Josh Ritter facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Josh Ritter
Ritter performing in February 2016.
Background information
Birth name	Joshua B. Ritter
Born	(1976-10-21) October 21, 1976 (age 48) Moscow, Idaho, U.S.
Genres	Folk alternative country rock Americana
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter musician author
Instruments	Guitar piano lute violin
Years active	1997–present
Labels	Signature Sounds V2 Sony BMG Victor
Associated acts	The Frames Hilary Hahn Bob Weir

Joshua B. Ritter (born October 21, 1976) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and author. He performs and records his music with a group called the Royal City Band. Josh Ritter is well-known for his unique Americana music style, which often tells stories through its lyrics. In 2006, Paste magazine named him one of the "100 Greatest Living Songwriters."

Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Music Career
Other Projects
Personal Life
The Royal City Band
Discography
Images for kids
See also

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Josh Ritter was born on October 21, 1976, in Moscow, Idaho, to Robert and Sue Ritter. His parents were both scientists who studied the brain. Josh became interested in music when he first heard songs by Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan. He bought his first guitar at a local K-Mart store.

After finishing Moscow High School in 1995, Ritter went to Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio. He first planned to study brain science, like his parents. However, he later created his own special major called "American History Through Narrative Folk Music." This allowed him to study American history by looking at folk music that tells stories. When he was 21, Ritter recorded his first album, Josh Ritter, at a studio on his college campus.

After college, Ritter moved to Scotland for six months to study. Then, he moved to Providence, Rhode Island. He worked different small jobs and played music at "open mic" nights in Boston. At one of these events, he met an Irish musician named Glen Hansard. Hansard invited Ritter to Ireland to open shows for his band, The Frames.

Josh Ritter performing in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2011.

Music Career

Early Albums: Josh Ritter and Golden Age of Radio (1999–2002)

About a year and a half after his first album, Ritter recorded his second album, Golden Age of Radio. He made this album for only $1000 and released it himself. It was recorded in different places, including a friend's basement.

While promoting Golden Age of Radio, Ritter met Jim Olsen, who ran an independent music company called Signature Sounds Recordings. Olsen heard Ritter play and offered to improve and re-release the album. One song, "Me & Jiggs," became popular in Ireland. Ritter was quickly becoming well-known there, first opening for the Frames and then playing his own shows.

Ritter (left) with his longtime bassist Zack Hickman.

Growing Success: Hello Starling and The Animal Years (2003–2009)

Ritter's third album, Hello Starling, came out in 2003 and was produced by former Frames guitarist Dave Odlum. This album reached number 2 on the music charts in Ireland. Ritter later said he didn't fully realize how successful his shows in Ireland were until he heard a local band covering his songs.

In 2005, a British music company, V2 Records, signed Ritter. They re-released Hello Starling. Around this time, he also started performing with the famous classical violinist Hilary Hahn.

In 2006, Ritter released his fourth album, The Animal Years. That same year, he released his first live album and DVD, In the Dark – Live at Vicar Street. His fifth album, The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter, followed in 2007. Both The Animal Years and Historical Conquests received very good reviews. Famous author Stephen King even called The Animal Years the best album of 2006. To support Historical Conquests, Ritter appeared on popular TV shows like Late Show with David Letterman in America.

In 2009, Ritter re-released his second and third albums, Golden Age of Radio and Hello Starling. These new versions included the original songs, acoustic versions, and bonus tracks.

New Music: So Runs the World Away and The Beast in its Tracks (2011–2013)

Ritter's sixth album, So Runs the World Away, was released in 2010. A song from the album, "Change of Time," was shared online for free before the album came out. It was also featured in a TV show and a movie trailer. To promote the album, Ritter toured with his band, now called the Royal City Band. They played many shows in Ireland and the United States. So Runs the World Away received mostly positive reviews.

In 2011, Ritter re-released The Animal Years with extra songs and new artwork. He also released a short album (EP) called To the Yet Unknowing World. This EP had songs that were recorded for So Runs the World Away but didn't make it onto the final album.

Ritter performing at the Cathedral of the Rockies in 2015.

Ritter’s seventh studio album, The Beast In Its Tracks, was released in March 2013.

Recent Works: Sermon on the Rocks and Gathering (2015–Present)

In 2015, Ritter announced his eighth album, Sermon on the Rocks. He said he wanted the album to sound like "messianic oracular honky-tonk." The album was released in October 2015. A song from the album, "Homecoming," was later featured in the TV show Billions.

Ritter’s ninth album, Gathering, was announced in 2017. He described it as "a record of joy and sadness and laughter and lightning." He also announced an international tour with the Royal City Band. Gathering was officially released in September 2017.

In August 2020, Ritter released See Here, I Have Built You a Mansion. This was an eight-song EP with rare and unreleased tracks. Some of these songs were meant for Gathering but didn't quite fit. The EP also included a live song and a cover of Dire Straits' "Brothers in Arms."

Other Projects

Besides music, Josh Ritter is also interested in writing. He has mentioned many authors who have influenced his songwriting and his own fiction work. Some of his favorite writers include Flannery O'Connor and Philip Roth. The title of his sixth album, So Runs the World Away, comes from a line in Shakespeare's famous play Hamlet.

Ritter wrote his own novel, Bright's Passage, which was published in 2011. He said the book is about a "sweet normal guy from West Virginia." This character goes to World War I and comes back with an angel. The story is about them escaping a wildfire together for five days. Ritter described it as a "short little comedy."

Personal Life

Josh Ritter married fellow musician Dawn Landes in 2009. In 2011, Ritter shared that they had separated.

Ritter and his current partner, author Haley Tanner, live together in Woodstock, New York. They welcomed their first child, a daughter named Beatrix Wendylove Ritter, on November 11, 2012.

In November 2009, Ritter played a special concert at Moscow Junior High School, his old junior high in his hometown. The concert was a benefit for Jim LaFortune, one of Ritter's former teachers, who was sick.

In May 2018, Ritter announced that he and his wife had adopted a child in January of that year. Their newest daughter, Moxie, joined their family through an adoption organization that Ritter supports. Some of his Gathering tour dates were changed to allow him time with his new family.

The Royal City Band

In 2010, the musicians who had been playing with Josh Ritter for many years were officially given the name "The Royal City Band." This name is a reference to a song called "Thin Blue Flame" from Ritter's album The Animal Years.

Members: