"In scorching form" (UK Telegraph), Northern California's own Rita Hosking sings of forest fires, culture clash, demolition derbies, the working class and hope. From major U.S. festivals to Bob Harris's BBC show, Rita is moving audiences around the globe with her stories in song and doubly sweet and sinewy voice, "a captivating performer," (R2 Magazine.)
Rita's style of country-folk has been lauded for story and sense of place, and her performances praised for capturing the audience. Honors include winner of the 2008 Dave Carter Memorial Songwriting Contest at the Sisters Folk Festival, finalist in the 2009 Telluride Music Festival Troubadour Contest, and more. "This California girl comes by her mountain-music sensibility with true authenticity, with original songs deeply rooted in her family's frontier experience," (Dan Ruby, FestivalPreview.com) and Rita's fans call her "the real deal". A descendant of Cornish miners who sang in the mines, Rita grew up with deep regard for folk music and the power of the voice.
Rita began recording and publishing in 2005 with Are You Ready?, and followed in 2007 with Silver Stream. Come Sunrise, Rita's 2009 record, won Best Country Album Vox Pop in the 2010 Independent Music Awards. Burn, from 2011, was placed in the top 10 "Young Female Artist releases for 2011" by No Depression magazine, and listed as a "Hidden Gem of 2011" by the UK's Observer. Both Come Sunrise and Burn were produced by Rich Brotherton--producer, engineer, and guitar player in the Robert Earl Keen Band. Rich's studio in Austin, Texas, Ace Recording, is where Rita recorded her most recent album as well. Like Come Sunrise and Burn, Rita's brand new 2013 release, Little Boat, was made with Brotherton at Ace Recording.
In live performance, Rita will play solo but most often appears as a duo with her husband Sean Feder on Dobro and banjo, or as a trio or quartet dubbed "Rita Hosking and Cousin Jack"--Sean Feder (Dobro/banjo), Andy Lentz (fiddle), and Bill Dakin (upright bass). Of recent, one or more of Rita and Sean's daughters will often join in as well. For more information on the accompanying musicians, please see the "musicians" page.
For an audio interview and discussion of Rita's latest release, with Allan Wilkinson of Northern Sky (UK), CLICK HERE.
banner photo by Sean Feder
