Andrew Ripp

Singer/songwriter Andrew Ripp is an emotive performer with a soulful, contemporary pop sound. Initially, Ripp came to prominence as a songwriter, co-writing Ryan Cabrera’s 2005 hit “Shine On.” He then made his own mark, issuing several well-received independent albums including 2008′s Fifty Miles to Chicago and 2010′s She Remains the Same. His songs have also been featured on TV shows including House of Lies, One Tree Hill, and Vampire Diaries. Born in Palatine, Illinois in 1982, Ripp grew up in Chicago where he developed a love of music at a young age, singing along to songs in the family car and at church. By the time he graduated high school, he was playing guitar and piano, and writing his own songs. However, unsure of how to proceed in music, he spent time working with his dad refurbishing bathtubs and appliances prior to launching his career. An encouraging early meeting with Richard Marx (set up by family friend, pro-football coach Mike Singletary), buoyed the singer’s enthusiasm and sparked his move to Los Angeles to pursue his career. There, Ripp began taking classes at a community college and working on his music. One night, upon discovering that Ryan Cabrera was performing at the Viper Room, he showed up and gave the singer a demo tape of his songs. That same night, Cabrera called Ripp on the phone and the two eventually collaborated on material. Several of their co-written songs, including the number 25 Top 40 hit “Shine On,” ended up on Cabrera’s 2005 album You Stand Watching, which also landed on the Billboard Hot 100. From there, Ripp began working on his own recordings, and in 2008, he independently issued Fifty Miles to Chicago, which debuted at number one on online singer/songwriter charts. He also began licensing songs to television and scored airplay on shows like House of Lies and Vampire Diaries. He continued to develop his sound and hit the road, touring the U.S., Europe, and even playing for American troops stationed in the Middle East in 2009. The following year he released his sophomore album, the Dave Barnes-produced She Remains the Same. Around this time, Ripp relocated to Nashville, where he signed with Be Music & Entertainment. Working with Grammy-winning producer Charlie Peacock, he released his third album, Won't Let Go, in 2013. He followed up in 2014 with the stripped-down acoustic album called Simple, which featured acoustic versions of ten tracks from Won't Let Go, along with a cover of Justin Timberlake’s “Mirrors,” a crowd favorite from Ripp’s live set. The eponymous, Ed Cash-produced full-length Andrew Ripp arrived in 2015 and peaked at number six on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. After promoting the album, Ripp marked his tenth year of sobriety, and went on hiatus. He returned in 2018 with The Heart EP, the first half of a two-part album The Heart & The Soul. Included on the EP was the single “God Knows (Must Be Love).” ~ Matt Collar