Rick Whitwood

Rick’s is a story you have heard before. It is a long, dusty road scattered with true stories, tall tales and a saddlebag full of near misses. Since 1988, his band and he have made a living playing the Western New York circuit of barrooms, beer gardens, roadhouses and gin mills. Many of those real life experiences have made their way into his wonderfully rootsy songs. In an area of New York far removed from the bright lights and big cities, Rick and his long time mates (Monty Case and Roger Carlin) have not only survived, but become one of the tightest, most revered and long standing bands around these parts. The odometer on the 1976 U-Haul may have turned over for the fourth time, but make no mistake, the engine still roars. A quick look at any map will tell you Wellsville, New York is a rural area littered with small towns and bleak economic prospects. Rick wears his uncompromising lineage like a badge, weaving stories into songs and songs into stories.