Lead Guitar / Lead & Backing Vocals

BIRTHDAY :  July 11th

GEAR:  Traynor YCV40 Amp, Fender Strat and Fender Tele Guitars, Danelectro Chorus and Delay pedals, and a Crybaby Wah pedal.

MUSICAL INFLUENCES :  My father and uncles played 50’s and 60’s “doo wop” and "Rockabilly" while I was growing up.  Other influences include Stevie Ray Vaughn, Eric Clapton, Santana, and all of my musical friends.

FAVORITE SONGS :  Probably something bluesy.

FAVORITE SONG TO PLAY:  I don’t know.  I like to play them all. Maybe “Keep your hands to yourself”.  I get to do this country drawl that doesn’t seem like it would come out of me.

GREATEST MUSICAL MOMENTS :  I have played for some great charities.  “Takers eat better, Givers sleep better”. 

We were unloading equipment once and a bungee chord came undone from the other side of the trailer and blasted me just below my eye.  I did the show with a freshly blackened eye.

In my old band we would have props on stage.  We would joke about raffling off stuff, such as a velvet portrait of the Beatles.  This particular evening the joke was on us.  A gentleman approached the stage with $0.67 and an unused tampon.  We tried to tell him we were joking about the raffle.  He pulled a gun and said, “I bought the picture for target practice, you can give it to me or I can shoot it where it is”.   Needless to say, we gave him the picture.  We could hear gunshots for a couple hours after that.

HOW I SPEND MY FREE TIME :  I build and repair musical instruments.  I also write and record original music. Click here for some samples.  I spend as much time as I can with my wife, KELLI, and my kids.  I have noticed that the older my kids get the less time they want to spend with me.  My wife, fortunately, despite getting older wants to spend more time with me.  So….. I am taking advantage of my time with the whole family while everyone still like me.

MY MUSICAL HISTORY :   I have spent time with the following bands:  Divided Highway, Flashback, Merlin's Dilemma, Blackout Drive, Groove Junky, MissUnderstood, and am currently with 56DAZE. 

I have been playing out for about 15 years now and have enjoyed every second of it.  I have played clubs and halls, and weddings and parties, and once I played a baby shower and our bass player dressed in a diaper.  I have had a lot of fun playing music and have been lucky enough to keep in touch with most of the people that I have played with.  Being in a band takes a team effort, and I have worked, and continue to work with people that challenge me to grow musically.  I THANK YOU ALL!  

Contact Me: rick@56daze.com