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One day long ago Rick Droit walked down a long dirt road with tall trees on either side, past the abandoned houses and howling wild cats to a forgotten stretch of highway at the end and never looked back.

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In his early career he played with dozens of locally popular bands with names such as Indian Summer, Cobalt Blue, Blue Honey and Southern Prophet, the latter of which became a widely known touring band in the tri-state area of Illinois, Kentucky and Missouri, but it wasn't long before that old wanderlust spurred Rick back to a place he calls home, Austin Texas.

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He has performed at the Kerrville Folk Festival's Threadgill Theatre, The Red River Radio Americana Festival and The old Pecan Street Festival to name a few, also Clubs, Restaurants, Coffee Houses and Benefits across the U.S. and his songwriting has gained him critical acclaim, radio and television airplay across the globe.

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His first CD was titled "Gypsy Love" in homage to his once nomadic lifestyle and featured Emmy Dennison on flute, the follow up a few years later titled "Laughing like a Banshee" would show a marked growth and maturity in both style and presentation, "Banshee" was recorded at Flashpoint Studio's in Austin Texas where Townes Van Zandt (who Rick has often been compared to) recorded his last recordings, this CD would also feature many of Rick's musician friends such as Chris Chandler, Laura Freeman, Ky Hote, Owl Morrison, Danny Dolinger, Tami Griffin, Jason Wilkenson, Kale Kalloch, Jay Sea Campbell, Caroline Fuller and others who graciously lended thier talents to Rick's unique and compelling songs.

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Both Gypsy Love and Laughing Like a Banshee sold well and continue to do so to this day, the songs "Morning in December" and "Sidewinder" stayed in the top ten Americana Music charts for over 72 weeks and "Sleepy Hollow" a duet with Laura Freeman remained in the top three for two solid years.

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Currently Rick is in post-production of his new CD which features several special guests including Sara Hickman, Mark Hallman, Christopher Yarrow, Warren Hood, Kristin DeWitt, Laura Freeman, Theo Bick, and more to be announced.

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His music is ready for many new adventures, consider yourself invited to come sing along!

Full Biography

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Rick Droit grew up traveling from a young age, from the old red barns and fishing holes along the Mississippi River basin to the red dirt and Pineywoods of East Texas, He began singing in Church talent shows and in school plays while working a paper route and helping his folks with chores on the family farm.

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Raised by his Grandparents who were musicians before the start of World War II during the Great Depression, he was exposed to old time music styles of his Great Grandpa Reno who went to school in Kentucky to play fiddle, and his folks who played guitar, mandolin and sang

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During his college days he started performing solo acoustic shows at local coffee shops, restaurants and clubs around the college town of Carbondale, Illinois, it would be here that he began to build a cult following and later formed Indian Summer one of the first Americana bands of the early 90’s which were contemporaries of Son Volt and Wilco

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The Boston Globe and Dirty Linen magazine attributes Rick Droit as being “influential in helping to create and define the Americana music genre”

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In 1996 he moved again from Carbondale to Austin, Texas and began playing many popular local venues and was invited out to The Kerrville Folk Festival where he worked on staff and created a buzz even being filmed and broadcast on Germany’s Set 3 TV

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In 1997 he released his first solo album titled “Gyspy Love” which sold out during that years festival, his Kerrville fanbase grew and in 1998 he was voted by popular demand onto the Threadgill Stage performing for an audience of 700 supportive fans

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The song "Morning in December" stayed in the top ten Americana Music charts for over 72 weeks

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In 2000 he followed up with his sophomore CD “Laughing Like A Banshee” and performed on PBS Television and began touring the U.S., and the song "Sleepy Hollow" a duet remained in the top three for two solid years.

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In 2001 he took some time off to care for his elderly Grandmother, playing only a few shows, opening for Peter Rowan, doing an occasional festival or benefit concert.

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Recently his song “Turning Wild” recorded live at a venue in Austin Texas reached #1 on the Internet Music Charts and remained there for several weeks

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In 2009 he began recording his third studio CD in Austin Texas, the album titled “Return of the Firehorse” includes several special guests including Sara Hickman, Mark Hallman (formerly with Carole King), Kristin DeWitt, Christopher Yarrow, Warren Hood, and several others, due to be released in 2011 this is Rick’s finest quality recording to date with tour to follow, a welcome return to the music scene from a prolific and influential songwriter.

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