Richard Shindell

Contemporary folk singer/songwriter

As a songwriter, Richard Shindell's witty, loquacious lyrical tunes can easily be compared to that of folks like Dave Carter and Paul Simon. Sonically, comparisons to Shindell can run the gamut from Dan Bern and Bob Dylan to Richard Thompson. He joined with Dar Williams and Lucy Kaplansky in 1998 to form the one-CD group Cry Cry Cry.

Sparrow's Point (Shanachie, 1992). Somewhere Near Patterson (Signature Sounds, 2000). Vuelta (Koch, 2004).

After busking his way through Paris, Richard Shindell moved to New York to attend seminary.

Richard Shindell was born in 1960 in New Jersey. He began taking guitar lessons as a child, and was enthralled with the work of folksingers like Bob Dylan and Joan Baez. He attended Moravian College in Pennsylvania and Hobart College in upstate New York, graduating with a degree in philosophy. Following college, he headed to Europe, where he busked his way around Paris for a living.

Before choosing to focus on making a living as a songwriter, Shindell attended seminary and played with fellow songwriter John Gorka in New Jersey's Razzy Dazzy Spasm Band.

A lifelong musician, he began writing his own songs while in his late 20s, some of which were included in New York's Fast Folk magazine. Shindell didn't start turning heads until 1991, when Christine Lavin included him on her compilation, When October Goes. Shindell's career as a folksinger gained particular merit in 1997 when Joan Baez chose to cover three of his songs for her Gone From Danger album. She also welcomed Shindell to open for her on tour in support of the record that same year.

The following year, Shindell joined with contemporary folk songwriters Lucy Kaplansky and Dar Williams for a collaborative trio called Cry Cry Cry. Together, the three songwriters recorded an album of cover songs by artists like REM, as well as their own originals. They toured in support of the record before returning to their solo careers.

In 2000, Richard Shindell moved to Buenos Aires, where he currently resides. He has recorded five studio albums and one live record; a new CD is due for release in March, 2007.