Ricochet (band)
Encyclopedia
Ricochet is an American country music
band from Oklahoma
. The band was founded in 1993 by brothers Jeff Bryant (drums
, vocals
) and Junior Bryant (fiddle
, mandolin
, vocals), along with Heath Wright (lead vocals, lead guitar
, fiddle), Greg Cook (bass guitar
, vocals), Teddy Carr (steel guitar
, Dobro
), and Eddie Kilgallon (keyboards
, rhythm guitar
, saxophone
, vocals),
After several years of playing throughout the Southern United States
, Ricochet was signed to a recording contract with Columbia Records
in 1995. Their self-titled debut album produced three straight Top Ten hits on the Billboard
Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs
) charts, including the Number One single "Daddy's Money
"; the album was also certified gold in the United States.
The band followed its debut album with 1997's Blink of an Eye, which also produced several hits on the country music charts. A third album, titled What a Ride, was slated for release in 1997, but was not released; however, their 2000 album What You Leave Behind contained tracks from this cancelled album. After being dropped from Columbia in 2001, Ricochet released a live album on an independent label.
Ricochet's membership has changed significantly over time. Of the original six members, only Heath Wright and Greg Cook remain, alongside Dwayne Dupuy (vocals, keyboards, trumpet), Chris Hempfling (harmony vocals, drums) and Justin Spears (vocals, rhythm guitar, mandolin, and dobro).
The three members held auditions to recruit additional members, finalizing in 1994 with a six-piece lineup composed of Jeff, Junior, and Heath, as well as Teddy Carr (steel guitar) (born July 4, 1960), Greg Cook (bass guitar, vocals) (born January 28, 1965), and Eddie Kilgallon (keyboards, rhythm guitar, saxophone, vocals) (born May 12, 1965). Under this lineup, Ricochet toured throughout the Southern United States
, where they soon became known for their high-energy, mainstream country music sound. They often spent their downtime rehearsing and writing songs.
director for the Columbia Records
label and they were signed to a development deal. By early 1995, the deal turned into a full-fledged recording contract with the label; in addition, they were signed as an opening act for Doug Stone, Charlie Daniels
and Merle Haggard
.
Ricochet's self-titled debut album, Ricochet, was released in 1996. The song "What Do I Know
" served as its lead-off single, and was a Top Ten hit on the Billboard country music charts. It was followed by "Daddy's Money
" (their only Number One hit to date) and "Love Is Stronger Than Pride
", also a Top Ten. The album remained on the Top Country Albums charts for more than a year, and was certified gold in the United States.
forced Jeff Bryant to leave the group in 1999; he was replaced by Tim Chewning on drums. Around the same time, Shannon Farmer took over for steel guitarist Teddy Carr, after Carr and his wife were preparing for their first child. With the new members in place, Ricochet recorded the album What You Leave Behind in 2000; included on it were several tracks from the unreleased What a Ride, most notably their cover of Steve Young
's "Seven Bridges Road
". Two of the songs that were newly recorded for What You Leave Behind were also released as singles before the band exited Columbia's roster in 2000. In 2001, Eddie Kilgallion left the band to tour with Montgomery Gentry
. In 2002, Junior Bryant left to spend time with his wife and son. A live album, titled The Live Album, was issued in 2004 on the independent Cowtown Records label. In September 2008, the band released a compilation album entitled Ricochet Reloaded--Hits/Plus, which includes a combination of their greatest hits and newly recorded material.
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
band from Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
. The band was founded in 1993 by brothers Jeff Bryant (drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, vocals
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
) and Junior Bryant (fiddle
Fiddle
The term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...
, mandolin
Mandolin
A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, vocals), along with Heath Wright (lead vocals, lead guitar
Lead guitar
Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, fiddle), Greg Cook (bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocals), Teddy Carr (steel guitar
Steel guitar
Steel guitar is a type of guitar or the method of playing the instrument. Developed in Hawaii in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a steel guitar is usually positioned horizontally; strings are plucked with one hand, while the other hand changes the pitch of one or more strings with the use...
, Dobro
Dobro
Dobro is a registered trademark, now owned by Gibson Guitar Corporation and used for a particular design of resonator guitar.The name has a long and involved history, interwoven with that of the resonator guitar...
), and Eddie Kilgallon (keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
, saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
, vocals),
After several years of playing throughout the Southern United States
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
, Ricochet was signed to a recording contract with Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
in 1995. Their self-titled debut album produced three straight Top Ten hits on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
) charts, including the Number One single "Daddy's Money
Daddy's Money
"Daddy's Money" is the title of a song recorded by American country music group Ricochet. It was released in April 1996 as the second single from their self-titled debut album. The song reached Number One on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in July 1996. The song was written by Bob...
"; the album was also certified gold in the United States.
The band followed its debut album with 1997's Blink of an Eye, which also produced several hits on the country music charts. A third album, titled What a Ride, was slated for release in 1997, but was not released; however, their 2000 album What You Leave Behind contained tracks from this cancelled album. After being dropped from Columbia in 2001, Ricochet released a live album on an independent label.
Ricochet's membership has changed significantly over time. Of the original six members, only Heath Wright and Greg Cook remain, alongside Dwayne Dupuy (vocals, keyboards, trumpet), Chris Hempfling (harmony vocals, drums) and Justin Spears (vocals, rhythm guitar, mandolin, and dobro).
Beginnings
Ricochet was founded in 1993 by brothers Jeff (born December 27, 1962) and Junior Bryant (born October 23, 1968), who at the time were members of a band called Lariat, in which Jeff played drums, and Junior played fiddle and mandolin. The two brothers had invited lead singer Heath Wright (born April 22, 1967) to join Lariat; although the other members of Lariat disbanded not long afterward, the Bryant brothers and Wright decided to form a new group known as Ricochet.The three members held auditions to recruit additional members, finalizing in 1994 with a six-piece lineup composed of Jeff, Junior, and Heath, as well as Teddy Carr (steel guitar) (born July 4, 1960), Greg Cook (bass guitar, vocals) (born January 28, 1965), and Eddie Kilgallon (keyboards, rhythm guitar, saxophone, vocals) (born May 12, 1965). Under this lineup, Ricochet toured throughout the Southern United States
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
, where they soon became known for their high-energy, mainstream country music sound. They often spent their downtime rehearsing and writing songs.
1995-1997: Major-label debut
Through the help of the band's manager, Ricochet was recommended to Blake Chancey, an A&RA&R
Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
director for the Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
label and they were signed to a development deal. By early 1995, the deal turned into a full-fledged recording contract with the label; in addition, they were signed as an opening act for Doug Stone, Charlie Daniels
Charlie Daniels
Charles Edward "Charlie" Daniels is an American musician known for his contributions to country and southern rock music. He is known primarily for his number one country hit "The Devil Went Down to Georgia", and multiple other songs he has performed and written. Daniels has been active as a singer...
and Merle Haggard
Merle Haggard
Merle Ronald Haggard is an American country music singer, guitarist, fiddler, instrumentalist, and songwriter. Along with Buck Owens, Haggard and his band The Strangers helped create the Bakersfield sound, which is characterized by the unique twang of Fender Telecaster guitars, vocal harmonies,...
.
Ricochet's self-titled debut album, Ricochet, was released in 1996. The song "What Do I Know
What Do I Know
"What Do I Know" is the title of a song recorded by American country music group Ricochet. It was released in December 1995 as the first single from their self-titled debut album. The song reached #5 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in April 1996...
" served as its lead-off single, and was a Top Ten hit on the Billboard country music charts. It was followed by "Daddy's Money
Daddy's Money
"Daddy's Money" is the title of a song recorded by American country music group Ricochet. It was released in April 1996 as the second single from their self-titled debut album. The song reached Number One on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in July 1996. The song was written by Bob...
" (their only Number One hit to date) and "Love Is Stronger Than Pride
Love Is Stronger Than Pride (Ricochet song)
"Love Is Stronger Than Pride" is the title of a song written by Rick Bowles and Doug Johnson, and recorded by American country music group Ricochet. It was released in August 1996 as the third single from their self-titled debut album...
", also a Top Ten. The album remained on the Top Country Albums charts for more than a year, and was certified gold in the United States.
1997-1999: Blink of an Eye and What a Ride
Ricochet's second album, Blink of an Eye, was released in 1997. Although its lead-off single, "He Left a Lot to Be Desired", was a Top 20 hit, the album did not perform as well as its predecessor. A third album for Columbia, tentatively titled What a Ride, was recorded in 1998; although three of its singles entered the country charts, the album was not released.2000-present
A bout of carpal tunnel syndromeCarpal tunnel syndrome
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is an entrapment idiopathic median neuropathy, causing paresthesia, pain, and other symptoms in the distribution of the median nerve due to its compression at the wrist in the carpal tunnel. The pathophysiology is not completely understood but can be considered compression...
forced Jeff Bryant to leave the group in 1999; he was replaced by Tim Chewning on drums. Around the same time, Shannon Farmer took over for steel guitarist Teddy Carr, after Carr and his wife were preparing for their first child. With the new members in place, Ricochet recorded the album What You Leave Behind in 2000; included on it were several tracks from the unreleased What a Ride, most notably their cover of Steve Young
Steve Young (musician)
Steve Young is an American country music singer, songwriter and guitarist, known for his song "Seven Bridges Road"...
's "Seven Bridges Road
Seven Bridges Road
"Seven Bridges Road" is the title of a song written by Steve Young that he recorded in 1969 for his Rock Salt & Nails album. A popular version was recorded by the Eagles in 1980 which still receives significant airplay on classic rock stations....
". Two of the songs that were newly recorded for What You Leave Behind were also released as singles before the band exited Columbia's roster in 2000. In 2001, Eddie Kilgallion left the band to tour with Montgomery Gentry
Montgomery Gentry
Montgomery Gentry is an American country music duo composed of vocalists Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry. The two began performing in the 1990s as part of a band which also included Eddie Montgomery's brother John Michael Montgomery, and founded the existing duo in 1999.Signed to Columbia Records,...
. In 2002, Junior Bryant left to spend time with his wife and son. A live album, titled The Live Album, was issued in 2004 on the independent Cowtown Records label. In September 2008, the band released a compilation album entitled Ricochet Reloaded--Hits/Plus, which includes a combination of their greatest hits and newly recorded material.
Former members
Ricochet has featured several different members since its inception in 1993. The former members are listed below, in alphabetical order.- Jeff Bryant - drums, background vocals (1993–1999)
- Junior Bryant - fiddle, mandolin (1993–2002)
- Teddy Carr - steel guitar, Dobro (1993–2000)
- Tim Chewning - drums (1999–2001)
- Shannon Farmer - steel guitar, rhythm guitar, background vocals (2000–2006)
- Jimmy Herman - Fiddle, guitar (2006–2007)
- Eddie Kilgallon - keyboards, rhythm guitar, saxophone, background vocals (1993–2001)
- Kenny Lewis - rhythm guitar, background vocals (2007–2009)
- Keith Mellington - drums (2001–2002)
- Marty Mitchell - drums (2002–2004)
- Steve Paxton - keyboards (2001–2002)
- Troy Nelson - drums (2004–2010)
Albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications Music recording sales certification Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,... (sales thresholds) |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | US Heat Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical... |
US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
CAN Country RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,... |
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| Ricochet Ricochet (Ricochet album) Ricochet is the self-titled debut album of the American country music band Ricochet. Released in 1996 on Columbia Records Nashville, it produced four hit singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts: "What Do I Know", "Daddy's Money" , "Love Is Stronger Than Pride", and "Ease My... |
|
14 | 1 | 101 | 12 |
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States... : Gold |
| Blink of an Eye |
|
24 | 9 | — | — | |
| What You Leave Behind What You Leave Behind (album) What You Leave Behind is the third studio album by the American country music band Ricochet. It was released in 2000 on Columbia Records.The album, originally titled What a Ride, was to have been released in 1998, and although three singles from the original album were all... |
|
71 | — | — | — | |
| The Live Album |
|
— | — | — | — | |
| Ricochet Reloaded—Hits/Plus |
|
— | — | — | — | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||||
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions |
Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... |
CAN Country RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,... |
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| 1995 | "What Do I Know What Do I Know "What Do I Know" is the title of a song recorded by American country music group Ricochet. It was released in December 1995 as the first single from their self-titled debut album. The song reached #5 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in April 1996... " |
5 | 21 | Ricochet |
| 1996 | "Daddy's Money Daddy's Money "Daddy's Money" is the title of a song recorded by American country music group Ricochet. It was released in April 1996 as the second single from their self-titled debut album. The song reached Number One on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in July 1996. The song was written by Bob... " |
1 | 3 | |
| "Love Is Stronger Than Pride Love Is Stronger Than Pride (Ricochet song) "Love Is Stronger Than Pride" is the title of a song written by Rick Bowles and Doug Johnson, and recorded by American country music group Ricochet. It was released in August 1996 as the third single from their self-titled debut album... " |
9 | 10 | ||
| 1997 | "Ease My Troubled Mind" | 20 | 22 | |
| "He Left a Lot to Be Desired" | 18 | 14 | Blink of an Eye | |
| "Blink of an Eye" | 39 | 39 | ||
| 1998 | "Connected at the Heart" | 44 | 70 | |
| "Honky Tonk Baby" | 58 | 61 | What a Ride | |
| "Can't Stop Thinkin' 'Bout That" | 52 | 54 | ||
| "Seven Bridges Road Seven Bridges Road "Seven Bridges Road" is the title of a song written by Steve Young that he recorded in 1969 for his Rock Salt & Nails album. A popular version was recorded by the Eagles in 1980 which still receives significant airplay on classic rock stations.... " |
48 | 54 | ||
| 2000 | "Do I Love You Enough" | 45 | 71 | What You Leave Behind |
| "She's Gone" | 48 | — | ||
| 2001 | "Freedom Isn't Free" | — | — | single only |
| 2008 | "I Had to Be Me" | — | — | Ricochet Reloaded--Hits/Plus |
| 2009 | "Feel Like Fallin'" | — | — | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||
Other charted songs
| Year | Single | Peak positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Country Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... |
|||
| 1996 | "The Star-Spangled Banner The Star-Spangled Banner "The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States of America. The lyrics come from "Defence of Fort McHenry", a poem written in 1814 by the 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet, Francis Scott Key, after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry by the British Royal Navy ships... " |
58 | NASCAR: Hotter Than Ashpalt |
| "Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow" | 43 | single only | |
| 1997 | "Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow" (re-entry) | 44 | |
| 1998 | "Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow" (re-entry) | 47 | |
| 1999 | "Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow" (re-entry) | 39 | |
Music videos
| Year | Video | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | "Daddy's Money" | Marc Ball |
| "Love Is Stronger Than Pride" | ||
| "Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow" | ||
| 1997 | "Ease My Troubled Mind" | Marc Ball |
| "He Left a Lot to Be Desired" | ||
| "Blink of an Eye" | Steven Goldmann Steven Goldmann Steven Goldmann is a Canadian music video and film director. He has directed over 200 music videos. Goldmann also directed the movies Broken Bridges and Trailer Park of Terror, and has additionally directed several television programs.-1990-1999:... |
|
| 1999 | "Seven Bridges Road" | Jim Shea |
| 2000 | "She's Gone" | David McClister |
| 2004 | "Feel Like Fallin'" |