This week on Thinkin’ & Drinkin’ Bart talks with Jimmy Ritchey. Jimmy comes on and shares about his path to Nashville. Jimmy has done it all - songwriting, sessions player, producing records, publishing company and artist manager. Listen in for great stories and lots of laughs.
Meet Jimmy Ritchey: Jimmy Ritchey is an American country music songwriter and record producer from Centralia, Washington. The variety of Jimmy Ritchey's music-industry contributions is as impressive as the speed with which he has accomplished them. In the span of just over a decade, he has co-written four top-10 hits, produced albums for more than 10 artists, played on dozens of recording sessions, and created his own song-publishing company. He has also toured coast-to-coast as a road musician.
Ritchey's career took hold shortly after his move to Nashville in 1995 with the goal of using his talent to take him on the road in tour buses and into recording studios. Within months of arriving, he was hired to go on the road with Ronna Reeves followed by a stint with Kid Lonesome. This led to an introduction to singer Tommy Shane Steiner and eventually the opportunity to produce Steiner's album with RCA. The record label initially wanted producers Paul Worley and Frank Liddell to produce the album, but after encouragement from both, agreed to allow Ritchey to produce it
In 2010, Ritchey opened Vibe Room Music, a collaborative venture with the late publishing veteran Jeff Carlton and several talented songwriters, including country stars Sam Hunt and Pam Tillis
Ritchey co-wrote several songs that have charted on Hot Country Songs
He signed an exclusive agreement with BMG Chrysalis on December 3, 2012. Ritchey has had over 40 songs recorded by major-label artists. As a record producer, he has worked with Owen, Chesnutt, Greg Bates, and Clay Walker.
Ritchey is currently managing emerging Sony country artist Robert Counts and recently returned from a tour in Germany. He also performed with Ellinor Springstrike in the 2019 "An American Christmas" held in Umea, Sweden. He was recently honored to be named 2020 Distinguished Alumnus by the Centralia College Foundation.
What Bart has to say: Jimmy has done everything from producing records to playing in bands to picking me up at the airport after my grandpa passed away. He’s a very serious and intense guy who never takes himself too seriously.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
How Jimmy went from being a country sideman/car salesman to moving to Nashville at 25
Jimmy discussed starting a publishing company (with his first writer signed by Sam Hunt) to what it’s like being a producer and now manager to Robert Counts
Links to Connect: