RICOCHET
BIO
In the 1924 George S. Kaufman-Marc Connelly stage play, Beggar on Horseback, a struggling composer has to choose between creating music to stimulate his soul or spending his life working in a widget factory. Although what a widget refers to is never fully explained, it’s some kind of mechanical product lacking in artistic or spiritual value. Now in control of their career, and releasing Ricochet Reloaded – Hits Plus, their first album of new music in eight years, multiple-award-winning band Ricochet can relate to that kind struggle. Yet they have found a way to strike a satisfying balance: working in a widget factory of sorts, yet all the while earning the opportunity to make soul-enriching music with artistic and spiritual value.
“Basically, we’re a band and our product is music,” says bass player and original member Greg Cook. “But we're also a business that has put out a widget - and it's a coaster unless we can get people to buy it and put it in the CD player.”
Ricochet Reloaded is a title that also strikes a perfect balance – giving fans new music from the band, and also treating them to technologically advanced - but faithful - re-recordings of the songs that catapulted the group into the record books. Songs such as “What Do I Know”, their Top 3 hit, which became the highest chart debut single the year it was released. What’s most impressive about the new recordings - what Greg Cook refers to as “HD versions of the hits” – is that fans will be hard-pressed to distinguish them from the original versions.
Take, for instance, the group’s No. 1 (for two weeks) smash, “Daddy’s Money”, or their third Top 10 hit, “Love Is Stronger Than Pride”. Nearly note for note and lick for lick, the tunes are infused with the same passion and excitement Ricochet brought to the original versions. And, as anyone who’s seen Ricochet live on stage throughout the world knows, nowhere is their passion and excitement more evident than on another of their signature songs, “The Star Spangled Banner”, a performance which landed the group in the record books as they became the first country artist to place the song on the Billboard Country Singles chart.
Ricochet had its beginnings in 1993, when the band’s original drummer Jeff Bryant invited Oklahoman Heath Wright to join his band Lariat, which also included Jeff’s brother and original Ricochet fiddle and mandolin player Junior Bryant. Lariat officially disbanded and when Greg Cook, also from Oklahoma, joined in 1994, Ricochet was born. One year later, the group secured a deal with Columbia Records (later Sony Music) and in 1996 vaulted to the top with their sophomore single, “Daddy’s Money”. More albums and hit singles followed until the band parted ways with their label. But the live shows all over
the globe, including two USO tours, continued. Attesting to their popularity as a concert attraction, in 2004 the group released The Live Album, which included another of their signature tunes as a stage act – the Steve Young-penned classic “Seven Bridges Road”, which has also been covered by the Eagles, Dolly Parton, and Alan Jackson, to name just a few.
Of the band’s current lineup, keyboard player Dwayne Dupuy, from Houma, Louisiana, joined the group eight years ago after Heath and Greg saw him playing with the group Perfect Stranger. Dwayne has a Bachelor’s Degree in Music from Northwestern State University. Troy Nelson, who grew up in the small town of Albert Lea, Minnesota, has been in the group for five years and draws on his many musical influences as the group’s drummer. He also contributes high tenor vocals to the group. Guitar player Kenny Lewis from Little Rock, Arkansas, is the “newbie”, playing with the band for about a year. He brings his unique guitar sound and solid touring background to the signature Ricochet sound and show.
Other than adding three new members in the past eight years, and updating their sound to stay relevant in the digital age, the band hasn't really changed much. They still log countless hours of bus travel in between their 100-plus shows a year.
“We can't wait to get out there every night and play music,” says the band’s other original member, lead singer Heath Wright. “It sounds like a cliché but it's true. Our satellite dish doesn't work on the bus, so sometimes we have to talk to each other, and when we do, we play these games like, “What would you do if you won the lottery? And everybody said that they would do this. It might be on a nicer bus, with a satellite dish working, but we'd still be playing shows every weekend to audiences, trying to figure out ways to make our show better, to give the fans an even better experience.
”
With the new songs on Ricochet Reloaded - Hits Plus, the group has added what are sure to become Ricochet standards to their eclectic repertoire. The feel-good vibe of the album’s lead track, “Keep You Lovin’ Me”, spotlights the band’s tight harmonies and their knack for crafting tunes that are fun to sing along with. They can then turn things right around and deliver heart-tuggers like “I Had to Be Me” (the bands first single release from Reloaded) or “Beauty of Who You Are” or introduce us to characters we can all relate to in songs such as “Gonna Be Something”, “Feel Like Fallin’” and the sweetly romantic “I Knew”.
As the title implies, Ricochet is Reloaded, and they’ve clearly got a few more hits – or at least some more soul-enriching widgets - in their sights.
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| ALBUMS |
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| Ricochet |
RIAA
Certified Gold |
SONY/Columbia |
| Blink
Of An Eye |
|
SONY/Columbia |
| What
You Leave Behind |
|
SONY/Columbia |
| The
Live Album |
|
Cowtown |
| Ricochet Reloaded – Hits Plus |
|
Released September 30, 2008 |
| SINGLES |
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| "What
Do I Know” |
Highest
charting debut single of 1996 #3 in R&R, #5 in Billboard, |
| "Daddy’s
Money” |
#1
in Billboard, R&R, Gavin Country, and Country Network R&R’s
#4 Single for the entire year, 1996 |
| “Love
Is Stronger Than Pride” |
Top
10 |
| “Ease
My Troubled Mind” |
Top
20 |
| “He
Left A Lot To Be Desired” |
Top
20 |
| “The
Star Spangled Banner” |
RICOCHET
is the only country artist to ever chart the National Anthem |
| “Blink
Of An Eye” |
Top
40 |
| “Connected
At The Heart” |
Top
40 |
| “Can’t
Stop Thinkin’ ‘Bout That” |
Top
40 |
| “Seven
Bridges Road” |
Top
40 |
| “Do
I Love You Enough” |
Top
40 |
| “She’s
Gone” |
Top
40 |
| “Let
It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow” |
Continues
to receive heavy airplay each Holiday Season |
| “That’s
Love” |
#1
Power Source, April, 2005 |
| “I Had To Be Me" |
First Single Release From Ricochet Reloaded - Hits Plus |
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| Heath
Wright
Heath
Wright hails from Vian, OK. Heath is regarded as one
of the top lead vocalists in country music today. His vocal
styling is second to none. He has a distinctive sound that
allows you to immediately recognize his voice. Heath is
doubly blessed with immense talent, not only as a vocalist
but also a charismatic lead guitarist. He is an accomplished
writer and has been known to collaborate with other musicians
such as Steve Wariner and Skip Ewing. A little known fact:
Heath’s alma mater, South Plains College in Levelland,
TX, named a creative arts building the "Heath Wright
Wing" in his honor. rses
McPherson Guitars and Elixir strings.
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| Greg
Cook
Greg
Cook also comes from Vian, OK. Greg takes care
of the low baritone and bass vocal parts and electrifies
the stage with his unique style on bass guitar. Greg also
plays trombone and saxophone as a member of the esteemed
“Ricochet Horn Dogs.” He is also an accomplished
songwriter with numerous songs to his credit. One of the
most recent songs is the hit "Freedom Isn't Free".
A little known fact: Prior to joining Ricochet, Greg was
a Laboratory Technician in a uranium-conversion plant, where
he was able to put his degree in Biology and Chemistry to
good use. Greg endorses Gallien-Krueger Bass Amplifiers
and Elixir Strings. |
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 |
Dwayne
Dupuy
Dwayne
Dupuy is also a songwriter and studio musician. He brings
to the stage a rhythmic funk style with jazz voicings and
blues riffs. He also handles the trumpet lines as a member
of the “Ricochet Horn Dogs.” Dwayne is originally
from Houma, Louisiana and holds a Bachelors Degree in Music
from Northwestern State University. A little know fact:
Dwayne performed for years with legendary guitarist James
Burton, formerly with Elvis Presley. His performances carried
him to both Hawaii and Japan. Dwayne endorses The Motion
Sound Company and Kurzweil Keyboards |
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 |
Troy
Nelson
Troy
Nelson grew up in the small town of Albert Lea, Minnesota,
and honed his skills playing and recording in the Minneapolis
music scene. His style emerged through years of playing
everything from reggae to dance metal to punk. Troy injects
bits and pieces from all these diverse influences to form
his own unique drumming style. He also adds high tenor vocal
parts to complete Ricochet’s vocal sound. |
|
 |
| Kenny
Lewis
Kenny
Lewis was born in Little Rock, Arkansas. He began
playing guitar at the age of 11, had a band at 13, and he
was playing professionally by the time he was 15. He has
played in many bands throughout his career which has allowed
him to become diverse in many styles of music such as dance,
funk, reggae, country, alternative, heavy metal and classic
rock. Kenny recorded an album in 1995 with Miss DeMeanor
which received regional airplay. He has also shared the
stage with several well-known acts over the years like Dennis
DeYoung from Styx, Jeff Healy, Charlie Wilson from the Gap
Band, Freddy Curci from the bands Sheriff and Alias. A little
known fact: Kenny played for President Ronald Reagan and
George Bush Sr. while they were hard at work on the campaign
trail. Besides being able to play acoustic and electric
guitar well, Kenny also plays six-string banjo, bass, mandolin
and is an accomplished songwriter.
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