D.O.B : July
5th 1978
Hero's : Elvis Presley & Shakin' Stevens
Hobbies : Watching Liverpool Football
Club (COME ON YOU REDS)
Favoutite Food : Pizza
Favourite Drink : Cherry Coke
Favourite Film : Braveheart
Favourite Actor : Mel Gibson
Ricky knew from an early age that
he wanted to be a singer. He began singing to his parents who encouraged
and supported him from the age of six, yet he didn't hit the stage until he was fifteen where he took part in various
school concerts.
After leaving school at the age
of sixteen, Ricky answered an advert in the local paper looking for talented youngsters between the age of eight
and eighteen to join the Starlite roadshow , it was then that
Ricky got his first audition. For the audition Ricky performed the Elvis Presley song, "Treat me nice" , that very night
he was included in the show. Whilst being a member of the roadshow Ricky made his first TV appearance on Michael Barrymore’s
"My Kind of People" at the age of seventeen.
Ricky also attended the Starlite School
of Variety Entertainment (ran by the same people who ran the roadshow) on and off for two years during which time he
completed a six month summer season (April 1996) for West Star holiday's as part of the entertainments
team at Mullion Holiday Park in Cornwall. Ricky performed in various stage shows and also hosted various
talent competitions for the guests on the park.
Ricky returned home in October 1996 to once
again attend college until he was nineteen, it was then after leaving college in 1997, he decided to form a band
of his own. Ricky advertised in all the local newspapers and within a matter of weeks the band had their first gig. They
were a four-piece rockabilly band called "Breathless" consisting of drums, bass, guitar and Ricky on lead vocals.
Breathless performed all the hits
from the 1950's and 1960's by artistes such as Elvis, Chuck Berry and also songs by the likes of the Stray Cats
and Shakin' Stevens who were very successful in the 1980's. They also liked to perform some of their own
material. During the two years Breathless were together they gained a great reputation for themselves performing
on local television and radio. They also performed alongside Billy J Kramer and the Dakota's at Pontins Holiday Park
in Southport.
During 1998, Ricky came across an advert
in the magazine "Stage" for someone to play the part of a young Cliff Richard. Ricky travelled to London for an audition,
it was there that Ricky first met Shadows tribute band "The Rapiers". Ricky got the job and the show "Me
and My Shadows" toured the UK from January 1999 to August 1999. Ricky and the Rapiers had a great time recreating
an early Cliff Richard and the Shadows concert performing songs from 1958 to 1963. This was Rickys first experience
of performing on the Theatre stage in various Theatres around the UK.
After the "Me and my Shadows production ended,
Ricky then went on to pursue his solo career, performing in various workingmen’s clubs around the North West of England.
His act is a Rock'n'Roll tribute to Elvis, Shakin' Stevens and all the Rock'n'Roll icons.
Whilst remaining friends with The Rapiers, Ricky
received a phone call from Colin Pryce Jones (Lead Guitarist with The Rapiers) telling him all about an up and coming production
called "Cliff The Musical"
Ricky again went for an audition at the
Bournemouth BIC in August of 2002 for the part of young Cliff (Once again) After a few weeks the producers told Ricky that
they would like him to take up the role. The show toured the UK from January to March 2003 including four days in
Rickys hometown at The Liverpool Empire, and then in April of the same year the show spent two months at the Prince
of Wales Theatre in the West End of London. Whilst in London Ricky and the other Cliffs (Four in total, all playing different
era's in Cliffs Career) appeared on GM:TV to talk about the Musical and performed a brief version of Livin' Doll. One
night whilst getting ready to go on stage, Ricky received the news that his idol "Shakin Stevens" was in the audience...Ricky
was in shock, his hero of twenty plus years was about to watch him perform. Ricky is quite often asked the question
"Do you get nervous"? "I don't usually get nervous, but on this occasion I was terrified" During the interval, Ricky and Shaky
met backstage for the 2nd time, the first time was in April 1999 at one of Shaky's concerts!
After a successful spell in "Cliff the Musical",
Ricky once again returned to performing as a solo artiste. In March 2004, Ricky again took on the role of the young
Cliff, in a new production called "Born to Rock 'n' Roll the Cliff Richard Musical" The script had been completely re-written
and instead of their being four Cliff's, Ricky was one of only two, the other being Jimmy Jemain who also appeared with Ricky
in "Cliff the Musical" The show went on a mini tour of the UK and also a Two week tour of Denmark
which Ricky describes as the best time of his life.
Ricky returned to his solo career and in 2007, began working on his Elvis
Presley tribute portraying the great man as he was in the 1950's early 1960's.
Ricky performed a handfull of gig's as Elvis and in June of the same year
decided to enter "The Ultimate Elvis Contest" which was a world wide search for the best Elvis tribute held by Elvis Presley
Enterprises.
Ricky entered into the European heat of the contest and was up against
64 other tributes, some of whom had been performing as Elvis for many years. To Ricky's surprise he came away with the title of Best 1950's Elvis in Europe and was delighted
to say the least.
It was after his performace in the contest that Ricky was approached by
BBC Television inviting him along to take part in their show "The Worlds Greatest Elvis" presented by Vernon Kay.
The show pitted Ricky up against 30 of the best Elvis tributes from around the world. The title
of Worlds Greatest Elvis eventually went to American, Shawn Klush. Ricky was thrilled to have been given the chance
to appear on the show and say's the best thing about it was all the friends he made whilst filming.
Into 2008, Ricky continues with his Rock'n'Roll stage act, whilst also
continuing to work on his Elvis routine. In January he entered into Europe's #1 Elvis contest which is held annually
in Blackpool, England and again was successful, coming away as the Gospel contest winner after his performance of "You'll
never walk alone"
Ricky is currently working on a theatre show with two fellow
Elvis tributes, Paul Molloy and Steve Storm. The show is called "Elvis...How it was" and pays tribute to each era of Elvis
Presley's career, starting in the 1950's right through to Elvis' Las Vegas concerts in the 1970's................
The story continues!!!!!!