Ricochet is an American
country music
Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...
band from
Oklahoma
Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
. The band was founded in 1993 by brothers Jeff Bryant (
drums
A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...
,
vocals
Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or without ...
) and Junior Bryant (
fiddle
A fiddle is a bowed string musical instrument, most often a violin. It is a colloquial term for the violin, used by players in all genres, including classical music. Although in many cases violins and fiddles are essentially synonymous, th ...
,
mandolin
A mandolin ( it, mandolino ; literally "small mandola") is a stringed musical instrument in the lute family and is generally plucked with a pick. It most commonly has four courses of doubled strings tuned in unison, thus giving a total of 8 ...
, vocals), along with Heath Wright (
lead vocals
The lead vocalist in popular music is typically the member of a group or band whose voice is the most prominent melody in a performance where multiple voices may be heard. The lead singer sets their voice against the accompaniment parts of t ...
,
lead guitar
Lead guitar (also known as solo guitar) is a musical part for a guitar in which the guitarist plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs and chords within a song structure. The lead is the featur ...
, fiddle), Greg Cook (
bass guitar
The bass guitar, electric bass or simply bass (), is the lowest-pitched member of the string family. It is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric or an acoustic guitar, but with a longer neck and ...
, vocals), Teddy Carr (
steel guitar
A steel guitar ( haw, kīkākila) is any guitar played while moving a steel bar or similar hard object against plucked strings. The bar itself is called a "steel" and is the source of the name "steel guitar". The instrument differs from a conve ...
,
Dobro
Dobro is an American brand of resonator guitars, currently owned by Gibson and manufactured by its subsidiary Epiphone. The term "dobro" is also used as a generic term for any wood-bodied, single-cone resonator guitar.
The Dobro was originally ...
), and Eddie Kilgallon (
keyboards
Keyboard may refer to:
Text input
* Keyboard, part of a typewriter
* Computer keyboard
** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping
** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware
Music
* Musi ...
,
rhythm guitar
In music performances, rhythm guitar is a technique and role that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with other instruments from the rhythm section (e.g., drum kit, bass guitar ...
,
saxophone
The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed on a mouthpiece vibrates to pr ...
, vocals),
After several years of playing throughout the
Southern United States
The Southern United States (sometimes Dixie, also referred to as the Southern States, the American South, the Southland, or simply the South) is a geographic and cultural region of the United States of America. It is between the Atlantic Ocean ...
, Ricochet was signed to a recording contract with
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...
in 1995. Their self-titled debut album produced three straight Top Ten hits on the ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States.
This 50-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly by collecting airplay data from Nielsen BDS along with digital sal ...
) 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 latest album ''15 years and Counting'' has produced the crowd favorite "Sweet Tea".
Ricochet's membership has changed significantly over time. Of the original six members, only Heath Wright remains, alongside Chris Hempfling (vocals, drums), Rick Toops (vocals, keys), Bruce Bennett (vocals, bass) and Larry Hight (vocals, rhythm/lead guitar, steel, dobro and saxophone).
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, tenor vocals) (born July 4, 1960), Greg Cook (bass guitar, bass vocals) (born January 28, 1965), and Eddie Kilgallon (keyboards, rhythm guitar, saxophone, baritone vocals) (born May 12, 1965). Under this lineup, Ricochet toured throughout the
Southern United States
The Southern United States (sometimes Dixie, also referred to as the Southern States, the American South, the Southland, or simply the South) is a geographic and cultural region of the United States of America. It is between the Atlantic Ocean ...
, 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&R director for the
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...
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
Doug Stone (born Douglas Jackson Brooks; June 19, 1956) is an American country music singer and actor. He debuted in 1990 with the single "I'd Be Better Off (In a Pine Box)", the first release from his 1990 self-titled debut album for Epic Recor ...
,
Charlie Daniels
Charles Edward Daniels (October 28, 1936 – July 6, 2020) was an American singer, musician, and songwriter. His music fused rock, country, blues and jazz, pioneering Southern rock. He was best known for his number-one country hit "The Dev ...
and
Merle Haggard
Merle Ronald Haggard (April 6, 1937 – April 6, 2016) was an American country music singer, songwriter, guitarist, and fiddler.
Haggard was born in Oildale, California, toward the end of the Great Depression. His childhood was troubled af ...
.
Ricochet's self-titled debut album, ''Ricochet'', was released in 1996. The song "
What Do I Know
"What Do I Know" is a song recorded by American country music band Ricochet. It was released on December 4, 1995, as their debut single, and was served as the first single from their self-titled debut album. The song reached #5 on the '' Billboa ...
" served as its lead-off single, and was a Top 10 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 10.
The album remained on the
Top Country Albums
Top Country Albums is a chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine in the United States. The 50-position chart lists the most popular country music albums in the country, calculated weekly by Broadcast Data Systems based on physical sales a ...
charts for more than a year, and was certified gold in the United States. Ricochet's rendition of "
The Star-Spangled Banner
"The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States. The lyrics come from the "Defence of Fort M'Henry", a poem written on September 14, 1814, by 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet Francis Scott Key after witnessing the b ...
", recorded for Columbia's ''NASCAR: Hotter Than Asphalt'' album,
charted at number 58.
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 syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the collection of symptoms and signs associated with median neuropathy at the carpal tunnel. Most CTS is related to idiopathic compression of the median nerve as it travels through the wrist at the carpal tunn ...
forced Jeff Bryant to leave the group in 1999; he was subsequently replaced by Tim Chewning on drums.
Around the same time, Shannon Farmer replaced 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
Jon Steven Young (born October 11, 1961) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons, primarily with the San Francisco 49ers. He also played for the Tampa Bay Buccane ...
's "
Seven Bridges Road
"Seven Bridges Road" is a song written by American musician Steve Young, recorded in 1969 for his '' Rock Salt & Nails'' album. It has since been covered by many artists, the best-known versions being a five-part harmony arrangement by English m ...
".
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 is an American country music duo founded by singers Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry, both Kentucky natives. They began performing together in the 1990s as part of two different bands with Montgomery's brother, John Michael Mo ...
. The following year, Junior Bryant departed to spend time with his wife and children. 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. The latest release in 2012 entitled ''15 Years and Counting'' is a compilation of Hits, fan favorites, and newly recorded material. In 2014, bassist Greg Cook left the band to become the Tour Manager for Ricochet's close friends,
The Swon Brothers
The Swon Brothers are an American country music duo from Muskogee, Oklahoma, consisting of Zach Swon (born February 21, 1985) and Colton Swon (born August 17, 1988). In 2013, they finished in third place on the fourth season of NBC's ''The Voice ...
, after the Swon's successful season on the hit show, ''The Voice''.
Jeff and Junior Bryant's nephew,
Chase Bryant
Chase Spencer Yaklin, better known by his stage name Chase Bryant (born October 9, 1992) is an American singer and songwriter. Bryant is a family name shared by his grandfather, Jimmy Bryant, who performed with Roy Orbison and Waylon Jennings.
In ...
, is also a singer.
Discography
Albums
Singles
Other charted songs
Music videos
Awards & Nominations
Awards
Academy of Country Music
The Academy of Country Music (ACM) was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Among the founders were Eddie Miller, Tommy Wiggins, and Mickey and Chris Christensen. They wanted to promote country music ...
*
1996 Top New Vocal Duo or Group
Nominations
Country Music Association
The Country Music Association (CMA) was founded in 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee. It originally consisted of 233 members and was the first trade organization formed to promote a music genre. The objectives of the organization are to guide and enha ...
*
1997 Vocal Group of the Year
Academy of Country Music
The Academy of Country Music (ACM) was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Among the founders were Eddie Miller, Tommy Wiggins, and Mickey and Chris Christensen. They wanted to promote country music ...
*
1996 Top Vocal Group
Billboard Music Awards
The ''Billboard'' Music Awards are honors given out annually by '' Billboard'', a publication covering the music business and a music popularity chart. The ''Billboard'' Music Awards show has been held annually since 1990, with the exception of ...
*
Top Country Song - "
Daddy's Money"
References
External links
Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ricochet
Country music groups from Oklahoma
Musical groups from Oklahoma
Musical groups established in 1993
Columbia Records artists