Obit: Richie Shulberg/Wretched Refuse String Band

Subject: Obit: Richie Shulberg/Wretched Refuse Striing
From: Mark Ross
Date: 14 Mar 09 - 07:58 PM

Just received word on Facebook that my old friend Richie Shulberg died of a heart attack today. He led the infamous Wretched Refuse String Band in NYC, an inspirational, infuriating, and eclectic aggravation of musicians. He will be missed. I almost called him on the phone a couple of times in the last few weeks and I regret not having done so. I guess his new address will be Fiddlers Green.
He was also known as Citizen Kafka and used to have a show on WBAI.

Here's a link to some videos of The Wretched Refuse from their appearance at Jalopy last year.

You Tube listings/Wretched Refuse String Band

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Obit: Richie Shulberg/Wretched Refuse String Band
From: RangerSteve
Date: 15 Mar 09 - 10:20 AM

Richie also co-hosted the Secret Museum radio show along with Pat Conte. The show is archived on the internet, but I don't have the web address handy. I had the pleasure of being invited onstage with the Refuse for a show at the South St. Seaport years ago. I was just starting out playing music and Richie's invitation to join them was a great confidence-booster. I got out of touch with a lot of the NYC musicians when I left the city, and only recently got in touch with a lot of them through Facebook. This latest news hit me hard. Richie was a wonderful guy and will be remembered for years to come.

Subject: RE: Obit: Richie Shulberg/Wretched Refuse String B
From: GUEST,Jeannie Myers
Date: 15 Mar 09 - 02:08 PM

Richie was a wonderful, kind person. I saw him last at our annual reunion. We had to have it indoors because of the rain but being in a small space allowed us to talk more. Richie let me play his fiddle and we took a lot of breaks outside to eat and chat. He came over to my house 20 years ago and bought my record collection. If you'd like to see many pictures of him, please look at the Washington Square Reunion 2008 album on my website. There are also pictures of him on 2005. This is hitting our community really hard. He was so special. Rest in peace Richie, you will be so missed. Love, Jeannie Here's the url:

http://www.picturetrail.com/bluegrassandbaroque

Subject: RE: Obit: Richie Shulberg/Wretched Refuse String Band
From: GUEST,Karen Parkside Lounge
Date: 15 Mar 09 - 05:06 PM

Always a kind an lovely man to me and all of us at the Parkside.
It is sorrowful to lose another of our musical treasures.

Subject: RE: Obit: Richie Shulberg/Wretched Refuse String Band
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Mar 09 - 11:24 PM

I used to see the Refuse all the time when I lived in the city...I was excited when they moved across the street from me at 650 Ocean Ave. I was younge but they would sometimes let me join in..."Hold my pickle, stroke my lettuce..."

Richie was an insperation and opened doors for me I only started appreciating as I got older...

joelstein

Subject: RE: Obit: Richie Shulberg/Wretched Refuse String Band
From: GUEST,Lee Shapiro
Date: 18 Mar 09 - 01:05 AM

Anyone know if there will be a memorial service (or party) anywhere?
email me click here
I went to Stuyvesant with him and David Nicturne and years later wretched refuse played at my wedding

Subject: RE: Obit: Richie Shulberg/Wretched Refuse String Band
From: Mark Ross
Date: 18 Mar 09 - 09:17 AM

Services for Richie were held on Monday. I am told, appropriately enough, Richie was late for his own funeral.

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Obit: Richie Shulberg/Wretched Refuse String Band
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Mar 09 - 09:47 AM

Here's what I remember of Richie: Brooklyn College, probably 1970-71. The core of what I recall as the Wretched Refuse String Band would assemble in SUBO, or by one of the grassy areas near either Ingersoll or Boylan Halls. Richie had this great, big beard, then dark with youth, and an impish grin -- at least whenever I'd see him. People would stroll by, wave hello, say a word to the players, and Richie would halt, put out his hand in a big wave, and say "Have a New Lease." People would invariably stop, turn back, and say "A what?", to which Richie would answer "A New Lease. Have a New Lease on Life." I'm surprised I carried that image with me when I left Brooklyn in the mid-1970s. I'm sorry to learn of his passing. I'm glad to learn so many people loved him and his infectious music.

Lew Stern
Arlington, VA

Subject: RE: Obit: Richie Shulberg/Wretched Refuse String Band
From: GUEST,Andy C.
Date: 30 Apr 09 - 07:13 PM

I had the pleasure of going to see Wretched Refuse many times in the mid-late 1970s, and was lucky enough to play banjo with them from time to time. Richie was always so nice to me and made me feel welcome. I was this teenage kid trying to learn to play old time music. It was hard not to be happy around Richie.
I never saw him again after around 1980. I wish I had been in touch.

Subject: RE: Obit: Richie Shulberg/Wretched Refuse String Band
From: GUEST,Andy Cahan
Date: 12 May 09 - 08:42 AM

I went from North Carolina to NYC last weekend to attend the Wretched Refuse memorial concert for Richie at Jalopy. Saw old friends I hadn't seen in 30 years or more. It was a wonderful tribute to him, fittingly heart-wrenching, and side-splitting.

Subject: RE: Obit: Richie Shulberg/Wretched Refuse String Band
From: GUEST,the sleeping turtle
Date: 13 May 09 - 12:24 AM

i, too, survived the late show at jalopy.
it was something!
aretha sang, stevie wonder played.
oh no, that was king curtis' send off.
.... oh well.
nope, that was fleetwood mac.
tony esposito.

Subject: RE: Obit: Richie Shulberg/Wretched Refuse String Band
From: fretless
Date: 13 May 09 - 01:24 PM

Sad news.
I remember chancing to get in line in back of Ritchie at a falafel joint on MacDougal Street sometime back in the late70s or early 80s. His order arrived and he proceeded to pull from his pocket this huge handful of coins, flat picks, finger picks, other bits of acoustic music flotsam. I looked at the coins and asked "Been busking again?" to which Ritchie replied, "No. Just old habits."

Ritchie and Wretched Refuse played a regular gig at the Eagle Tavern when Matthew Oppenheimer and I booked the Saturday night music program there back in the 70s. Great music.

Someone above mentioned the Secret Museum of the Air. Here is the URL for the archives: Secret Museum archives

Subject: RE: Obit: Richie Shulberg/Wretched Refuse String Band
From: fretless
Date: 13 May 09 - 01:33 PM

I wrote the above off line -- didn't focus on the fact that it was you who referenced the Secret Museum, Steve. Shoulda known you were likely to be the "someone." Joan says hi, as do I. Cheers, Fred

Lew, I'm in contact with some other Brooklyn College refugees in the DC area. Become a member, PM me and let's get in touch. Class of '68, currently in Arlington.

Subject: RE: Obit: Richie Shulberg/Wretched Refuse String Band
From: GUEST,Ellen Mermel (Ericka Kinsey)
Date: 16 Jul 10 - 06:09 PM

I used to hang out with Wretched Refuse when it consisted of
Alan Kaufman (mandolin), Richie Shulberg, Mike Schlesinger(guitar) and Bob Jones. Although a Hunter College student, I was a Brooklyn College "groupie" and attended many concerts held out the Brooklyn College SUBO coffee house run by some (or all) of the WR members(early '70s I'm guessing). In fact, my first Dave Bromberg concert was at the coffee house. I now live in Alexandria, VA. I wondered what happened to the band, and only today found out about Richie's passing. I so sorry to hear about it.

Subject: RE: Obit: Richie Shulberg/Wretched Refuse String Band
From: GUEST,Mirko Restovic
Date: 17 Sep 15 - 10:17 PM

one of the great NYC bands that really followed Richies Zanyness

He will be missed