I grew up just outside Chicago in the 60's. Tuning in our AM radios we listened to everything from Motown out of Detroit, the recordings out of Chicago based Chess Records and, on exceptionally clear nights, pick up the “X”, a 100,000-watt outlaw station from Coahuila Mexico. There was always music in our house and because I was a rather “rambunctious” child my parents bought me my first electric guitar for Christmas in 1966 when I was 10 thinking it might help keep me out of trouble (they sure “missed the mark” on that one).

I began taking music lessons from an old man in his 60’s. He had toured the vaudeville circuit and was quite an accomplished musician. Although my idea of what I wanted to play differed greatly from what he wanted me to play, he instilled a passion for music that I carry to this day. I played throughout my youth up into college but it was during those college years that I began to develop my songwriting skills and musical “style”. After leaving college I lived all over the US and began playing professionally on the west coast in the late 70’s. Those were exceptional times and nurtured many new and different genres of music but I still hung on to my love for “Chicago Swing Blues” listening to BB King, Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy et al. I eventually moved back to Chicago and continued playing until I was asked by a good friend and fellow musician to help him form a band in Denver Co. Once again, I was on the move and we named the band we formed “Anthymn”. This band toured the Denver area and western slope of Colorado and remained virtually unaltered for over 20 years (incredible longevity for any band). I continued to play until I retired from my “day job” in 2015 moving to southwest Colorado near the Sangre de Cristo mountains. In 2022 I returned to the Chicago metro region to be closer to my children and grandchildren and a more “robust” music scene.

I continue to write and record and am in the process of putting together a new project playing what I love. A fellow musician once told me my music reminded him of “Chicago Blues meets Texas Swing” and I couldn’t have said it better myself!

I hope you enjoy what you see and hear on my site. If so, please feel free to contact me and share it with your friends!

Best regards, Ric Bolinger

Contact Info:

Email: ric.bolinger@gmail.com

PH: 719-285-7420