Meet Richard Blair | Musician

We had the good fortune of connecting with Richard Blair and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Richard, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Risk is necessary. It’s when our convictions really show up–do I believe in what it is I’m doing?–particularly with art. Daring greatly; not being driven by fear; overcoming any sense of internal strife. That’s all risk. Getting out of bed in the morning can be risky. But what if you don’t do it? There’s breath in my lungs and blood pumping through my body, so I’d better take the risk and get moving. I started sharing music through measured (yet consistently increasing) risk because at the end of the day I can live with failure but not regret.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
The primary lesson I’ve learned is to keep moving, preferably forward. In the world of music, that means keep practicing; keep writing; keep performing; keep recording. It goes back to the discussion of risk. Without some semblance of risk, how do we get anywhere? The business of music can be frustrating–especially in the era of streaming and ever-changing tastes. But it’s a world I didn’t expect to connect with. So when I get the opportunity, I hope to look another person in the eye, to treat that person like a fellow human being, to speak with compassion. And if it’s through music, well, that’s just another gift.

Nothing worth doing is easy, at least if you want to do it well. That’s partly why we play under the banner “Rolling Boxcar International.” We’re not racing, but we’re not idling. We want our work to be intentional, not disposable. And hopefully there’s some element of universality to the humanity we’re presenting.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
This tour starts and ends in Mill Creek Park–over 4000 acres of land in and around Youngstown. It could take us a week just to see the highlights such as Fellows Riverside Garden, Lanterman’s Mill, the Suspension Bridge, and Ford Nature Center. Not to mention the trails! So much to see.

Eventually we’d need to emerge from the wilderness, so I’d say heading to the Butler Museum of American Art is a more-than-worthwhile stop. It houses a large permanent collection as well as a rotating gallery of visual art.

There are so many classic Youngstown places to eat. But we’re known as the Pizza Capital of the World. And everyone has an opinion of the best place in town, so I won’t name any names. Skip the chains, and you can’t go wrong.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My wife is my number one fan, consistently encouraging me to go and do, to create and share, to move and live. It’s incredibly inspiring to have someone alongside you who believes in what you’re doing. That includes the other members of Rolling Boxcar International (Angelo, Tony, and Michael) and their wives. And I’m thankful for my family and friends who continue to show up, cheer, and participate in all the adventures.

Website: linktr.ee/rollingboxcarinternational

Instagram: @rollingboxcarinternational

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rollingboxcarinternational

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@rollingboxcarinternational4352