Rick Ruskin

While still in Jr. High, Ruskin opened for Reverend Gary Davis at Detroit's Retort Coffee House.^[3] This engagement resulted in an invite to spend the summer with the Rev. at his Long Island home. These events were pivotal for Rick who has often stated that if not for friendship & guidance from the Rev., “Rick Ruskin the musician might not exist.”^[4][5]

Ruskin was discovered in 1970 by legendary 12-string player, Dick Rosmini, who brought Ruskin to John Fahey's Takoma Records. Takoma had launched the careers of notable guitar artists including Kottke, George Winston, Peter Lang, Robbie Basho, Bola Sete, Mike Bloomfield and others.^[6][7]

Rosmini produced what would become Rick's 1st of three Takoma releases, Richard Ruskin, followed by Microphone Fever and Six-String Conspiracy. He also contributed as session player and arranger of the duets on John Fahey's 2nd Christmas LP, Christmas With John Fahey – Vol II.^[8][9]

In 2006, Ruskin participated in The Revenge of Blind Joe Death: The John Fahey Tribute Album, released on the revived Takoma label. His contribution, an original piece titled '& 50 Cents Gets You a Cup of Coffee,' showcased his mastery of the fingerstyle tradition alongside peers and label mates, like Peter Lang and Stefan Grossman." Other artists on the album include George Winston, Country Joe McDonald, Henry Kaiser, Nels Cline, Elliott Sharp, Blind Joe Death, and "Canned Fish", a one-time collaboration between Adolfo "Fito" de la Parra of Canned Heat and Barry "the Fish" Melton of Country Joe and the Fish.^[10][11]

Ruskin has recorded and/or performed and toured with Jackie DeShannon, Olivia Newton-John, Tanya Tucker, Doc Watson, Rev. Gary Davis, Hedge & Donna, & singer/actor Tim McIntire, among others. In addition, his music is taught in many countries, most notably, Japan & Italy.^{[12][13][14][15]}

CDs

• Words Fail Me (Lion Dog – 1997)
• Once Upon A Time (Lion Dog - 2002)
• The Gospel According To (With Vivian Williams) (Lion Dog - 2005)
• How To Be Smarter Than Your Guitar (Lion Dog - 2010)
• Whatever Happemed To Blind Matzoh Leftkowitz (Lion Dog - 2015)
• Perfect Pitch (Lion Dog - 2020)
• Playlst (Lion Dog - 2023)

Downloadable Collections

• In The Beginning (Lion Dog - 2006)
• Shoeless Joe (Lion Dog - 2024)
• Corvair's Exodus (Lion Dog - 2025)
• My Mother's Oldsmobile (Lion Dog - 2025)

LPs

• Richard Rusin (Takoma – 1973)
• Microphone Fever (Takoma – 1975)
• Six String Conspiracy (Takoma – 1977)
• On The Cheap (with Lewis Ross) (Lion Dog Music – 1981)
• Songs, Hymns & Carols (with Lewis Ross) (Revere – 1984)
• Sounds Familiar (with Lewis Ross) (Revere – 1985)
• Against Tradition (with Karen Leigh Williams) (Sounding Board – 1987)

Instruction Videos

• Acoustic Fingerstyle Guitar
• Fingerstyle Christmas
• Fingerstyle Grooves
• Band In Your Hand

Transcriptions Books

• The Takoma Sessions
• Words Fail Me

Compilations

• The Revenge of Blind Joe Death: The John Fahey Tribute Album, (2006)