Rich Swanger is an Oregon-based songwriter rooted in folk, gospel, and country blues. Raised in the Appalachian hills of Pennsylvania, he grew up singing in church choirs and listening to his father play country classics—early influences that shaped his love for timeless melodies and sturdy songwriting.

A reflective, wry American folk storyteller, Swanger weaves myth, memory, and musical lineage into songs that explore the tension between control, fate, and revelation. His work drifts between mystical guidance and earthly reckoning, always through a poetic, human-centered lens. Rooted in the storytelling traditions of folk and country, his songs are lanterns swinging in the dark—familiar, warm, and just a little lonesome.

Swanger’s music has appeared on the television series Shameless, and his song “Didn’t Make a Sound” won the Portland Folk Festival songwriting contest. He has released four full-length albums and performs regularly throughout the Pacific Northwest.

SOUNDS LIKE: Sturgill Simpson, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Josh Ritter, Van Morrison, The Band, Hiss Golden Messenger, Bob Dylan