R.A. Lautenschlager
Detailed Biography
With a Masters from Yale University and a PhD from the University of Maine, Dr. R. A. Lautenschlager [Lau (rhymes with "now") - ten - schlager (like logger)] is used to balancing his musical career and his scientific one.
R.A. has played from BC to NL and South to Virginia Beach in the US, both alone and with sidemen. R.A. was working with Folk and Country-Rock groups long before his academic career, at one point leading the New York-based Aberdeen Street Band and sharing stages with musical greats ranging from Pete Seeger to Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee.
It's the Science that pays the bills, however, and his musical interests had to take a back seat for a few years while he concentrated on academics and his ecology focused "day job". Following graduation, marriage, a move to Ontario, an the birth of his two children, he again started making more time for music; eventually working and recording with Canadian great sideman Tom Bird. That collaboration led to the production of his first two CDs (Father's Boots - 2002 and Remember - 2003 - recorded at the Red Gecko) which thrust R.A. back into the musical swing in a big way.
Since moving to the East Coast in 2002, R.A. has teamed up with some of the East Coast's musical greats - producing his third (Never Alone - 2004), and fourth (Kiss My Axe - 2005) CDs in Halifax. Like his previous work, those CDs have been played across the country and have received outstanding reviews. R.A. released his 5th CD, No More War in 2007, and his 6th Songs for Seasons will be released in October 2008.
These days, although he occasionally plays clubs and other gigs in the northeastern US, R.A. concentrates on writing, recording (now at Patchworks in NB), and playing within a few hours of his Sackville, NB home. R.A. writes and signs a variety of difficult-to-categorize story songs that draw on his folk, country, blues, pop, and rock musical roots.
His songs have universal themes and range from poignant love songs (love lost and found), the quirky and unconventional (aging, body piercing...), Peace and the Environment, to relationships and family. R.A. has been presented multi-media productions, backed by the Pop/Folk group the North Stars; fronted 8 BALL, a Rockin'Blues group, and in December 2007 two of his Christmas songs (found at www.myspace.com/ralautens) were played across Canada.
R.A. has become a regular on Global Noon, Breakfast TV, and Rogers Cable's The Songwriter's Circle, has been featured on CBC's Atlantic Airwaves, C103's Action Atlantic, Q103's East Coast Country, and the Tide's Hometown Gig. He recently opened for Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, shared a singer/songwriter night with the UK's Hannah O'Riley, and (backed by the North Stars) contributed to a Conservation Concert along with Isaac and Blewett and Teresa Ennis.
Listening to R.A. is great, but it best to catch the energy, emotion, creativity, and fun of R.A. live; either alone, with a band, or during one of his multi-media presentations.
Others say R.A is:
"One of Canada's most prolific Songwriters" - Duane Lowe: Global TV
"A joy to listen to and watch play"- Jason Baxter - Breakfast TV
"I love that front-porch sound" - Bob Mersereau - CBC Radio
"I've worked with the great North American musicians during the past 30 years - they have nothing on R.A.'s live performances." - Harland Suttis - Suttis Guitar Technologies
"Since I first heard R.A., I have included him in every Songwriter's Circle session; he turns them into major events" - Blair Patton - Roger Songwriter's Circle/C-103 Radio
Contact Information: R.A. Lautenschlager, PO Box 6416, Sackville, NB E4L 1G6; Phone: 506-364-2661; email: rlautenschlager@mta.ca; website:http://users.eastlink.ca/~ral/; http://www.myspace.com/ralautens