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It's All Vaudeville

Stephen Lee Rich

Home
Bio
Music
Contact SLR
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What Just Happened?
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Photos
- Capitol Sing #309
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It's All Vaudeville

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Yodel Exercise 1

From the recording The Yodel Challenge

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Yodel Exercise 1
by Stephen Lee Rich

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Born in Chicago and raised in its northern suburbs, Stephen Lee Rich spent much of his childhood imitating the comedians, singers, and cartoons he saw on television. From age six he knew he wanted to be an entertainer.

He began his career in the summer of 1972. Since then he’s worked in comedy clubs, concert venues, festivals, coffeehouses, theater, radio, and webcasting.

He started as a folksinger, then, when that market played out in the mid-1970’s he made the lateral move to comedy clubs. He worked in Chicago clubs such as Zanies (the original location on Wells St.), Kobart’s Komedy Kove, and the Comedy Cottage.

In the mid-1980’s he left comedy to return to music, singing with a long string of Country cover bands.

In 1995 he moved to Madison, WI where he found a thriving acoustic music scene. He soon became one of Madison’s favorite MC’s, hosting at open mics, festivals, and showcases all over town.

During that time he performed on several local radio programs, including Wisconsin Public Radio’s (WPR) “Simply Folk”, WORT’s “Back To The Country”, and five appearances on WPR’s “Higher Ground”.

In 2002 he released his first CD, “Facing Monday” and began touring throughout the Midwest. He later expanded his reach touring through the Mid-Atlantic states and New England.

In 2012 he expanded his talent to acting when he was invited to be a part of an original musical comedy called “Caffeine Dreams” by Joe Vosen, produced by the Sun Prairie Civic Theater. He’s been in several plays with that company since like “The Adams Family” (as an Adams ancestor and the monster that lived under Pugsley’s bed), and “Cotton Patch Gospel” (as a televangelist). He also acted in a recreation of the 1948 broadcast of the radio version of the film “It’s A Wonderful Life” in which he portrayed Mr. Potter, the greedy banker.

2013 brought a new challenge. Stephen produced, recorded, and voiced twenty episodes of a three minute comedy spot called “Penguin Shoeshine Theater” which was broadcast on KOPN in Columbia, MO as part of their “Sunday Morning Coffeehouse” program.