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A Musician's Life: Josh Ritter

Series: A Musician's Life
From: WXPN
Length: 00:05:00

In 2006 Paste magazine named Josh Ritter one of the top 100 living songwriters. But shortly after completing his 2008 album, "Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter", the musician found he had nothing left to write about. New songs felt hollow; old ones felt stale. But one night while lying in bed an image popped into Josh Ritter's head. That image ended the drought and gave way to a new set of songs contained on "So Runs The World Away". Read the full description.

Joshritter_small Josh Ritter fell in love with folk and singer-songwriter music as a student at Oberlin College.  After listening to Leonard Cohen, he abandonned his science major and decided to make music.  After graduation Josh moved to Boston and became a part of that city's thriving folk scene.  Ritter became a road warrior, cultivating a loyal fan base along with a throng of adoring critics.  In 2006 Paste Magazine named Josh Ritter one of the top 100 living songwriters.  His latest release comes on the heels of a personal crisis.  It could have been about turning 30 or it could have been a case of burn-out.  Whatever the reason, after releasing "Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter" in 2008, the songwriter felt like he had nothing left to say.  But one night while lying in bed the Brooklyn transplant began to wonder what it would be like to be a mummy walking around the streets of New York.  That image gave way to a song called "The Curse".  That song began a process of exploration that led Ritter to complete his latest work, "So Runs The World Away". 

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Piece Description

Josh Ritter fell in love with folk and singer-songwriter music as a student at Oberlin College.  After listening to Leonard Cohen, he abandonned his science major and decided to make music.  After graduation Josh moved to Boston and became a part of that city's thriving folk scene.  Ritter became a road warrior, cultivating a loyal fan base along with a throng of adoring critics.  In 2006 Paste Magazine named Josh Ritter one of the top 100 living songwriters.  His latest release comes on the heels of a personal crisis.  It could have been about turning 30 or it could have been a case of burn-out.  Whatever the reason, after releasing "Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter" in 2008, the songwriter felt like he had nothing left to say.  But one night while lying in bed the Brooklyn transplant began to wonder what it would be like to be a mummy walking around the streets of New York.  That image gave way to a song called "The Curse".  That song began a process of exploration that led Ritter to complete his latest work, "So Runs The World Away".