‘Rise Up Country’ with John Ritter

John Ritter has taken his music career and message of inspiration across America. He began singing in church and talent contests when he was 8 years old and living in Florida. In high school, he played the bass guitar and sang with several local bands.

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He attended Saint Petersburg Junior College and has a master’s degree in speech pathology from the University of South Florida.

 

A vacation in Tahoe in 1980 led him to move West, where he began playing the Nevada circuit. He spent 11 years in Nevada before deciding to return to Florida. By then, he had a wife, Bobbie, and two children, Lindsey and Johnny. He built a recording studio and began putting together a country show he called “Rise Up.”

 

The show became a hit after airing on Tampa’s award-winning WQYK 99.5. It was renamed “Rise Up Country” and distributed nationally.

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“Rise Up Country” is not the only inspiring work Ritter does. He continues to write songs, including the Tampa Bay Buccaneer Fight Song, “Hey, Hey, Hey, We’re the Buccaneers.” He spends time each month in Nashville, where he writes songs with other artists and songwriters.

His main goal with “Rise Up Country” is to see that families stay together and love their children.

 

“Don’t give up,” he says. “Just rise up on Sunday mornings!”