“Nobody ever became a folk singer to get rich.” — Roy Book Binder
For seventeen years, singer/songwriter Roy Book Binder lived a life just like one of his heroes, writer Jack Kerouac — in an RV going from town to town, playing his music and telling his stories.
“Those seventeen years living in the RV were great,” Book Binder admitted during a recent conversation. “I always wanted to live an unorthodox life and by living in an RV all those years I did just that. I had P.O. boxes in small towns in California and Florida, and a phone with an answering machine in the attic of my brother’s home.”
The 70-year-old Binder has been entertaining audiences in the U.S. and Europe with his storytelling and finger-picking style of guitar playing for over 40 years and even though he now lives in a house in Florida, “Book” still spends six months a year travelling in a RV and sharing his songs and tales of his life.
“I enjoy the fact that when I get to a gig I have my own coffee grinder,” Binder said. “I have always hated to rely on other people.”
Born in Queens, New York, Book Binder joined the Navy after graduating from high school. While serving on an air craft carrier, Roy met three fellow sailors who helped shaped his future.
“One guy was a guitar player who taught me how to play a few chords,” Book Binder recalled. “The second guy had a collection of blues records that I loved listening to when I had the chance. The third guy was into Jack Kerouac and wanted to be a beatnik, and tour the country like Kerouac did in a minibus, which he did after he left the Navy.”
When he returned to New York, Binder met and befriended folk singer Dave Van Ronk. It was during this time that Binder met legendary blues musician Reverend Gary Davis. He would spend two years learning from and performing with Reverend Davis, a man Book considers one of his greatest influences.
“Back in the late 60’s I hung out with people like Reverend Davis, and young musicians like Dave (Van Ronk), the guys in Roomful of Blues, Happy and Artie Traum,” Book said. “We were a bunch of kids who loved playing music.”
Binder’s storytelling has been a part of his shows since the days he performed in hootenannies in Greenwich Village back in the 60’s.
“When I first started out I had three songs that I played at the hootenannies in Greenwich Village,” Binder recalled. “One day I was offered the chance to play a half-hour gig at a junior college in Rhode Island. Well, I wrote another song, which gave me four to do at that show. They were going to pay me $50 so I had to find a way to fill the rest of my half-hour on stage, so that’s how my storytelling came about.”
Binder has appeared at many of the major blues and folk music festivals in the U.S. and Europe, including Merlefest where he has hosted the acoustic blues stage. Binder has toured with Bonnie Raitt, Hot Tuna and J.J. Cale.
“My shows are very entertaining,” Binder said. “My audiences are made up of all different ages. The young people who come to my shows are not watching ‘Dancing With the Stars’. I hope that they’re hipper than that!”
Binder also shares his musical talents by spending time giving guitar lessons and performing at the Fur Peace Ranch, a music and guitar ranch run by Jorma Kaukonen (Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna) in southeast Ohio.
“It’s been a great life,” Binder said. “I’ve been married to my wife for 15 years. I love to entertain people and see their faces, their reactions to my music.”
When asked if he’s ever considered retiring from the road, Binder told a story about the legendary high-wire artist Karl Wallenda.
“Wallenda was once asked why he continued to perform the high-wire act when he was in his 70’s and Wallenda replied ‘I have to. When I’m on the wire, it’s life. The rest of the time is just waiting.’
“And that’s how I feel about my life. I look forward to performing before a good crowd. Let me at ‘em! (laughs)”
Roy Book Binder will be performing at The Irving Theatre on Sunday, October 27th. Opening act will be Audio Diner. The show is open to all ages and scheduled to start at 6 p.m. Tickets are $15. For more information contact The Irving Theater at (317) 356-3355.
