Richard Shindell

Richard Shindell
Richard Shindell, November 2014.
Background information
Birth name	Richard Shindell
Born	1960 (age 56–57) Lakehurst, New Jersey, United States
Genres	Folk Singer-songwriter
Instruments	Vocals Guitar
Years active	1991–present
Labels	Shanachie Signature Sounds Koch
Associated acts	Cry Cry Cry, The Pine Hill Project (with Lucy Kaplansky)
Website	www.richardshindell.com

Richard Shindell (born August 3, 1960, in Lakehurst, New Jersey, United States) is an American folk singer, songwriter, and musician. Shindell grew up in Port Washington, New York. He lives in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with his wife, a university professor, and their children.

Shindell's songwriting often involves storytelling from a first-person point of view: an INS officer and illegal immigrant in "Fishing," a World War II soldier in "Sparrow's Point," a Confederate drummerboy in "Arrowhead," an Argentine grandmother in "Abuelita," and a in "Confession." His other personas include a New York City cab driver in "Last Fare of the Day," a man on death row in "Ascent," a Civil War widow in "Reunion Hill," and Mary Magdalene.

Shindell's career received a boost in 1997 when Joan Baez recorded three of his songs ("Fishing," "Reunion Hill" and "Money for Floods") for her album Gone from Danger and invited the aspiring singer-songwriter to join her 1997–98 tour.

Shindell collaborated with Dar Williams and Lucy Kaplansky to form the group Cry Cry Cry. On their eponymous 1998 album, Cry Cry Cry covered an eclectic mix of songwriters, from the well known (R.E.M.) to the lesser known (folk singer James Keelaghan). The trio toured in support of their album before resuming solo careers. Shindell and Kaplansky have often performed live together in the years since.