THE RICH KIRCH BIOGRAPHY PAGE

Rich Kirch was born on April 18th, 1955 in Chicago, Illinois. He picked up his first guitar at age 10. In the mid 70’s he became a regular part of the Chicago Blues Scene playing, recording and touring with the Jimmy Dawkins Blues Band. They toured the United States, Canada, and Europe in 1977 and 1981. They were part of the American Living Blues Festival that toured Europe in1982.

In the 80’s Rich was part of the Jimmy Rodgers Blues Band with Ted Harvey on drums and Frank Bandy on bass. Pinetop Perkins or Johnny (Big Moose) Walker played piano with Little Joe Berson or George “Wild Child” Butler featured on harp. Rich, Sam Lay, Pinetop Perkins and Frank Bandy also played with Charlie Musselwhite when he would come to the Midwest.

Rich’s discography includes recordings with artists such as Andrew (Blue Blood) MacMahon, Lafayette Leake, Big Smokey Smothers, Sam Lay, Pinetop Perkins, Luther Tucker, Francis Clay, Lester “Mad Dog” Davenport, Hip Linkchain, and Queen Sylvia Embry. Other recordings included Tyrone Century’s (Outer Space Circus) featuring Tom Webb and Freddie Glickstein of the Flock, The Texas T-Bone Review (Psychobilly Jazz) featuring Gregg Allman, Jorma Kaukonen, Billy Cox, Jerry Goodman, Rich Fudoli, Junior Wells ,Hubert Sumlin and Lefty Dizz.

Rich met the late John Lee Hooker in the mid 70’s in Chicago. At John’s invitation he moved from Chicago to the Bay Area in 1988, living with John for three years. He played with John Lee Hooker and the Coast to Coast Blues Band for 13 years until the passing of John.
Tours with the group included Brazil in 1989, Europe in 1990 and 1991 as well as throughout the United States and Canada between 1988 and 2001.

Recordings with John Lee included the “Boom Boom” CD in 1992, Grammy Award winner “Chill Out” in 1995, and the Point Blank Release “Best of Friends” in 1998, featuring a 50th year anniversary remake of “Boogie Chillin” with Jim Keltner, Bill Payne(Little Feat), Johnny Lee Schell, Reggie Mc Bride, and Eric Clapton.

Along with John Lee, Rich recorded commercials for Lee Jeans, Pepsi, and Budweiser. He also created recordings for two Paul Mitchell System’s commercials in partnership with Pete Sears.

John Paul Dejoria the CEO of Paul Mitchell Systems and his daughter Alexis were Executive Producers of Rich’s CD “Augusta Boulevard Blues” featuring John Lee Hooker, Big Walter Horton, Sam Lay, Charlie Musselwhite, Freddy Roulette, Pete Sears, Kenney Baker, and Deacon Jones.

Other recording sessions featured artists such as Pete Sears (Rod Stewart, Jefferson Starship, Hot Tuna), Freddie Hughes, Kathi McDonald, Archie Lee Hooker, Rubin Trejo, Dickie Peterson (Blue Cheer),Sam Andrew (Big Brother and the Holding Company) and Billie C. Farlow (Commander Cody) as the Kirch - Farlow Band.

Rich currently lives north of San Francisco. You can contact Rich Kirch at richkirch2002@yahoo.com

To purchase Augusta Boulevard Blues make check or
Money order out for $14.95 plus $3.00 for shipping to:

Rich Kirch
c/o Upstairs Records
P.O. Box 3363
Vallejo, CA 94590