Rich Sheldon

Rich Sheldon came up busking-hard in West L.A. — 230 shows a year hard — before bringing his Americana folk and roots rock to Tampa Bay. The influences are the good ones: the Dead, Dylan, The Beatles, Bob Marley. The work ethic never left; he's one of the busiest gigging musicians on either coast.

The Rich Sheldon Band is a quietly stacked lineup: Steve Connelly (longtime guitarist for Roger McGuinn of The Byrds), Damon Navari on drums, Jeff Dilly on bass, and Matt Frick on keys. Ballads, blues, grooves, and classic-rock jams that stretch out and breathe.

His songs have landed on Ziggy Marley's radio station, a Showtime documentary, and a RELIX Magazine jam compilation — and lately on stages from the Sunshine Get Down festival to breweries all over the Bay.