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Bio - Rickey Gene Wright

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The art of storytelling is alive and well in Rickey Gene Wright's original songs. It is often said that his baritone voice is calm and peaceful whether the song is fast or slow, light-hearted or sad. "Folks Like Us Were Born To Sing" was the title song of his first album and tells the story of growing up in a working-class family who loved to sing and where singing helped a soul forget hard things and troubles in life. As a storyteller, he says that his favorite original song is "In That Blue Collar Town"  which is a true story about two young lovers. He has been told on multiple occasions that he has a Johhny Cash like voice and his song "He Looked Like Waylon And Sounded Like Cash" has become his trademark song. 
 
The music and songwriting journey took him down that road of performing at Country Music Opry Houses in the 1980's such as the Oklahoma City Opry and the Mesquite Opry where he sharpened his performing and songwriting skills. While on the Country Opry circuit he wrote the song that still follows him around today titled "Frank And Jesses James". Then the journey took him to Contemporary Christian music in the 1990's were he played in two worship bands. During this time he wrote many songs in the Contemporary Christian music genre and one of his songs, "Your Mercy Is A Blessing", was recorded and released by a recording artist and worship leader in Austin, Texas. It was during this part of the journey that RGW met Denise Owen who was a keyboard player and vocalist with the worship band he played in. 
 
What a blessing it was to have meet Denise who passed away in December of 2023. She was an integral part of live concerts and recording sessions for a decade or more. She was a great harmony vocalist and keyboardist and who sang on five of RGW’s albums and multiple released singles. She also sang with him as a duet at concerts and she was a member of Duck Creek Station that is based in North Texas. They become great friends over the years and became co-writers on a few singles including "A Little Bit Of Heaven" and "All That's Left Is The Walkin' Out". Two of the five released albums include duet songs that RGW and Denise have recorded either in a live concert or in the recording studio. These albums titles are "Live Recorded Concert" and "Americana Acoustic Session".
 
Another blessing has been his friendship with Brad Davis. Brad is the co-writer of "Ain't No Angels" recorded by Tim McGraw and Brad himself had a number one bluegrass song in 2018 called "Fourth And Goal". Brad is also a Grammy Award-Winning Musician on Warren Zevon's last album. RGW was fortunate enough to co-write two songs with Brad including "Good Friends" and "The Ballad Of John And Jane Doe" which were released on RGW's second album"Texas Is Our Home". RGW and Brad became good friends and have now worked together on two albums and multiple singles. Brad has been RGW's musical producer, recording engineer, and music business mentor and is responsible for signing RGW with Louisiana Hayride Records. It has been great to meet and work with Denise & Brad and you can add them to that Good People List RGW has met along the way in the music business.

Other singer-songwriter influences and additions to that list of good people RGW has met in the music business are the gracious host of a House Concert Series in Waxahachie, Texas called "In The Music Room". Randy and Helen Treadway are not only accomplished singer-songwriters but they introduced RGW to the world of House Concerts with multiple invitations to come and share his original songs. Randy was the first one to say that RGW traveled down that road between Folk and Country Music to that land called Americana. This singer-songwriter music venue is truly one of the best listening rooms in the songwriting world. RGW will be the first one to tell you that he has grown in his craft partly due to the opportunities offered at this world-class singer-songwriting venue. RGW's 3rd album titled "Live Recorded Concert" was recorded at a duet performance with Denise Owen at their concert at this songwriter's listening venue Waxahatchie, Texas.

RGW's songwriting has also been influenced by Texas songwriters like Guy Clark and his songwriting and performing partner, Verlon Thompson. Their songs “Magnolia Wind” and “Dublin Blues” were influential as well as many songs Guy and Verlon wrote individually. Michael Martin Murphy, the writer of songs such as "Cosmic Cowboy" and "Back Sliders Wine" was another Texas songwriting influence. Alex Harvey the writer of "Delta Dawn" and "Reuben James" was another important Texas connection and songwriting influence who gave RGW some advice on co-writing songs. Townes Van Zandt's influence can be heard through such storytelling songs like "Pancho & Lefty" and "If I needed You". Waylon Jennings songs "Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys" and "Bob Wills Is Still The King" and Willie Nelson's album "Red Headed Stranger" were important Texas Songwriting influences. 

RGW has been fortunate to have one of his original songs "It's Not The Gettin' There" used as the bumper music on a podcats called "Warrior VS Zombies" hosted by David Roberts. A podcast where the host interviews aspiring leaders from all walks of life including entrprenuers, artist, health practitioners and business oweners. These warriors have a cause, unique value and a vision that goes generations into the future. This podcast is up to 119 episodes as of August 2023 and can be found on Spotify, Apple Music and other streaming podcast channels.

You can catch one of RGW's concerts in the Dallas and Fort Worth areas and sometimes even out of the great state of Texas. He is an active registered BMI songwriter and recording artist. He performs at concert venues, music listening venues, music festivals, private parties, corporate events and at house concerts as a singer-songwriter. He also appears with that almost all acoustic Americana Duet/Trio called "Duck Creek Station" and which activley consist of Rickey Gene Wright as the singer songwriter and musician playing acoustic guitar, mandolin, six string banjo and harmonicas and with Frank DaCosta playing bass....and the singer song-writing journey continues.
 
Rickey Gene Wright Has Released 5 Albums & Multiple Singles:
"Folks Like Us Were Born To Sing" Album in 2015
"Island Red" Single" in 2016

"Texas Is Our Home" Album in 2017
"Memories Of December" Single in 2017 on Louisiana Hayride Record Label

"He Looked Like Waylon And Sounded Like Cash" Single in 2017 on Louisiana Hayride Record Label
"The Hell With That" Single in 2017 on Louisiana Hayride Record Label
"Proud To Be From The South" Single in 2017 on Louisiana Hayride Record Label
"A Little Bit Of Heaven" Single in 2019
"Live Recorded Concert" Album in 2020
"It's Not The Gettin' There" Single in 2020
Bus Stop Miracle" Single in 2020
"Make Americana Great Again" Album in 2023
"Americana Acoustic Session"
Album in 2023
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