Riley L.

At 18, I headed off to study music business in college with the intention of becoming a recording artist. That didn't happen, but it did give me greater insight into the music industry. As a filmmaker and amateur singer-songwriter, I use a lot of recording equipment in a variety of settings and scenarios. I play guitar very badly, ukulele worse, and am an admirer (occasional purchaser) of unusual instruments. A million years ago, I was a runner-up in a songwriting contest. Favorite artists: The Corrs, Kasey Chambers, Mavis Staples, David Ford, Beth Hart, Amanda Marshall, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Kathy Mattea, Linda Eder

The New Protest Songs Of Mavis Staples

October 23, 2019 / By Riley L. / Songs

In times like these, it’s good to have Mavis. Still out in the world, singing the songs of revolution that served as THE soundtrack for the Civil Rights Movement. You know those standards by the Staples Singers: “Freedom Highway”, “Why Am I Treated So Bad”, “I’ll Take You There”. But Mavis isn’t just some past …

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City Winery: The Hit-and-Missest Venue in NYC

March 9, 2019 / By Riley L. / Live Music

I had a really wonderful time one night at City Winery in New York City. I must have, because I have gone there at least a half a dozen times in the past ten years, and only for a small portion of that time did I actually live close to New York. Upon the writing …

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