Short Press Paragraph
Rick Shea is one of L.A. 's most talented songwriters with songs embracing everything from norteño and border rock to traditional folk and country music, his voice is smooth and bittersweet and his guitar playing goes from subtle on the ballads to blazing through the rockers. His 5 critically acclaimed albums have been called “ marvelous…4 stars... LA Daily News, (“Sawbones”) to “stunningly good”... Dirty Linen (“Trouble and Me”) and he's worked with everyone from roots rock kingpin Dave Alvin to folk chanteuse Katy Moffatt to indie rock legends R.E.M.
“Staunchly independent...represents the best of California music,” LA
Weekly.
Press Quotes
for Shelter Valley
Blues
“Years from now writers will
refer to this as “his career album.” In case I'm not around to do
it, I'll just do it here. He's had a long and storied career and worked with
music royalty in several genres. As is the case with in demand players they
often don't get the proper respect for their own recordings. This one will change
all of that for Shea. This self produced and recorded album feels like something
The Band would have done early in their career.”
Blll Lavery/ Village Records
for Sawbones/Bound for Trouble
Shea is to interior California what Joe Ely is to West Texas; his music evokes deep Kern, San Bernardino and Riverside counties the way Ely nailed down Laredo, two pinches of old Mexico, a blast of exhaust from the boss man's new Suburban and a baseline of working stiff desperation…and the best goddamn country voice since Merle hisself. **** Four stars!
Jackson Griffith/Pulse Magazine
Marvelous…covers the gamut of folk, gospel, blues, country and even some Mexican idioms…each song crafted with distinctive freshness and originality and to top it off, Shea's caramel baritone is as beautifull and resonant as his multi-string virtuosity is awe-inspiring…**** Four stars!
Bob Strauss/LA Daily News
…absolutely sparkles between the grooves…
Buzz McClain/No Depression
for Trouble and Me
Shea and Kearns are both enthralling singers and equally exciting instrumentalists, there is something quintessentially Californian in Shea's bittersweet voice… Trouble and Me is stunningly good…
Paul E.Comeau/Dirty Linen
One of them small gems of an album…Shea and Kearns have plenty of elbow room to show their musical chops, which they do in spades.
Dan Ferguson/3 rd Coast
for Our Shangri LA
…an updated and simmering version of West Coast honky-tonk…
Andy Turner/No Depression
for the Buffalo
Show
…expert playing and songwriting…first rate…exquisite…
Mike Boehm/LA Times
…a powerful musical personality…Shea's best songs rank with anybody's best…
Jim Washburn/OCWeekly
…of all the people combining classic honky-tonk with conjunto, Shea has the best voice,
top ten pick…
Joel Bernstein/Country Standard Time