Popular bluegrass performer and noted luthier Rick Faris is set to be inducted into the Kansas Music Hall of Fame as part of their 2024 class. Induction will take place during a ceremony and concert on Saturday, April 20 at Liberty Hall in Lawrence, KS.
Faris, who until recently lived in Topeka, is a life long bluegrass artist who got his start with his family band as a boy. After 12 years with the Faris Family Bluegrass Band, Rick took a job with Special Consensus and spent the next 11 years touring with them, first on mandolin and then guitar. He credits his time with Special C for allowing him to mature and grow as a vocalist and a stage MC, though he chose to pursue a career as a solo artist in 2021.
Signed with Dark Shadow Recording, the three albums under his name have produced hit after hit on bluegrass radio, the most recent his bluegrass cover of The Power of Love.
As a luthier, Faris has recently been honored to accept a position holding down the new Kentucky Guitar Works @ The Center for Lutherie in Owensboro, KY. There he will build his Faris Guitars in a custom-built shop that will make the process of building and repairing instruments something the public can watch as it happens. Rick will also supervise apprentices who come to learn the craft in Owensboro.
He joins a class in the Kansas Music Hall of Fame that includes jazz vocalist Karrin Allyson, artistic director Ric Averill, jazz singer and songwriter Angela Hagenbach, Latin band Son Venezuela, and doo woo group The Scamps.
The Hall of Fame was established in 2004 and describes their purpose as follows:
The mission of the Kansas Music Hall of Fame is to honor the music, musicians and related institutions that have made a significant contribution to Kansas and the Greater Kansas City area. Our purpose is to recognize those of the past, present, and encourage those of the future.
Many congratulations to Rick Faris, and all the inductees into the Kansas Music Hall of Fame.
