Rick is a folksinger/songwriter from Franklin, WI who performs a blend of traditional folk ballads and tunes along with his own original songs and favorites by others including Bill Staines, John Denver, Joel Mabus and Stan Rogers.
An accomplished autoharp player, he was the champion at the 2009 Mountain Laurel Autoharp Gathering, widely considered to hold the world’s premier autoharp competition.
Rick’s albums are now available for purchase through PayPal/credit card via the “Buy CD” buttons or by sending a check ($15 per CD) to the following address:
Root River Music, Inc.
PO Box 320077
Franklin, WI 53132
June 4, 2019 – Double Release
Rick’s eagerly awaited third album, “Earth Without Art” has been released!
Click on the album cover to hear song samples.
This heartfelt collection prominently features Rick’s voice, 6 & 12-string guitars and diatonic autoharps. It is dedicated to the songs and artists that have served as his musical inspiration and features four new original songs that hope to carry that inspiration forward. Here’s the link to a review from Autoharp Quarterly. Songs include:
“Earth Without Art”
1 – Appalachian Rain
2 – Tinfoil Raindrops
3 – Pirate’s Night Out
4 – If You Could Read My Mind
5 – Healing Time On Earth
6 – Old Zeb
7 – Wendigo
8 – Movin’ It Down The Line
9 – Rosalia Smiles
10 – Earth Without Art (Is Just “Eh”)
11 – Ears To Hear
12 – Jesu, Joy Of Man’s Desiring
13 – Old Devil Time
14 – A Sailor’s Prayer
15 – Final Trawl
16 – The Place I Used To Know (Song For Mom)
Also released is a new collaborative album, “Chasing Sunshine“, featuring acoustic pieces by Rick Fitzgerald along with fellow artists Maggie Dodd and Michael Poole. Enjoy the warm harmonies and song selections performed by this trio of accomplished musicians in their debut release! Here’s the link to a review from Autoharp Quarterly.
Click on the album cover to hear song samples.
“Chasing Sunshine”
1 – Red Tailed Hawk
2 – Carolina In My Mind
3 – I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free
4 – Steel Rails
5 – Kathy’s Song
6 – The Dutchman
7 – Redwood Hill
8 – The Rising Of The Moon
9 – For No One
10 – Only Remembered
11 – Who Will Watch The Home Place
12 – I Will Pass This Way Again
This album, “Crossing The Water“, is a balance of fine instrumental tunes and songs with rich vocals. It is Rick’s second and most autoharp-centric album, featuring two of his signature autoharp instrumentals from the Mountain Laurel Autoharp championship: “Calypso” and “Ghost Riders in the Sky”.
Click on the album cover to hear song samples.
“Crossing the Water“
1 – Calypso
2 – Crossing The Water
3 – Star of The County Down
4 – Three Fishers
5 – Erina’s Waltz
6 – Further in The Hole
7 – White Squall
8 – Mrs. Power’s Fanny
9 – Fish’s Alphabet
10 – (Ghost) Riders in The Sky
11 – Old Dogs
12 – The Auctioneer
13 – With Her Head Underneath Her Arm
14 – Over The Rainbow
15 – Mary Ellen Carter
16 – Friend For Life
Available in CD format.
Rick’s debut CD, “Living Up To A Dream“, is an entertaining mix of songs ranging from the whimsical, to the romantic, tragic, and the inspirational. It features four of Rick’s original songs, including “Hooray for the Denis Sullivan,” a true story of adventure aboard Wisconsin’s own tall ship, and “It’s Up to You (Living Up to Your Dreams),” guaranteed to lift you up.
Click on the album cover to hear song samples.
“Living Up to a Dream“
1 – The Flowers of Edinburgh
2 – Hooray for the Denis Sullivan
3 – Starlight on Keweenaw Bay
4 – The Mermaid
5 – Sarah Hogan
6 – Child of Mine
7 – I’m My Own Grandpaw
8 – Red Haired Boy
9 – The Druggist
10 – Around and Around (Time as I’ve Known It)
11 – Sea of Dreams
12 – Each Moment is a Miracle
13 – It’s Up to You (Living Up to Your Dreams)
Available in CD format.
Other Releases:
April 10, 2017
Various Artists
Here’s your anodyne to the sameness of the annual “Jingle Bells” playlist! Join the Cyberpluckers and their friends in their cozy song circle as they share their favorite uncommon and original seasonal song arrangements plus a few familiar ones.
Every track on “Strike the ‘Harp Again!” features the autoharp either solo or as part of an ensemble.
July 5, 2009
Various Artists
“Strike the ‘Harp” is a unique double CD of songs and tunes both old and new. Among the 47 tracks, each arranged and executed by a different artist, you’ll find old favorites like Silent Night, Blue Christmas, and I Saw Three Ships side by side with soon-to-be-classics like Make My Present Small, Chocolate Box Baby, and Christmas at the Schoolhouse.
Every track features the autoharp either solo or as part of an ensemble.