Ricochet (band)

Infobox musical artist
Name = Ricochet


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Background = group_or_band
Origin = Oklahoma, United States
Genre = Country
Years_active = 1993-present
Label = Columbia, Cowtown
Associated_acts = Montgomery Gentry
URL = http://www.ricochetonline.com
Current_members = Greg Cook
Dwayne Dupuy
Kenny Lewis
Troy Nelson
Heath Wright
Past_members = Jeff Bryant
Junior Bryant
Teddy Carr
Tim Chewning
Shannon Farmer
Eddie Kilgallon
Keith Mellington
Marty Mitchell
Steve Paxton

Ricochet is an American country music band whose members hail from the state of Oklahoma. The band was founded in 1993 by brothers Jeff Bryant (drums, vocals) and Junior Bryant (fiddle, mandolin), along with Greg Cook (bass guitar, trumpet, vocals), Teddy Carr (steel guitar, Dobro), Eddie Kilgallon (keyboards, rhythm guitar, saxophone, vocals), and Heath Wright (lead vocals, lead guitar, fiddle).

After several years of playing throughout the Southern United States, Ricochet was signed to a recording contract with Columbia Records in 1996. 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 Greg Cook and Heath Wright remain, alongside Dwayne Dupuy (vocals, keyboards, trumpet), Kenny Lewis (vocals, guitar), Troy Nelson (harmony vocals, drums).

Beginnings

Ricochet was founded in 1993 by brothers Jeff and Junior Bryant, 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 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.cite web |url=http://wm09.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:anftxqqgld6e~T1 |title=Ricochet biography |accessdate=2007-12-12 |last=Erlewine |first=Stephen Thomas |authorlink=Stephen Thomas Erlewine |work=Allmusic]

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), Greg Cook (bass guitar, vocals), and Eddie Kilgallon (keyboards, rhythm guitar, saxophone, vocals). Under this lineup, Ricochet toured throughout the Southern United States, where they soon became known for their high-energy, mainsteam country music sound.

1996-1997: 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 label. By 1996, Ricochet been signed to a recording contract with the label; in addition, they were signed as an opening act for Doug Stone, Charlie Daniels and Merle Haggard.cite web |url=http://www.oldies.com/artist-biography/Ricochet.html |title=Ricochet biography |accessdate=2008-02-03 |work=Oldies.com]

Ricochet's debut album, also titled "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.

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, tenatively 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 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 former steel guitarist Teddy Carr. 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. 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", 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
*Eddie Kilgallon - keyboards, rhythm guitar, saxophone, background vocals (1993-2001)
*Keith Mellington - drums (2001-2003?)
*Marty Mitchell - drums
*Steve Paxton - keyboards

Discography

Albums

*^ARicochet's version of "Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow" charted on four separate occasions as a Christmas single. It reached a peak of #43 in 1997, #44 in 1998, #47 in 1999, and #39 in 2000.
*^BCurrent single.

References

External links

* [http://ricochetonline.com/ Official website]