Rich Hinrichsen

Our CD "Tango Cowboys" will soon be loaded onto the wagon and delivered to Bellingham, Washington. The music will take you from the cowboy camp underneath a sky of stars to the Buenos Aires cafe. It will be available for purchase at the Bellingham Folk Festival January 25-27 and Ott & Murphy Tasting Room January 25th. In the credits you will see a cast of characters from our Ellensburg days, including Steve Peha, Peter Karl, Renee Adsitt, Todd Zimberg, Kirsten James, and Sue Perry! Photo by Jim Carroll.

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I've formed a new duo,"Tango Cowboys," with guitarist Tom Bourne. We specialize in vocal tangos from Buenos Aires written in the 30s and 40s. We also perform cowboy songs, boleros, Italian art songs, and songs from golden age of musical theatre. Tom and Rich first played together at Central Washington University as members of the group "Twangbabies."  Visit www.tangocowboys.com to learn more.

Lately, I've become obsessed with the music and singing of Carlos Gardel, who was a famous tango singer from Argentina. He wrote and recorded many three-minute tangos that were works of genius. A search of the internet turned up this story on NPR,  which is quite good. Tragically, he died in a plane crash in 1935 at the height of his career.

Rich and Willy Ertsgaard in Seattle, WA, March 27th, 2014.

Rich introduces Stephen Cohen of The Tree People and The Walking Willows, at his CD release concert in Longview, WA, March 29th, 2014. Photo by Sheila Morey Wheelan.

I  just released my new CD, "Midnight Labors," at two concerts, one in Seattle, WA, and the other in my hometown of Longview, WA. The concerts featured live performances of most of the songs which I wrote over the last 34 years.  I performed my first jazz composition, "Sleepy Eyes,"…

This song is my own "Linus and Lucy."  I went to elementary school with twin sisters Kaylie and Kellie. I had a crush on them in the 5th or 6th grade.  After finishing my paper route, I would ride my rust-colored Schwinn Continental by their house. I had a mop of curls and was very shy. One day, when I rode my bike by their house, they were both waving to me through the window and my heart leapt out of my chest! I thought they were the most beautiful girls I had ever seen.  They waved me inside to meet…