Musician Rich Ortiz defines his sound

By Suzanna K. Lourie

Fourth-generation musician Rich Ortiz of Lake George was born with rhythm in his veins. Ortiz’s father, Steve Ortiz Jr., signed his first record deal and released a debut album by age 21. Tragically, Ortiz’s father’s music career was cut short when he died following a battle with cancer just two years later at age 23. But for Rich Ortiz, his father’s legacy lives on through his music.
“My mother is a choreography dance teacher, and with my father being a musician, I was given enough at a very young age to hone my skills as an entertainer,” Ortiz said. “I spent my early years taking dance lessons, but my real dream was to become a songwriter and follow in my deceased father’s footsteps.”
Like his father, Ortiz began performing right out of high school, and he hasn’t looked back since. Since starting out 15 years ago, Ortiz says his sound has matured. He describes his early work as a cross between Peter Gabriel and Gavin DeGraw, but today Ortiz has crafted a style that is distinctly Rich Ortiz. And what does that entail?
“It’s funky, bluesy, acoustic singer-songwriter stuff,” Ortiz said. “It’s pretty groovy, too.”
Ortiz says some of his new-age country groove inspirations come from classical folk artists like James Taylor and Willie Nelson. He also likes to infuse traditional bluegrass elements into his own new-age groove.
“I’m inspired by artists like James Taylor and Jim Croce because I like the idea of being a hard working, down-to-earth musician,” Ortiz said.
Hard working just might be an understatement for an artist like Ortiz. In the summer, Ortiz maintains a jam-packed show schedule, playing seven nights a week with the occasional double on weekends.
Still reeling from the success of his 2010 sophomore album ‘Face of a Lion,’ which features Kofi Burbridge of the Derek Trucks Band, Oritz is beginning to see doors open to him.
“The real goal of the album was to get licensing agreements for media and iTunes sales,” Ortiz said. “I wanted to put together a solid compilation of produced songs so I could get myself out there and get them heard on the radio, featured in commercials and played in the media.”
In addition to the business-related agenda of “Face of a Lion,” the album also strikes a deep personal chord for Ortiz.
“There are a few songs dedicated to my grandfather, who recently passed away, that are based on our relationship,” Ortiz said. “That’s something I don’t normally write about, so it was an interesting experience. I mostly try to touch on the basic elements of life — love and things like that. I feel like music is a really powerful thing, and it’s important to keep the message to something real and true.”
Not even one year after his second album was released, Ortiz has already begun to reap the benefits of “Face of a Lion.” He recently signed a licensing deal that will make his songs part of a catalogue to be selected by retailers for advertisements, commercials, radio and other outlets. With accomplishments and accolades quickly piling up, Ortiz is already looking ahead for new opportunities. The next step, he says, is to produce a live album because he believes that’s what his fans know and want.
“I play gigs basically every day,” Ortiz said. “My next goal is to produce a live album and get a good, sharp video because I think once people actually see what’s going on at a performance, they really tend to like it.”
His first album, “Let it Be Life,” came out in 2006 and was only “semi-live,” featuring an array of unedited studio recordings of original tracks. But, Ortiz points out, a live in-studio album doesn’t capture the full energy of a live performance recorded in front of an audience. It’s no wonder that Ortiz and his fans are looking to harness the vibe of his live gigs on the next album. The energy and soul of an Ortiz performance has attracted some big name headliners. He has opened shows for internationally-known artists, including Ludacris, Hoobastank, The Wood Brothers, Tea Leaf Green and Melvin Seals.
“What I try to accomplish at a show is I try to address the crowd and make people happy,” Ortiz said of his mindset at a gig. “I pick songs out of my repertoire that I think people will connect to and open up to. It’s all about learning to adapt, pick up on the audience’s energy and then build on it. I’m really passionate about what I do, so I try to give it my all. I think people relate to that more than anything.”
A self-proclaimed outdoorsman, Ortiz enjoys wilderness-based activities, such as hunting and fishing.
“I spend most of my time with a fishing rod or bow and arrow or guitar in my hand,” Ortiz said.
The multi-talented musician was recently recognized with a Master Angler award from In Fisherman magazine for nabbing one of the biggest catches in the Northeast.
A master fisherman by day and an award-winning musician by night, Ortiz can be found with guitar, harmonica and peddle bass in tow at any of his local hot spots once the sun goes down. On Tuesdays, Ortiz and his band, the Rich Ortiz Trio (Chris Kyle on lead guitar and Chris Carey on drums), frequent Caroline Street’s Bullpen Tavern, performing for a diverse crowd.
“As far as I’m concerned, Saratoga just really gets what I do,” Ortiz said. “I play a lot in the Northeast, and certain places I go don’t really grasp what I’m trying to do. Saratoga gets it, maybe because of the arts scene. Whatever the reason, people in Saratoga understand the depth of what I do and have really embraced it.”