Rich Hinman

Assistant Professor

Affiliated Departments

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Rich Hinman has been a working musician—playing guitar and pedal steel guitar—for over 20 years, touring and/or recording with artists, such as k.d. lang, Sara Bareilles, Rosanne Cash, Maren Morris, Vulfpeck, Emily King, Josh Ritter, Paula Cole, Hiss Golden Messenger, and many more. His quartet with guitarist Adam Levy, Rich Hinman vs. Adam Levy, has made two records, VS and Fan Favorites; his solo record Memorial came out in 2023 from Colorfield Records.

Courses Taught (8)

Acoustic Blues

ENRT-201

Bottleneck Blues Lab

ILGT-215

Fingerpicking Blues Guitar

ILGT-228

Slide Guitar Lab

ILGT-249

Private Instruction - Guitar: All Levels

PIGT-XXX

Directed Study in Improvisation

PS-498

Advanced Guitar Performance

PSGT-365

Recital Preparation: Guitar - All Levels

RPGT-XXX

Career Highlights

Guitarist and pedal steel player
Toured with k.d. lang, Sara Bareilles, Rosanne Cash, Watkins Family Hour, Paula Cole, and more
Recorded with Maren Morris, Vulfpeck, Emily King, St. Vincent, Tanya Tucker, Josh Ritter, and Sara Bareilles
Appeared on Saturday Night Live, the Tonight Show, American Idol (house band special guest), The Voice, and the Late Show with David Letterman
Member of long-running quartet Rich Hinman vs. Adam Levy with guitarist Adam Levy
Recordings include VS (Rich Hinman vs Adam Levy), Glacier, EP, Christmastown, and Memorial from Colorfield Records

Awards

Nominated for Instrumentalist of the Year, Americana Music Association (2020)

In Their Own Words

The most important lesson I can give my students is the importance of fundamentals—of time, sound, and feel—and how they serve as a foundation for whatever style you want to play, on whatever instrument.

I've worked a lot as a side person—live and in the studio—and through that I've learned a lot about the skills that that work requires. I try to bring that practical sense to my teaching, emphasizing the things that I think are the most useful. At the same time, the music has to be fun—and it's important for students to lean into their strengths as much as they address their weaknesses. So it's a constant balancing act.