At age eight Rick took violin lessons and later took up the Cornet. In 1962 Rick went to the Stockbridge School in Interlaken Ma. There he had his first taste of folk music and bought his first guitar after listening to a Jack Elliott record. " We were listening to Woody Guthrie, Leadbelly, Sonny Terry, Brownie Mcghee, Cisco Houston and Jack Elliott". Alice and Ray Brock turned Rick on to who Woody Guthrie was. In 1965 Rick and Arlo Guthrie hit the road looking for Woody & Cisco's footprints. " We found some footprints, and heard a lot of stories, but best of all we were out there playing the songs that Woody and Cisco and all those guys like Leadbelly left behind. "These songs are real and worth handing down, I never stopped picking and singing folk songs and blues , the music was always there". One day in 1995 Rick was trading his construction skills on a music studio for renowned sound engineer, Ron Bach,in exchange for some recording time to preserve a few treasured folk songs for his family when award- winning blues woman, Rory Block, happened to be listening in and loved what she heard. She added a few vocals of her own and urged Rick to record a whole album. Making it all happen took over two years, and in 97' Rick was back into the music with the release of his first CD "Walkin' Down The Line". The album is produced by Rory Block, and features guest appearances by Arlo Guthrie, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, John Sebastian, Eric Weissberg, Larry Campbell and Rory Block. In 2001 Rick released his second album, Rick Robbins with Rory Block "Don't Deny My Name" produced again by Rory with guest appearances by Garth Hudson (The Band) John Sebastian ( The Lovin' Spoonful ) Larry Campbell (With Bob Dylan's "Never Ending Tour Band" for 7 years ) and Steve Ide ( Arlo Guthrie's "Shenandoah" lead guitar player). From some reviews: The Beat Berkshire artists' new folk albums Rick Robbin's "Don't Deny My Name" is a deceptively modest recording in more than ways then one. You have to read the fine print to learn that the album by the Housatonic folksinger features guest appearances by The Band's Garth Hudson, John Sebastian(that's two Rock and Roll Hall of Famers), and Bob Dylan string wizard Larry Campbell. Country blues folksinger. Rory Block's name and picture are on the cover, and Robbins gives Block- who produced the album, as she did his previous one "Walkin Down The Line" top billing (the album is credited to "Rick Robbins with Rory Block"). the album is also a kind of tribute to Robbins's longtime friend, mentor and duet partner, Ramblin' Jack Elliott. Several songs on the album are associated with Eliott, and Robbins gives the Woody Guthrie acolyte credit on several tunes ("from the singing of Ramblin' Jack Elliott") making explicit the often implict-and typically unstated-folk process. While Block's harmonies and signature guitar licks certainly color the music, as do Sebastian's mouth harp, Hudson's accordion and Campbell's pedal steel guitar, mandolin and fiddle. Robbins needn't deny his own name on this effort, as good as any traditional folk-style album that has come out in years. Robbins's gruff, weathered-beaten vocals are from the Elliott/Guthrie (Woody and Arlo) school, and as much as they are well-suited to songs by Kris Kristofferson ("Sunday Morning Coming Down") and a couple of well chosen Bob Dylan obscurities (Bob Dylan's Dream,*Billy"). Seth Rogovoy: The Berkshire Eagle 12/8/01 "Don't Deny My Name" Robbins needn't deny his own name on this effort, as good as any traditional folk-style album that has come out in years. The Berkshire Eagle 12/8/01 "Don't Deny My Name" Rick Robbins with Rory Block...... Rick is good at what he does...you might also think of Dave Alvin or Tom Russell. *Don't Deny My Name* sports an overwhelming feel of cowboys old and new......... Judith Gennett : KPSU......... Green Man review