Singer/songwriter/guitarist Ricky Warwick was cut from the cloth of a mill workers jacket. Ricky has embraced no-frills, emotionally direct, pure music exemplified by such American influences as Johnny Cash, Bruce Springsteen, Woodier Guthrie and Steve Earle.
Born in Newtownards, County Down, Northern Ireland, Ricky got his first guitar at 14. "That old, used guitar changed my life... it saved me, it was more than just notes on a fret board, it was the deepest breathe of life I ever experienced. I felt like I was armed when I carried it. I knew exactly what I wanted to do and nothing was ever gonna be the same again once I dragged my thumb across those strings."
It turned out that Ricky was a natural fit for the well-worn acoustic. It wasn't long before he was aping Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen records, although it would not be much longer before bands like Stiff Little Fingers, MC5, The Clash and Sex Pistols infiltrated his bedroom. "Those artists gave me a voice, say Ricky, when no one would listen to a fourteen year old boy, they gave me something important to say." The following year, his family relocated to Strathem, Scotland.
Ricky got his first taste of the real world of rock n roll, when he was asked to join UK punk/folk band New Model Army as a additional guitarist on the bands "Ghost Of Cain" album world tour. After leaving New Model Army, the young guitarist went on to found The Almighty in Glasgow, Scotland. The Almighty enjoyed ten Top 40 singles and four Top 20 albums in the UK and shared the stage with such iconic bands as The Ramones, Alice In Chains, Iron Maiden and Metallica over their career. Ricky also appeared on Stiff Little Fingers' Live album and also wrote with the seminal English punk band The Ruts. However, Ricky's roots and those acoustic artists that were like old friends started to call him back to his workmen class roots.
In 2002, Ricky brazenly embarked on an acoustic solo career and recorded his first release, Tattoos & Alibis. Recorded in Dublin, Ireland, Ricky collaborated with Peter O' Toole of Hothouse Flowers and Scott Gorham of Thin Lizzy fame. This album brought about a much different feel than his past efforts with The Almighty, with Ricky drawing from his influences such as Steve Earle, Johnny Cash, Ramones and The Clash. Released in September of 2003 on Sanctuary Records, Tattoos & Alibis was produced by Def Leppard's Joe Elliott. It seemed as if Ricky has finally found a balance to his art, and was able to mix his influences in powerful story driven songs about his roots, life, loss, redemption and love.
Just a few short years later, Ricky reunites with the Elliott/McHugh production team and releases his much anticipated sophomore effort - Love Many Trust Few in 2005. On, Love Many Trust Few, he co-wrote songs with Irish singer/songwriter Kieran Goss, famed Nashville writers - Sharon Vaughn (Willie Nelson, Reba McIntire, Oakridge Boys) and Rob Crosby (Martina McBride) as well as Del James (Guns N' Roses).
Ricky released a limited edition 5 Track EP Love Owes on Trust Few Music/Townsend Records in October 2007. The EP features tracks Ricky wrote and recorded while staying in the legendary Harmony Hotel in Twentynine Palms, CA. (This is the place where 20 years earlier U2 had stayed while working on their "Joshua Tree" album.)
Ricky has just completed his third solo record - BELFAST CONFETTI, due out in April 2009 on DR2/Demolition Records. This disc is a collection of gritty acoustic rock steeped songs, full of passion, dirt, whisky and tales of a misspent youth growing up in his native Northern Ireland. Ricky reflects, "I find myself looking deeper into the well for this record. Sometimes I wonder if I need to write, or I have to write. Each song is not unlike a prayer; sometimes it works out better if you don't get what you asked for. Belfast Confetti is a collection of stories, my own, my family's and my friends, most of whom are scattered all over the world, but when talk turns to home, their eyes light up and the reminiscing begins. With all the positive changes that have happened in the last 15 years, we now have people returning home in droves, instead of people leaving and moving away."
The first single from Belfast Confetti - "Arms of Belfast Town" is about all things N. Ireland. "I wanted to write about the stories my Dad told me, the old characters and neighbors who would drop in for a yarn, friends, family and places that meant and still mean so much to me. My boyhood heroes - George Best, Gerry Armstrong and seeing Stiff Little Fingers for the first time. " "Arms of Belfast Town" has been given the full support and backing of the Northern Ireland Football Association (IFA) and the famous Green & White Army and will continue to be part of the IFA's World Cup campaign. Ricky also recently had the honour of performing "Arms of Belfast Town" live at Windsor Park in Belfast during a friendly international.
Ricky will hit the road for a full touring schedule as soon as Belfast Confetti is released.
Sharing the stage with groups such as Cheap Trick, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Def Leppard, Bryan Adams and Sheryl Crow over the past few years, Ricky earned his salt engaging large crowds, yet Ricky's headline performances are captivating and give his fans a feeling of intimacy and connection with his music.
