Ric Sweeney was born in 1942 in Washington, D.C. His mother was from northern Alabama where she heard the brother-style duet harmonies and sacred heart singing in the region that spawned the Delmore and Louvin brothers.
In high school Ric learned every Everley Brothers record by heart and played rockabilly and R&B in bands that played for dances and parties. He also learned to play Bluegrass and was influenced by the duet singing of Lester Flatt and Curley Seckler. An especially important relic of that period was the LP SONGS OUR DADDY TAUGHT US featuring the Everleys’ singing songs that had ceased to be performed elsewhere, to a simple guitar accompaniment.

In the sixties Ric immersed himself in the Stanley Brothers and pre-war blues, and began the life long task of tracking down sources – and when available, recordings – of the old songs he heard. This led to new but powerful influences from performers such as the Delmore Brothers, the Blue Sky Boys and the Louvin Brothers.

Ric lives in Arlington, Virginia and for the past couple of decades has focused on composing tunes which he performs when opportunities present themselves. In the intervening years he played with bands in a variety of styles and settings, including square dances and taverns. He has also been featured at D.C. area festivals and events as a solo.