guitar
A native of Detroit, Michigan, Rick Ruskin first picked up guitar at age 14. 2 years later he was tapped to be the opening act for the Reverend Gary Davis at the city's legendary Retort Coffee House. A fast and permanent friendship with the master blues, ragtime, and gospel guitarist began and Rev. Davis invited Rick to spend that summer with him at his Long Island home. During this time, Rev. Davis began and continued to push Ruskin into development of his own style. Few would argue with the results of the Reverend's suggestion. Ruskin has recorded 3 albums for John Fahey's Takoma Records label, 5 CDs for Lion Dog Music, and a variety of session/backup work. He has written articles for "Frets," "Acoustic Guitar," and "Fingerstyle Guitar" magazines. His music is featured in several Mel Bay publications and is currently being used in a variety of television productions airing on PBS, ABC, MTV, NBC, A&E, among others. Currently residing in Seattle, Washington, Rick divides his professional time between composing, recording, performing, and teaching.
