Rob Riccardo

Born and raised on the beaches of Long Island, New York, the foundation of the now Arizona-based songwriter's music derives from the surf scene of his formative years on the East Coast. Shortly after picking up the guitar in high school on a bet from a friend, Riccardo discovered the acoustically driven melodies and socially conscious lyrics of artists like Jack Johnson, John Butler Trio, Xavier Rudd and Ben Harper. These musicians, along with classic troubadours from his father's record collection like James Taylor, would serve as the initial inspiration for writing his own songs. Following a long post-college musical hiatus, Riccardo moved from New York City to Arizona and, encouraged by his wife, started to take songwriting seriously for the first time. After a year of experimenting with a variety of genres and discovering his voice, he developed his own blend of folk, rock and reggae infused with a heavy serving of conscious lyrics. With a newfound focus and a fresh batch of songs, Riccardo teamed up with Gilbert, Arizona-based producer Erick Morina to record his debut full-length album, The Calm Within, a collection of tunes heavily inspired by his yoga and meditation practice. Just two months after the June 2017 release of his first LP, Riccardo went back into the studio with Morina to record his follow-up EP, Elemental Awareness. Rob Riccardo’s highly anticipated second full-length album, Seeker, released worldwide on September 14, 2018.