Rick performs entertaining and enlightening music and history programs

Rick Pickren performs the very finest in music and history programs for Libraries, Seniors, Historical Societies, Schools and Museums.

Wednesday, December 20, 2023

(It's Christmas Time) Out on the Range

Merry Christmas!


                                        Words & Music © Rick Pickren, PickrenSongs-ASCAP

Tuesday, December 12, 2023

2023 Performance Schedule

                                               2023 PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

                  To book a performance call (708) 366-6040 or richardpickren@gmail.com


Jan   13    Tabor Hills, Road Trip: A Sentimental Journey,, Naperville, IL 1:30
Jan   18    The Holmstad, Road Trip: A Sentimental Journey, Batavia, IL 2 pm
Jan   19    Beacon Hill, Road Trip: A Sentimental Journey, Lombard, IL 3 pm
Jan   20    Brookdale Lisle Road Trip: A Sentimental Journey, Lisle, IL 2:30

Feb   8     Hoffman Estates Village Hall, Songs of Love & Romance, Hoffman Estates, IL 1 pm
Feb  10    The Holmstad, Songs of Love & Romance, Batavia, IL 2:30 pm
Feb  14    Green Fields, Songs of Love & Romance, Geneva, IL 2 pm
Feb  19    Brookdale, Songs of Love & Romance, Hoffman Estates, IL 1 pm
Feb  24    Elmhurst Park District, Songs of Love & Romance, Elmhurst, IL 12:30 pm

Mar  9     Victory Lakes, Songs of Ireland, Lindenhurst, IL 1:30 & 3 pm
Mar 10    Peace Village, Songs of Ireland, Palos Park, IL 2 pm
Mar 13    Pleasant View, Songs of Ireland, Ottawa, IL 2 pm
Mar 14    Frisbie Center, Songs of IrelandDes Plaines, IL 12:30
Mar 15    Glenview Park District, Songs of Ireland, Glenview, IL 1 pm
Mar 16    Oak Trace, Songs of Ireland, Downers Grove, IL 2 pm
Mar 16    Central Baptist Village, Songs of Ireland, Norridge, IL 6:30
Mar 17    Church Creek, Songs of Ireland, Arlington Heights, IL 12:30
Mar 17    The Moorings, Songs of IrelandArlington Heights, IL 2:30 pm
Mar 17    Beacon Hill, Songs of IrelandLombard, IL 7 pm
Mar 20    Encore, Songs of Ireland, Crystal Lake, IL 3 pm
Mar 21    Chestnut Square, Songs of Ireland, Glenview, IL 7 pm
Mar 28    Heritage Woods, Songs of Ireland, South Elgin IL 2 pm

April   5   The Garlands, Familiar Folk Songs, Barrington, IL 3pm
April 10-14      Unavailable
April 20   Victorian Village, Think Spring!, Homer Glen, IL 2:30
April 23   American Legion 541, Pop Hits of the 60s, Niles, IL 2 pm
April 26   The Holmstad, Derby Days! Batavia, IL 2 pm
April 28   Vassar Comfort Care, Familiar Folk Songs, Vassar, MI 11 am
April 28   Winter Village, Road Trip: A Sentimental Journey, Frankenmuth, MI 2pm
April 30   Brookdale, Derby Days! Hoffman Estates, IL 1 pm

May   4   Anthology, Derby Days!, Wheaton, IL 2:30
May   5   Church Creek, Derby Days! Arlington Heights, IL 1:30
May   5   Beacon Hill, Derby Days! Lombard, IL 7 pm
May   6   The Moorings, Derby Days! Arlington Heights, IL 2 pm
May   8   Greenfields, Derby Days! Geneva, IL 2 pm
May  11  Morton Grove Woman's Club, Old Time Rock n Roll, Johnny's-Glenview, IL 1:30
May  12  Resurrection Village, Derby Days! Chicago, IL 1:30
May   16-21 Unavailable
May  22  Heritage Woods, Road Trip: A Sentimental Journey, Huntley, IL 2 pm
May  24  Tabor Hills, The Stars & Stripes, Naperville, IL 1 pm 
May  25  The Reserve, The Stars & Stripes, Geneva, IL 4 pm
May  26  Encore, The Stars & Stripes, Crystal Lake, IL 2 pm
May  29  Brookdale, The Stars & Stripes, Hoffman Estates, IL 11 am
May  29  Brookdale, The Stars & Stripes, Oak Park, IL 2 pm

June  2    Tabor Hills, Songs of the Singing Cowboys, Naperville, IL 1:30
June  6    Aurora Retired Teachers, The Stars & Stripes, Batavia, IL 12:30 pm
June 14   Sheridan at Green Oaks, The Stars & Stripes, Libertyville, IL 2 pm
June 15   Oakbrook Park District, Music of the 50s & 60s, Oakbrook, IL 3 pm
June 16   Heritage Woods, Songs for Father's Day, Rockford, IL 2 pm
June 21   Beacon Hill, Afternoon Music!, Lombard, IL 3-5 pm
June 24   American House Cedar Lake, Old Time Rock N Roll, Plainfield, IL 2 pm
June 26   Niles Senior Center, Old Time Rock N Roll, Niles, IL 1:45
June 30   Covenant Living Geneva, The Stars & Stripes, Geneva, IL 3 pm
June 30   The Greens, The Stars & Stripes, Elgin, IL 6:30

July   3   Pleasant View, The Stars & Stripes, Ottawa, IL 2 pm
July   4   Dimensions Living, The Stars & Stripes, Burr Ridge, IL 1 pm
July   4   Brookdale, The Stars & Stripes, Oak Park, IL 3:30 pm
July   5   Greencastle, The Stars & Stripes, North Aurora, IL 2 pm
July   6   Victory Lakes, The Stars & Stripes, Lindenhurst, IL 1:30 & 3 pm
July   7   The Holmstad, The Stars & Stripes, Batavia, IL 1:30 pm
July 15   Encore, Songs of the Singing Cowboys, Crystal Lake, IL 3 pm
July 19   The Garlands, Songs of the Singing Cowboys, Barrington, IL 3 pm
July 19   The Oaks, Songs of the Singing Cowboys, Bartlett, IL 5:30
July 20   Beacon Hill, Marketing Event, Lombard, IL 2-4 pm
July 23   Brookdale, Songs of the Singing Cowboys, Hoffman Estates, IL 1 pm
July 28   Vassar Comfort Care, Familiar Favorites, Vassar MI 11 am
July 28   Winter Village, Songs of the Singing Cowboys, Frankenmuth, MI 2 pm

Aug   1   Wauconda Senior Club, Road Trip: A Sentimental Journey, Wauconda, IL 1 pm
Aug   3   Brookdale, Songs of the Singing Cowboys, Des Plaines, IL 6:30
Aug   4   Oak Trace, Songs of the Singing Cowboys, Downers Grove, IL 2 pm
Aug   4   Town & Country Library, Trad Folk Songs, Elburn, IL 5 pm
Aug  11  Church Creek, Pop Hits of the 60s, Arlington Heights, IL 1:30
Aug 17   Beacon Hill, Music of the 50s & 60s, Lombard, IL 11 am-1 pm
Aug 16   Batavia Park District, Old Time Rock N Roll, Batavia, IL 1 pm
Aug 26   Brookdale, Songs of the Singing Cowboys, Vernon Hills, IL 7 pm
Aug 31   Heritage Woods, Old Time Rock N Roll, Bolingbroke, IL 2 pm

Sept  7   Alto Senior Living, Songs of the Singing Cowboys, Wheaton, IL 2:30
Sept  8   Beacon Hill, Songs of the Singing Cowboys, Lombard, IL 7 pm
Sept 10  Alden Estates, Songs of the Singing Cowboys, Huntley, IL 1:30
Sept 10  Alden Courts, Familiar Favorites, Huntley, IL 2:30
Sept 19  Lutheran Home, Road Trip: A Sentimental Journey. Arlington Heights, IL 2 pm
Sept 22  Friendship Village,  Songs of the Singing Cowboys, Schaumburg, IL 7 pm
Sept 27  American House Cedar Lake, Songs of the Singing Cowboys, Plainfield, IL 2 pm
Sept 29  Brookdale, Songs of the Singing Cowboys, Lisle, IL 2:30

Oct  6   Vassar Comfort Care, Old Time Rock n Roll, Vassar, MI 11 am
Oct  6   Winter Village, Old Time Rock n Roll, Frankenmuth, MI 2 pm
Oct  11  Greenfields, Ghost Riders & Other Spooky Songs, Geneva, IL 2 pm
Oct  13  Solstice Senior Living, Ghost Riders & Other Spooky Songs, Palatine, IL 3:30
Oct  20  Aspired Living, Ghost Riders & Other Spooky Songs, Prospect Heights, IL 3:30
Oct  24  Encore, Ghost Riders & Other Spooky Songs, Crystal Lake, IL 2 pm
Oct  27  Tabor Hills, Ghost Riders & Other Spooky Songs, Naperville, IL 1:30
Oct  28  Villa Park Library, Ghost Riders & Other Spooky Songs, Villa Park, IL 6:30
Oct  29  Bethlehem Woods, Ghost Riders & Other Spooky Songs, LaGrange, lL 1:15 & 2:30
Oct  30  Bloomingdale PD, Ghost Riders & Other Spooky Songs, Bloomingdale, IL 11:30
Oct  31  Tabor Hills, Ghost Riders & Other Spooky Songs, Naperville, IL 1:30
Oct  31  Oak Trace, Ghost Riders & Other Spooky Songs, Downers Grove, IL 3:30

Nov  3    The Holmstad Ekstam, The Stars & Stripes, Batavia, IL 2 pm
Nov  5    Brookdale, The Stars & Stripes, Hoffman Estates, IL 1 pm
Nov  7    Victory Lakes, The Stars & Stripes, Lindenhurst, IL 1:30 & 3 pm
Nov  8    Addison Park District, The Stars & Stripes, Addison, IL 1 pm
Nov  9    Lisle Park District, The Stars & Stripes, Lisle, IL 1 pm
Nov  9    Lake Forest Place, The Bashful Brothers Perform!, Lake Forest, IL 6 pm
Nov 10   The Oaks, The Stars & Stripes, Bartlett, IL 11 am 
Nov 10   The Moorings, The Stars & Stripes, Arlington Heights, IL 2 pm
Nov 11   Dimensions Living, The Stars & Stripes, Burr Ridge, IL 2 pm
Nov 13   Alto Senior Living, The Stars & Stripes, Wheaton, IL 2:30
Nov 15   Church Creek, Songs of the Singing Cowboys, Arlington Heights, IL 1:30
Nov 17-25 Unavailable
Nov 30   Carriage Oaks, A Prairie Holiday, Geneva, IL 2 pm


Dec   3   Brookdale Oak Park, A Prairie Holiday, Oak Park, IL 1-3 pm
Dec   4   PleasantView, A Prairie Holiday, Ottawa, IL 2 pm
Dec   7   Green Fields, A Prairie Holiday, Geneva, IL 2 pm
Dec   8   The Moorings, A Prairie Holiday, Arlington Heights, IL 2-4
Dec  10  Woodridge Public Library, A Prairie Holiday, Woodridge, IL 2 pm
Dec  15  Encore, A Prairie Holiday, Crystal Lake, IL 3 pm
Dec  18  Heritage Woods, A Prairie Holiday, Huntley, IL 1 pm
Dec  21  Brookdale, A Prairie Holiday, Des Plaines, IL 6:30
Dec  28  Wauconda Park District, Rescheduled for 1/10, Wauconda, IL 12:30
Dec  31  Casa Scalabrini, New Years Eve Brunch, Northlake, IL 11-1 pm

Wednesday, January 4, 2023

St. Patrick's Day Flyer

                                        Many consider St. Patrick's Day the beginning of spring.
     I particularly enjoy the month of March because I get to perform my favorite Irish songs!

My St. Patrick's Day flyer is here.
Give me a call or send me an email to schedule a program for your party or group.

SLAINTE!

Thursday, May 14, 2020

Go Down To The River in Ukranian

A wonderful virtual performance of my song "Go Down To The River" sung in Ukrainian is here.
Thank you to the young folks at Druzhba Church, Ternopil, Ukraine for posting their performance. I'm honored!  Arrangement by Joel Raney, Hope Music.

Friday, February 21, 2020

Rick Pickren's POP HITS OF THE 60'S

Rick's brand new program features the number # 1 hits of the 1960's...songs and stories from from every year of the decade! A link to the brochure is here.

Thursday, February 15, 2018

Academy of Western Artists Nomination

I'm honored to have been nominated by The Academy of Western Artists as one of the five finalist for Best Western Artist of 2017. The awards show is on March 17 in Fort Worth, Tx. Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend due a heavy week of performing my Celtic Cowboy program. Doggone. Hate to miss it.
My new CD, Pale Moon on the Prairie, was nominated as Best Western Album but, alas, it didn't finish in the top five. A number of songs from the album were also nominated including Pale Moon on the Prairie, Swingin' Through The Sagebrush, Beneath the Apple Trees, A Cowboy Needs a Horse and one I wrote with lyricist Dennis Goodwin about Roy and Dale called God Save the King and Queen.  Dennis put together a nice video of the song.
Here's the link. Let me know what you think!