Rich Levering
With an appealing blend of luck, pluck and sheer musical talent, the budding singer/songwriter Rich Levering has launched a career that promises to take this gifted Philadelphia native all the way.
You can hear that promise fulfilled on the four exemplary tracks that make up Lovers/Haters, the artists stunning demo. With a formidable ear for timeless melodies, a keen lyrical sensibility and a natural knack for heartfelt performances, Rich Levering is one of the most impressive new arrivals on the modern musical scene.
A recent Berklee School of Music graduate, Rich realized his passion for creating music at the ripe ol age of 5, when he discovered that he had a voice and gift for the guitar. Natural, also, was Richs affinity for a wide variety of musical styles, from the classics Elvis and Sinatra to modern day artists such as John Mayer, Sublime, Bob Marley, Stevie Wonder, Glove and, most importantly, Jeff Buckley all of these artists have contributed to his sound.
It would be awhile, however, before the fledgling songwriter had a chance to express his own feelings and life lessons in his songwriting. I got into the obligatory high school band, he continues, but we spent most of our time trying to think of a cool name. Eventually, I just started playing on my own, mostly on open mic nights in clubs and coffee houses around the country. Ill never forget the thrill of seeing my name in yellow chalk on a blackboard at a local hangout. It felt like I was on my way.
Indeed he was. Writing new material at a steady clip, his increasingly assured solo performances yielded a wealth of original material resulting in an independent record and a fervent and growing following in the process. Richs performance venues have encompassed a variety of locales; from the underground acoustics of Boston and New York City subway stations and cafes to the heat and holler of Anaheim, Californias famous stage at the House of Blues, all the way down south to the Big Easy. He even set up shop for brief time in Amsterdam and Paris.
The result is Lovers/Haters, a collection of four original songs that together serve notice of a major new musical talent at the beginning of a long and richly rewarding career. High energy really characterizes the overwhelming personality of the disc. He has a very strong spirit that lends itself to the two punchier tracks, like the infectious Lucy and rousing Love Games. He then switches gears and highlights his strong vocal ability with the beautiful Three Little Words and Sleepy Night Night. Rich Levering showcases a creative confidence and intuitive grasp of melodic and lyrical interplay that would be rare in an artist twice his age.
In his debut, Rich merges his smooth pop-rock vocals with soul infections, a cascade of infectious grooves, playful dance beats and countless instantly-memorable hooks. With catchy tracks and an emotive voice, the 24-year old Levering revs up his musical appeal and unleashes a winning blend of heartfelt love songs and immensely appealing slices of bar-friendly, soul-infused pop.
I feel like this is something Ive been preparing for my whole life, Rich asserts enthusiastically. All in all, he has a simple but generous message to share he would like to comfort and inspire a few people if he can. In essence, his energy and fun spirit will do that with one listen.
Rich currently resides in Philadelphia and has a long-running website, richlevering.com.
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