John Tindel plays guitar and piano in the Santa Cruz, California-based trio RST and writes the "Flatpicking and Folk/Acoustic Rock" column for Flatpicking Guitar Magazine. John plays Martin guitars, or, as he says, "any other ones he can get his hands on." John is originally from Kansas and has spent many a night displaying his flatpicking talents around the campfires at the famed Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, Kansas (host of the National Flatpicking Championships). In fact, John's love for flatpicking was sparked by hearing Dan Crary play at Walnut Valley nearly 20 years ago.
John's current band, RST, came to life when Geffrey Rutledge and Lennox Smith, performing as Two Left Hands, teamed with John in Key West, where they had became the house band at the famed Sloppy Joe's (novelist Ernest Hemingway's old haunt). The chemistry was right and they decided to take the next step and began writing original songs together.
Upon moving to California, things started going in the right direction for the band. After spending a year in the studio writing songs and developing their unique sound, they earned the reputation as the most happening band to hit the West Coast in years. Chris Jackson, a DJ at KUFX Radio 94.5 FM, said, "RST is the best band to come out of the South Bay since the Doobie Brothers."
Russ Kunkel (verteran Drummer, James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Stevie Nicks, etc. and the producer of Jimmy Buffets Fruitcakes CD) liked what he heard so much that he personally took RST into the studio and produced their debut CD. Russ not only produced and played drums on the project but brought in some of the best musicians in the business to help with the sessions, including Leland Sklar (bass, James Taylor, Phil Collins, etc.), Dean Parks (guitar, Steely Dan), Mark Russo (saxophone, Yellowjackets, Kenny Loggins) and Sean Hopper (organ, Huey Lewis and the News.)
RST's roots and influences vary, with Rutledge and Tindel growing up in the Midwest and Smith hailing from the Gulf Coast. All grew up listening to James Taylor, CSN and the like, but they also developed audio palettes that included country, classical and progressive music. Their self-produced second CD How Do We Get There? shows a return to their acoustic origins, weaving tales of Americana with their trademark three part harmonies.
WHAT "THEY" SAY ABOUT RST
"You guys are great! I love the way your harmonies lock even down to the vibrato. So if anybody tells you that you sound like CSN, you tell them to kiss your three part butts!" ...David Crosby (Crosby, Stills and Nash)
"I believe in RST because they have the heart, soul and talent to do what it takes... It can happen for them.." ...Russ Kunkel (Producer RST's 1st CD.)
"Having the opportunity to be on stage with RST was absolutely the highlight of my visit. They have come so far together and have melded into quite a "smash" waiting to happen. I'm privileged to have had a small taste of what they're all about." ...Jimmy Joe Ruggiere (Travis Tritt Band)