{{Short description|American folk musician}} {{about||the French animated character|Chris Colorado}} {{Promotional|date=October 2024}} {{use mdy dates|date=October 2020}} {{Infobox person | name = Richard Julian | image = | caption = Richard Julian at the Rockwood Music Hall in New York City | birth_date = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1967|06|13}} | birth_place = Austin, Texas | occupation = Musician | module = {{Infobox musical artist|embed=yes | background = person | genre = {{hlist|Folk music||Jazz}} | label = Blue Note Records, Manhattan Records, Compass Records, My Good Man | website = {{URL|richardjulian.net}} }} }}

'''Richard Julian''' (born June 13, 1967) is an American composer, lyricist, and singer based in Brooklyn, New York. His music has been praised by musicians from Randy Newman.<ref>{{cite web | title=Drinks With Richard Julian | website=American Songwriter | date=2013-01-31 | url=https://americansongwriter.com/drinks-with-richard-julian/ | access-date=2024-10-10}}</ref> to Bonnie Raitt.<ref>{{cite web | title=Bonnie Raitt returns to Savannah with new 'Slipstream' album | website=Savannah Morning News | date=2012-10-09 | url=https://www.savannahnow.com/story/news/2012/10/09/bonnie-raitt-returns-savannah-new-slipstream-album/13453905007/ | access-date=2024-10-10}}</ref> He is also known for his collaborations with Norah Jones<ref>{{cite web | title=The Little Willies: For The Wrenching 'Good Times' | website=NPR | date=2012-01-17 | url=https://www.npr.org/2012/01/17/145337287/the-little-willies-for-the-wrenching-good-times | access-date=2024-10-10}}</ref> and as the co-founder and curator of the popular Brooklyn music venue Bar LunÁtico<ref>{{cite web | title=LunÀtico — Bar Review | website=Conde Nast Traveler | date=2022-04-19 | url=https://www.cntraveler.com/bars/brooklyn/lunatico | access-date=2024-10-10}}</ref>

==Early life and education== {{BLP unreferenced section|date=December 2024}} Julian was raised in Arden, Delaware and attended Mount Pleasant High School. Upon graduation, Julian lived briefly in Las Vegas, playing keyboards in a casino band before relocating to New York City to pursue a music career with his original songs.

==Career== After moving to New York City, Julian’s music remained a well-kept secret for over a decade before seeing the critical success of his independent 2002 release, ''Good Life''.<ref>{{cite web | title=WORDS AND THE MAN Two new singer-songwriters who know how to turn a phrase | website=New York Daily News | date=2002-01-20 | url=https://www.nydailynews.com/2002/01/20/words-and-the-man-two-new-singer-songwriters-who-know-how-to-turn-a-phrase/ | access-date=2024-10-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=LIVING FOR THE CITY. Richard Julian sings songs of yearning in a New York state of mind | website=New York Daily News | date=2006-01-22 | url=https://www.nydailynews.com/2006/01/22/living-for-the-city-richard-julian-sings-songs-of-yearning-in-a-new-york-state-of-mind/ | access-date=2024-10-10}}</ref> Julian’s music gained further prominence that year as the opener for Norah Jones' Come Away With Me tour<ref>{{cite web | title=The new norah | website=Los Angeles Times | date=2003-07-03 | url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-jul-30-et-hilburn30-story.html | access-date=2024-10-10}}</ref> — and subsequently, Julian and Jones teamed up to front The Little Willies, an urban country group which featured telecaster wizard Jim Campilongo. The group recorded two albums for Blue Note Records. During this fruitful period, Julian released two notable albums of his own on Manhattan Records — ''Slow New York'' (2006) and ''Sunday Morning In Saturday’s Shoes'' (2009) — which garnered critical acclaim<ref>{{cite web | title='Slow New York' with Richard Julian | website=NPR | date=2007-02-07 | url=https://www.npr.org/2006/02/07/5194829/slow-new-york-with-richard-julian | access-date=2024-10-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Richard Julian: Sunday Morning in Saturday's Shoes | website=Pop Matters | date=2008-04-16 | url=https://www.popmatters.com/richard-julian-sunday-morning-in-saturdays-shoes-2496160531.html | access-date=2024-10-10}}</ref> and brought headline appearances in the United States, Japan, and Europe. A brief move thereafter to New Orleans inspired Julian to hone his piano skills, integrating them alongside his trademark finger-style guitar. The result was ''Fleur De Lis'', recorded at Algiers Point and featuring legendary New Orleans musicians Jon Cleary, Johnny Vidacovich, and Terence Higgins.<ref>{{cite web | title=Richard Julian - "Play It Like It's Music" by Trevor Exter | website=Play It Like It’s Music | date=2019-12-17 | url=https://playitlikeitsmusic.substack.com/p/005-richard-julian-6f3 | access-date=2024-10-10}}</ref> Upon returning to New York City, Julian had a son and co-founded Bar LunÁtico,<ref>{{cite web | title=Richard Julian - The Absolute Best Bar In Bed Stuy | website=Grub Street | date=2017-04-04 | url=https://www.grubstreet.com/bestofnewyork/best-bars-in-bedstuy.html | access-date=2024-10-10}}</ref> the popular Brooklyn venue he co-owns and curates. Julian’s latest album, ''Hit & Run'', marks his first outing in ten years and features him mostly on electric keyboard and piano. Its ten original songs retain Julian’s evocative narratives while framing them with punchy vocal and brass arrangements. He is joined by a noteworthy array of musicians on the New York scene — a scene in which he plays an integral role through his curation at Bar LunÀtico. ''Hit & Run'' is set for release on streaming platforms and vinyl in 2025.

==Discography== === As leader === * ''Richard Julian'' (Blackbird, Sire, 1997) * ''Smash Palace'' (Blackbird, Sire, 1999) * ''Good Life'' (My Good Man, 2002) * ''Slow New York'' (Manhattan Records, 2006) * ''Sunday Morning In Saturday’s Shoes'' (Manhattan Records, 2008) * ''Girls Need Attention'' (Compass Records, 2010) * ''Fleur De Lis'' (My Good Man, 2012) * ''Hit And Run'' (To Be Released, 2025)

=== with The Little Willies === * ''The Little Willies'' (Blue Note Records, 2006) * ''For The Good Times'' (Blue Note Records, 2011)

=== with John Chin Quartet === * ''Anything Mose'' (Independent Release, 2021)<ref>{{cite web | title=Jazz Night in America | website=NPR | date=2022-06-03 | url=https://www.npr.org/2022/06/03/1102610072/honoring-the-iconic-blues-and-ironic-humor-of-mose-allison | access-date=2024-10-22}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Julian, Richard}} Category:1967 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century American keyboardists Category:21st-century American singer-songwriters Category:American country singer-songwriters Category:Country musicians from New York (state) Category:American folk singers Category:American jazz pianists Category:American jazz singers Category:American pop keyboardists Category:American pop pianists Category:American ballad musicians Category:Jazz musicians from New York (state) Category:Jazz-pop pianists Category:Jazz-pop singers Category:Singers from New York City Category:Singer-songwriters from New York (state) Category:Writers from Manhattan