There is a sweetness and sincerity that cannot be manufactured and it thrives in Russ Rentler's music ... This is a man in love with music and making music and it shows.
Stacey Board, The Muse's Muse

Russ started playing stringed instruments with his first ukulele in 5th grade purchased with S+H Green stamps in Dover, NJ. After a brief stint in heavy metal bands in high school he discovered bluegrass, which led to a life-long love of acoustic music. At his first night at Moravian College, he met John Gorka where they were both playing at an open mic. They soon formed a band with Doug Anderson and were joined the following year by Rich Shindell on lead guitar. Russ was the mandolin player, John played incredible 5-string banjo, and Doug Andersen provided the solid rock rhythm on his custom made Froggy Bottom guitars. Tim Germer later joined as bass player. Throughout all four years of college, they played around the Lehigh Valley, centering around Godfrey Daniel's and the south side of Bethlehem, PA.

After college, Russ went to medical school, Doug received a Ph.D. and needless to say, John and Rich went on to well-deserved fame and glory in the folk music world. During his medical training, Russ continued to pursue his passion of acoustic music and picked up hammer and mountain dulcimer, fiddle, dobro, autoharp and bouzouki. He also started building his own hammer dulcimers and uses his own instruments on stage.

While continuing to practice general internal medicine, Russ played every chance he could at local bookstores, churches, open mics, and music festivals. On several of John's return trips to the Lehigh Valley, Russ has joined him on stage.

Russ has recently closed his practice of medicine and is now pursuing his life-long dream and passion of performing original and traditional music. He counts Bob Dylan, John McCutcheon and Walt Michaels as major influences in his style. His live performances are a mix of folk, Celtic, and blues-inspired tunes with multiple instrument changes interspersed with his off-beat humor and wry observations about life that keep the audiences coming back for more. (As well as for free medical advice!)

Review from SING OUT!
Summer 2004  Vol.48 #2

Russ Rentler
Acoustic Minstrel
Russ Rentler is based in eastern Pennsylvania. While attending Moravian College in Bethlehem he teamed up with John Gorka and Richard Shindell in a college band. They went off to fame and fortune and Russ went off to med. school. Recently he has given up his practice to concentrate on music making, and Acoustic Minstrel is his second CD.

Russ plays a myriad of instruments including guitar, bass, National steel guitar, Dobro, harmonica, autoharp, hammered dulcimer, fiddle and bouzouki. The CD is mostly a collection of original songs and tunes in a variety of styles with Russ playing all the instruments.

The recording opens with "Girl Like You," a sweet and sincere love song to his companion in life. It's followed by "Planxty Fluharty," (see note below) an original hammered dulcimer instrumental with an insistent rhythm. Later we are treated to "Storm Over Delmarva'" an original bouzouki tune again with a driving rhythm. "Hypertension Blues," draws from his previous life as a physician and Russ describes the tune as Old Testament Theology meets Renal Physiology. "All Thumbs" is a rousing DADGAD guitar instrumental and the arrangement of "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desire" on the autoharp is well-played. This brings us to "Window in Heaven" a new Christmas song written from the perspective of a shepherd boy as he views the first Noel. It is a wonderful song and a highlight of the disc.

Russ Rentler has produced a fine recording that showcases his many talents. He is a gifted songwriter as well as a fine musician. If I were to make a recommendation to Rentler, it would be to establish a definitive style. He certainly has any number of strengths to choose from.--TD.

Note:  Russ's hammer dulcimer instrumental, "Planxty Fluharty," won the Gold Prize in the open category of the 2004 Mid Atlantic Songwriters Contest.

Rich Shindell, Doug Andersen, John Gorka, Russ Rentler at the Floating Folk Festival -1978 Bethlehem, PA