden dulcimer and I recently purchased a high D penny whistle handmade by American bagpipe maker, Seth Hamon. Amps: Peavey 2-12 Chorus,, and a powerful battery-powered little Mini-Vox (2-5"). a Roland Cube EX amp,  I also recently purchased an early 1950s Favilla baritone ukelele and another from the 1970s. 

Credits: 

Vocals:  "If I'd Given My Heart to You' - Back up vocalist - Michael Lusk - Bass guitar and backup vocalist for Loretta Lynn. 

Vocals: "Open Up" (Studio) - Rick Landers (Lead Vocalist); Matt Griffith (Back Up Vocalist)

Producer: "If I'd Given My Heart to You" - Stacy Hogan (A Writer's Paradise Studio, Nashville, TN)/Producer: Marco Delmar (Recording Arts, Arlington, VA)

Producer: "Open Up" (Studio) - Stacy Hogan (A Writer's Paradise Studio, Nashville, TN); Marco Delmar (Recording Arts, Arlington, VA)

Photos by: Mike Davis (Top of PAGE and others); Peggy Landers, Terry Landers, Ron Goad, and Sherry Stewart, Andy Markley - All other photos are (c) Rick Landers 2021 - Thank you!