Ricky Fitzpatrick: Reviews

"Ricky Fitzpatrick's latest CD "Heartfelt" is a mixture of Fitzpatrick favorites along with new songs written by the Commerce-based crooner. Fitzpatrick, skilled in the art of the acoustic Americana-genre, is sitting right on the edge of hit song status with songs like "Mine" and "Emma's Song."

Since the first time I heard "Mine" as a live version from Eddie's Attic, I was in love with the track. "Mine" doesn't get old even after 100 plays on the web. "Your hand in my hand, lips on my lips ... tell me the truth, tell me a lie. I don't mind, as long as your mine," are powerful lyrics for such an easy listen.

"Emma's Song," written for Fitzpatrick's (step)daughter, is a beautiful song that flows naturally from the guitar and the artist – almost reminiscent of an old West tune."

At first sound you think "James Taylor", but his lyrics are much more complicated than almost any Taylor song I've heard. Fitzpatrick is, to me, the rare songwriter that can make you feel like you're right there with him when you're listening to his songs.

The first American folk singer/song I have liked (that's no small thing - it's not a genre to which I would usually listen) This songs doesn't fall short in any way. In a word, grand. Recommended to anyone who doesn't usually like this sort of thing (I'm converted, at least).

For decades, lovers of song have been pining away, looking for signs of a new messiah who would follow in the hallowed footsteps of singer-songwriter deities like James Taylor, Bob Dylan, Jim Croce, John Denver. Let the joyous news be heard, brothers and sisters. Rejoice! All true believers in the songwriter second-coming, bear witness. For in Ricky Fitzpatrick, the torch has been unequivocally passed.

“A mellow-smart James Taylor vibe with the poetic soul of a Southernized Bob Dylan.” Whoosh, that’s a mouthful, and an awful lot to live up to, but Ricky Fitzpatrick is all that and then some! Influenced by some of the finest singer-songwriters to ever put pen to paper, he digs deep into his soul and comes up with some of the most spirited, inspirational songs we’ve heard in quite some time! Check out a snippet of his fantastic track, “Ballad of Billy the Kid.”

Barbara Cloyd of the Bluebird Cafe' recently offered some kind (and insightful) reviews of 3 of Ricky's songs..."Mississippi Moonshine", "Forever & A Day" and "Ballad of Billy the Kid". Thank you, Barbara, for your wisdom and comments! Here they are...abbreviated:

MISSISSIPPI MOONSHINE: This is a really sensual song and it just felt really good to listen to. It's a great melody and I especially like how the chorus soars and stands out from the verse melody. I also love all the internal rhymes in the chorus and I also enjoy the unpredictable way you use "moonshine."
FOREVER & A DAY: The sad truth is it's really hard to get sentimental ballads like this cut. Music Row always seems to be looking for stuff that's edgy. But the good news is, that when songs like this do get cut they are usually huge hits and the public eats them up.

My favorite thing about this song is the second verse. There is a wisdom and maturity in the idea of love being a choice that is fresh and different. loved the opening line of the song. I like the guy admitting that he's foolish.

BALLAD OF BILLY THE KID: This was actually my favorite of the three songs. A song where the singer is portraying an historical character is more likely to be found in the Folk and Americana genres.

The phrasing and the internal rhymes and the way that the words fit into the melody all came together beautifully. There was a lot of intelligence and insight in the lyric and it was fresh and different.

If you can write a song like this so well, I have no doubt you can eventually write one that could be a big hit in the Country market.

Good song, well played, and quite a unique voice in what’s currently a very competitive genre. Good production. Lyrics are very good. Good stuff! The current male solo guitarist/songwriter market is very competitive, and this could do very well. - Fame Games review (Green In LA)

Reserve Yours Now: Commerce, GA, musician Ricky Fitzpatrick has organized the release of the compilation album The Power of a Song, which will include tracks from him, Nathan Sheppard, Mike Watson, Mad Whiskey Grin and Adam Payne along with others. Although the CD won't be released until Nov. 16, you can reserve your copy with no money down right now. The release is part of the Healing Power of Music organization, which plans performances at hospitals in each artist's local area. The belief is "in the actual power of music to sooth, heal and change not only a person's mind, but their physiology as well." Sales of the CD will allow the artists to give a copy to each patient in each hospital they perform in. Incredibly ambitious, true, but also incredibly sweet and refreshingly starry-eyed. For more information, please see www.rickyfitzpatrick.com.

The Times in Gainesville, GA has published an wonderful new article on Ricky and "Highway 98" in their weekly entertainment rag "Get Out!".

Check out Nancy Basile's about.com page on TV animation. She has a blog on-site about the Simpsonized Fan Giveaway! Woo hoo!!! THanks, Nancy!

Check out the recent Threats and Promises blurb in the Flagpole about the upcoming "Speechless" release.

"Ricky Fitzpatrick is headed for the Country Music Hall of Fame."

"The song (Ballad of Billy the Kid) has a lot of heart and fits nicely, with a different spin, into the ballads of the old west and cowboy songs...could go side by side with Dylan's epic Billy the Kid tracks."

In a recent email from Author Deborah O'Toole, she writes, "...I’m really impressed by the Ballad of Billy the Kid. It’s spectacular." To learn more about Debby, follow the link below to her website.

"Mississippi Moonshine...it has to be one of the most beuatiful songs I've ever heard."

...in fact it’s a very beautiful, simple, slice of life, sort of daydreaming out the window music. It encompasses well thought out lyrics and clean pickings of a guitar or two and Mr. Fitzpatrick’s voice; fine for this piece of music. It just seemed so darn familiar. I kept thinking “I know this song – I know, I know this song.” But how could that be? Then the comparisons started forming in my brain and I knew I was in trouble. I always listen to the music a few times and start my thought process before I read any available bio information, and there is where I confirmed my notions. I’ve heard this song before because I have heard the songs of some of the great singer-songwriters, which Mr. Fitzpatrick has heard the songs of; Dylan, Neil Young, James Taylor, and even Jimmy Buffet (who I despise). They write intimate slice of life stories too.

...the talk-sing vocal phrasing and tone of the verses and other equalities immediately recalled familiarity to Shawn Mullen’s “Lullaby.” Where “Highway 98” sings about the rural life of the south, Mullins talks his way through the intimacies of the big city. A peppier strum pattern and drum beat only slightly deflects the closeness of the songs’ similarities. But “Highway 98” stands on it’s own.

I know this song because I have a song just like it. Everyone does, we sing it in our head every time we reflect on our lives and the places we’ve been and lived. It doesn’t mean a whole lot to other people but to us, its everything. Take a ride with Ricky Fitzpatrick, let him show you his world, that along that stretch of “Highway 98”.

"Ricky has a great song here. This is a slow tempo Traditional Country/Folk song. The vocal tracks are clear and up front, and the wonderful harmonies in the vocal are near pitch perfect. The guitar work is tight and professional with interesting chord changes. The song sounds like a professional studio recording to me. The lyric is well crafted with the title “Mississippi Moonshine” placed perfectly as the hook. I’m sure we will be hearing more from Ricky, and if you enjoy slower Traditional Country or Folk music, then this song is definitely worth checking out."

“I happened upon Ricky Fitzpatrick by chance through his stuff on soundclick.com when I was looking for artists who sound like James Taylor. While there are definite comparisons, Ricky has the vocal range of a great male country singer while is able to appeal to all fans of honest acoustic music from John Mayer to Neil Young, tipping a pick to John Denver somewhere along the way.”

A blurb about the push to make "Highway 98" the offical song of the highway...check it out.

I am really struck by how much you sound like James Taylor. You use squeeze some of the notes in exactly the same way, and even a few of the bass / harmonic slides come from his repertoire. Of course James Taylor is one of the best singers out there so the fact that you can do this is crazy good… you're a real talent… an obvious talent.

I can't think of another current unknown performer who deserves to be propelled into the realm of stardom more than Ricky.

In a word...supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!