Called one of the “100 Greatest Living Songwriters” by Paste magazine, Ritter is revered for his distinctive, deep voice, sharp wit, and evocative lyrics and has the distinction of being a hitmaker in the land of poets: “Me and Jiggs,” from his 2001 album The Golden of Age of Radio, made the Irish Top 40. Ritter grew up in Idaho, where he absorbed his dad’s copy of Nashville Skyline and bought his first guitar at Kmart. His self-created college major was “American History Through Narrative Folk Music,” which should give you some idea of his brand of introspective Americana. Ritter’s acknowledged pinnacle is 2003’s Hello Starling, although 2013’s wounded breakup classic The Beast in Its Tracks isn’t far behind.
