Saturdays in September: Richard Blair

Richard Blair, singer-songwriter and Truckee resident for 30+ years has recorded two

CDs (third in the making) about Truckee’s early history in the late 1800’s. The songs

are the “old” stories put to “modern” folk-roots/Americana melodies. In troubadour

style, stories about Truckee and Tahoe are woven between each song to give the listener a

background and a sense of their historic significance. How the names on subdivisions,

developments, streets, mountain peaks and the town of Truckee are brought to light.

Pioneers that settled the area and events that shaped Truckee, like the railroad, are

celebrated in the songs with a humorous twist and relevancy to how we haven’t really

changed that much.

“The Russell Valley studio has been the perfect place to write, record and preserve some

of Truckee’s often overlooked heritage”. Inspiration for the songs come from Truckee’s

unique past and the influence of the gold rush and the westward expansion of the railroad.

“With hundreds of melodies in my head and the unlimited stories about Truckee, it made

the perfect combination for keeping the stories and history of Truckee alive and

remembered. Audiences learn something new about Truckee and leave with a sense of

local pride.

Writing songs about early life in Truckee, and then singing and sharing them with others

in Truckee, is truly “Truckee Home Grown”. Tourists and locals alike all know about

the Donner Party, but names like Shaffer, Judah, Jibboom, Greenwood, Trokay and Boca,

grace local housing developments, reservoirs and streets that are only the names behind

stories and people that shaped Truckee. And of course, there is a song about how

Truckee got its name from Chief Trokay.

These songs are Richard Blair’s effort to celebrate Truckee’s past and keep the area’s

history alive one song at a time.

Visit www.truckeeblair.com to learn more!