The family photo album features a shot of a knee-high Renee Lando perched atop the coffee table playing along to her dad’s collection of country and rockabilly records, with a toy guitar bigger than her slung over her shoulder.  Without question, it was the legendary Johnny Cash who first inspired Renee’s love of guitar. But it was the music of Will Ackerman, Leo Kottke, and Alex DeGrassi that resonated most in her heart and led Renee into a world of alternate tunings and instrumental composing.  Ever since, Renee has continually journeyed in search of fresh melodies and intriguing textures in her playing that have given rise to a style fusing flavors that span from classical to jazz to blues to folk.

While Renee adores whiling away the hours sculpting tunes on her back porch, she has been performing for more than 24 years.  Early in her career, Renee participated as part of the acoustic and percussive backdrop to the Folk Choir based out of her hometown church in Honesdale, Pennsylvania. The choir, whose unorthodox style and sometimes breakneck and often Bluegrass-oriented temperament, achieved a notable following and in short time was performing throughout the northeast.  Renee also composed, arranged and performed compositions throughout the last half of the ‘80’s with an acoustic folk/jazz trio she helped form.  The trio’s popularity on the college scene took the group to audiences as far away as Moscow and Moldavia.

Renee’s first CD, a gathering of guitar instrumentals entitled, “Winter Collection,” was released to favorable reviews in 1994. But since that time, Renee has explored new techniques and alternate tunings in search of interesting tonal textures to underscore her strong melody lines.  Renee has just released her 2nd CD, entitled “Heartstrings”.  The 15-piece collection of original instrumentals features Renee on both 12 and 6-string acoustic guitar, often with a keys and mandolin backdrop.  “I wanted “Heartstrings” to tap into a well-spring of emotion - sometimes pensive, sometimes comical, but always moving.”  Released in September 2005, “Heartstrings” has been received with open arms by her audiences and is receiving airtime on regional television. Renee is composing her third collection and expects to be back in the studio by late 2006.

Contact Renee at reneelando297@yahoo.com