Album Notes

Rich O'Brien is a country, folk, blues and rock influenced singer - songwriter who lives on Long Island. His acoustic guitar style reflects his roots as a rhythm guitarist in a rock band, balanced by an intricate finger picking technique. Rich also plays lead guitar and solos in an improvisational style. His primary influences are Jorma Kaukonen, Neil Young, and Bob Dylan.

Rich began playing guitar when he was 15 and played in rock bands for 6 years. In college, he began playing as a solo performer in coffeehouses. Then as the demands of a family and a career grew greater, Rich was only able to play the guitar recreationally. During this period he did find time to teach one of his sons to play guitar, and they have performed together recently.

Several years ago, Rich returned to playing the guitar seriously and began writing his own material, which he plays in local venues, along with covers of his favorite artists. Rich's lyrics provide reflections on the world around us, and evoke a positive message of hope for the future. He celebrates life and the beauty of the natural world.

Rich has become active in a number of music associations on Long Island, including the Long Island Music Coalition and the LIMSN. He has performed at events sponsored by these groups, as well as at local venues on Long Island and in New York City. He is also a member of the Folk Music Society of Huntington, the Folk Alliance, and the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI.) He has given live performances on WUSB 90.1 FM, WGBB 1240AM, and WCWP, C W Post College's internet radio station. He has also appeared on "The New Yorkers," a NYC satellite and UHF TV show on channels 26 and 31.

In October, 2002, Rich attended a 4 day guitar workshop taught by Jorma Kaukonen, the former the lead guitarist for the Jefferson Airplane. Jorma was one of Rich's heroes when he was playing in a band as a teenager.

Rich has traveled extensively throughout the world, and has studied other cultures and languages. This gives him a unique perspective through which he crafts his songs of renewal and hope.