Stones, Faces, Small Faces, Rod The Mod, Steve Marriott, Ian Hunter (with or without Mott The Hoople), Al Green, Otis Redding, Chuck Berry, Sam Cooke, Smokey Robinson, John Hiatt (Bring the Family,Stolen Moments), Lucinda Williams, Johnny Cash, George S. Kaufman, Dorothy Parker, Lenny Bruce, Robert Benchley,Bob Hope, Humble Pie, Albert King, Freddie King, Joe Tex, Muddy Waters, The Who, The Temptations, Four Tops, George Jones, Merle Haggard, Motown, Stax, Howlin' Wolf, Jimmie Vaughan, Elmore James, Jeff Beck, Johnny Winter, Hank Williams, Bobby Womack, Jimmy Reed, Wicked Wilson Pickett, Amy Winehouse(Love "Back To Black"!), John Mayall and The Bluesbreakers (With Clapton), Willie Dixon, Keith Richards, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., The Rascals, Paul Kossoff, Free, Cab Calloway, Mick Ronson, Edgar Winter's White Trash, Gershwin, Aretha, Albert Collins, Rory Gallagher, Jerry Lee Lewis and Jerry Lewis, Burns and Allen, Jack Benny, Marx Brothers, 2000 year old man, Ed Sullivan Show, Marvin Gaye, Etta James, Little Richard, Elvis (Vegas era of course), Soupy Sales, Sinatra, Lucky Luciano, Meyer Lansky and Bugsy Siegel, Curtis Mayfield, Jackie Wilson, Big Joe Williams, Big Bill Broonzy, Leadbelly, Shelby Lynne, The Memphis Horns, Sonny Boy Williamson, Lightnin' Hopkins, Otis Rush, Big Joe Turner, Hubert Sumlin, Lonnie Johnson , Leslie West, Tommy James, Sam and Dave, Little Stevie Wonder, Eddie Floyd, Sly and The Family Stone, Zeppelin, T Rex, Tom Waits, The Kinks, Mickey Mantle, Bobby Murcer..ah what the hell! Yankees baseball in general!!!
That’s a line from a play about Lenny Bruce, and man oh man ain't that the truth!!
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining! I’ve had an unbelievable career so far and I’m very grateful.
Imagine a 13 year old sitting in his bedroom with his first guitar that “almost” stays in tune. He’s dreaming big dreams, hoping someday......you know the rest!
Well I got my wish. I’ve traveled the world with Joan Jett and The Blackhearts,
had a couple of hit records and played guitar for two of my favorites--Roger Daltrey and Ian Hunter. I've also had the damn good fortune to have shared a stage with everyone from Jimmy Page, Leslie West, Steve Marriott to Rufus Thomas (I got to "Walk the Dog")
I’ve had artists who I love and respect cover songs I’ve written ,and even got to decorate a wall in Byrdland with a few gold and platinum records.
Nice huh?
Problem is I’m not the kind that can rest on my laurels (you know how painful that can be!).
This is now and now I’m a solo artist--playing my songs, making my music and fighting my battles!
To be honest I’m feeling a little punchy from all the fighting.
But I promise you this...they’’ll have to carry me out of the ring still swingin’ and still singin’.
Let's face it the music business (what's left of it) is not for the faint of heart. it can break your spirit and leave you bitter."It was you Charlie...you shoulda watched out for me. I coulda been a contender!"
Sorry, I had a Brando moment!.
Anyway as the saying goes... you buttered your bread now you gotta sleep in it...or something like that.
Where was I? Oh yeah
These days I have no illusions or expectations other than making the coolest music I can and have fun doing it.
Life is all about choices and I choose:
a- My family over the music business
b-The music business over any other business
c-Being happy, joyous and free over miserable, pessimistic and whiny!
So keep your eyes and ears open cause sooner or later I’ll be coming to your town.
It might be a stadium,a theatre,a club or maybe even a coffeehouse, but you can bet the farm I’ll have a big ass grin on my face and be happy to be there.
See you in the trenches,
Ricky
I edited my profile with Thomas Myspace Editor V4.4 (www.strikefile.com/myspace)
I edited my profile with Thomas Myspace Editor V4.4 (www.strikefile.com/myspace)
Hi Ricky.Sorry I missed your meet and greet at The Boulton.I did buy your new EP when I first got to the venue.I really like the EP alot.Thanks for the autograph that you gave janine to give to me.Much appreciated. See you around,hopefully at the cutting room for a Hit Squad show.Take care. Phyl
Awesome, AWESOME show Thursday, my man! Puts me in such a good mood, don't mind getting only three and a half hours sleep and gettin' up for work!! Awesome!
Hi Ricky. What an awesome show you guys put on last night! I've been spreading the word to my friends, too.
I'm glad you get the audience involved, especially when you told everyone to get up and dance. Not much room there, but I managed. I have a hard time sitting still to your music anyway. They should have some kind of dance area when the Hit Squad plays.
Hey Ricky. It's been awhile since I stopped over. How've you been? I'm going to try to make the Hit Squad show Thursday night. My kids have something going on at their school beforehand so I may be late, but I have such a great time at the show, it's worth the trip. Alisa
