BIOGRAPHY
 The musical journey of Geoffrey Rutledge began at age nine in Pontiac, Michigan, when his older brother bought Geoffrey his first guitar for $5. Eager to get started, he rode his bike to a local music store and signed up for guitar lessons. His early influences included Bob Dylan, Buffalo Springfield, and James Taylor. Geoffrey remembers, "When I was at home I would play the guitar and sing all day."
Hitting the road at 18, Geoffrey has made music professionally from Key West to San Francisco to Cape Cod, and all points inbetween, ever since. An insightful, soulful singer/songwriter, Geoffrey's musical influences have ranged from James Taylor to Sting to Stevie Wonder. A prolific songwriter, Geoffrey began writing songs at the age of twelve and has continued to write steadily to this day.
He received the Northern California Songwriters Association's prestigious "Song of the Year" award, and played the main stage at the Kerrville Folk Festival for six years running. He's also shared the stage at various venues with such prominent artists as Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, David Crosby & Graham Nash, and John Prine (to name just a few) and has worked in the studio with Russ Kunkel, Leland Sklar, and Dean Parks. He has also opened shows for John Prine, Little Feat, the Oak Ridge Boys, and Chris Isaac.
Although Geoffrey has always maintained a solo career, he has also worked in numerous duo and trio configurations. The most notable of these was the acoustic trio RST. RST (Rutledge, Smith & Tindel) came to life when Geoffrey Rutledge and Lennox Smith, performing as Two Left Hands, teamed with John Tindel in Key West to become the house band at the famed bar Sloppy Joe's (the favorite haunt of novelist Ernest Hemingway). The chemistry was right and they decided to take the next step and begin writing original songs together.
Upon moving to California, things started going in the right direction for the band. After spending a year in the studio writing songs and developing their unique sound, they earned the reputation as the most happening band to hit the West Coast in years. Chris Jackson, a DJ at KUFX Radio 94.5FM, said "RST is the best band to come out of the South Bay since the Doobie Brothers."
Russ Kunkel (veteran drummer with James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Stevie Nicks, and the producer of Jimmy Buffet's Fruitcakes CD) liked what he heard so much that he personally took RST into the studio and produced their debut CD. In addition to producing and playing drums, Russ brought in some of the best musicians in the business to help with the sessions, including Leland Sklar (bassist for James Taylor, Phil Collins, etc.), Dean Parks (guitarist for Steely Dan), Mark Russo (saxophonist for Yellowjackets and Kenny Loggins), and Sean Hopper (organist with Huey Lewis and the News).
RST's roots and influences varied, with Rutledge and Tindel growing up in the Midwest and Smith hailing from the Gulf Coast. All grew up listening to James Taylor and CSN, but developed audio palettes that included country, classical, and progressive music. Their self-produced second CD How Do We Get There? showed a return to their acoustic origins, weaving tales of Americana with their trademark three-part harmonies.
Today Geoffrey Rutledge continues to perform solo, write songs, and work on his solo recording projects. To date he has released two critically acclaimed solo recordings of original material, Songs and The Big Top. A talented performer and entertainer, Geoffrey has the ability to capture an audience's attention with his voice, win their hearts with his lyrics, and gain their friendship and loyalty with his humor and wit. After attending a Geoffrey Rutledge performance you not only feel like you've been entertained by a great performer, you feel as though you have found a new friend.
DISCOGRAPHY
CDs
The Big Top
PURCHASE: Flatpicking Mercantile
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The Big Top is award-winning songwriter Geoffrey Rutledge's newest solo release, showcasing twelve original songs. Geoffrey clearly demonstrates that his years of songwriting have honed his ability to convey his interesting perspective of life. His lyrics will make you think, and laugh, and cry. Add to that Geoffrey's rich textural voice and a sardonic wit and you can understand why he is a favorite wherever he plays.
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Track List:
1. Aunt Lucy
2. The Big Top
3. Baseball Game
4. 3 Words
5. Something Out of Nothing
6. On The Beach
7. Home to You
8. End of a Chain
9. I Wish
10. Double Wide
11. Way of the World
12. Take Me Home
Quotes/Reviews:
Geoffrey Rutledge's Big Top is big stuff. The 12 track ensemble is a fresh, free-spirited romp with enough good cheery feelings to make grins happen. The glue that binds this fine montage is Rutledge's seemingly open nature and passion for the product. One gets the sense this fellow really loves what he is doing. A rich powerful and lovely experience, easy on the ears and warm in the heart.
Greg Archer, Arts Editor, Good Times, Santa Cruz
And what about Rutledge's , "RST"?
You guys are great! I love the way your harmonies lock even down to the vibrato. So if anyone tells you that you sound like CSN, you just tell them to kiss your three part butts!
David Crosby (Crosby, Stills & Nash) |
Appearances on other FGM Releases:
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LINKS
Check out Geoffrey Rutledge's website at: http://www.geoffreyrutledge.net
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