Mary Bomar & Bob Ritter

 Mary Bomar and Bob Ritter met in 1989 in Nashville, Tennessee and since then have been performing their brand of contemporary folk  music.  They married in 1990 and have become known for their special blend of vocal harmony, guitar arrangements and easygoing stage manner.  Veterans of the small club and coffee house circuit, they have performed in several Nashville, Tennessee venues (including the nationally known Bluebird Cafe) as well as sites throughout the East and Midwest.  Their CD, " The First Step “,  is a collection of thought provoking songs, which gained wide recognition and has been hailed by many as inspirational and comforting.  

Since 1997 Mary and Bob have focused much of their musical energy on  LYRICS ALIVE,  a unique and collaborative creative writing and music program for school age children. The residency was developed to promote the fun and creative process of lyric and song writing, teamwork, setting goals, the sharing of thoughts and ideas, and in some cases, emotional healing.  LYRICS ALIVE    has been a huge success in participating schools.  

In June 2002 Mary and Bob bought a house and moved  to rural southeast Indiana on land once owned by Bob’s great-great grandfather.  From this inspiring location they continue to write their own material, perform in venues throughout the region, as well as promote and expand  LYRICS ALIVE.

 
Mary is from Cismont, Virginia.  She performed in the Charlottesville area as a solo act and with local favorites “Backstreet Mission” and “Watchtower” before moving to Nashville in 1985.  An extremely versatile vocalist, she takes audiences from a tender love song to a rocking, wailing blues number with ease.  She has written music for and sung in several documentaries including “Lady Liberty – A Musical Salute” narrated by Hal Linden.  She also had a brief appearance as a guitar playing mom in the motion picture “Trading Mom” starring Sissy Spacek and Maureen Stapleton.  She counts among her musical influences artists such as Joni Mitchell, Bonnie Raitt and Ray Charles.

Bob is from Indianapolis, Indiana.  He started performing in the Indianapolis area in Craig Blattner's band, then with Bill Rumely in an acoustic duo and later in the popular act, ”Acoustic Avenue”, before moving to Nashville in 1988.  A smooth guitar player, he has gained recognition for the visual imagery and storytelling lyrics in his songs.  Dan Fogelberg, James Taylor, Neil Young and John Denver are among artists who have influenced Bob's style.  Bob was a member of Indiana State University’s NCAA Runner-up Basketball team in 1979 and was inducted with that team to The ISU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2000.  In 2001 the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame named him to that year’s Silver Anniversary Team.

Go to www.BomarAndRitter.com or www.myspace.com/BomarAndRitter for their performance schedule.