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Ricky Lynn Gregg was born Aug. 22, 1959, in Henderson, Texas, to Lucille and Melvin Gregg. At the tender age of 5, Ricky learned to sing by emulating his mother’s vocal harmonies in their small Baptist church in Longview, Texas. Ricky’s father instantly recognized this extraordinary talent, pulled a chair up to the pulpit and had Ricky sing harmonies while Melvin played the guitar. Every Sunday for the next five years, father and son would perform gospel for the congregation.
Musically influenced by his father and four older brothers, Ricky drew inspiration from a truly eclectic collection of artists. While the core country of Merle Haggard and George Jones were being played in one room of the house, the smooth and rocking sounds of the Temptations, Rolling Stones and the Beatles could be heard from another.
Ricky joined his first band at the age of 10, playing guitar alongside his older brother, Dennis. After Ricky’s first paid gig at age 12, he had his heart set on a career in music. From that point on, he began to develop his own rockin’ style shaped by artists such as Aerosmith, Boston, and Jeff Beck. When Ricky hit high school, his band began playing banquets, nightclubs and bars in and around Longview, a town known for producing renowned musical acts.
Playing rock, funk, Motown, whatever the crowd wanted, Ricky would oblige with his dynamic vocals, guitar and harmonica. After high school, his joined the band, the Fort Worth, Texas-based Savvy, and turned the group attention to songwriting.
“They are four of the best rock/funk musicians I ever had the opportunity to perform with,” Ricky said of Savvy, which won critical acclaim in Dallas with the group’s very first recording.
From 1985 to ’91:
In 1985, Ricky joined Head East, a ‘70s mega-band known for its highly commercial, hard-rock sound and live following. Although Ricky loves performing rock, he said it was time to return to his country roots. He founded the Ricky Lynn Project in 1989, which focused on country, but uniquely rounded with the flair and energy of rock. Singing country “Ricky style” gained the Ricky Lynn Project extraordinary popularity and led to Ricky’s hit singles in 1993.
From 1992 to 2001:
Ricky Lynn Gregg joined Liberty Records in 1992 under the management of then-label chief Jimmy Bowen. Gregg’s debut studio album, Ricky Lynn Gregg, produced three hit singles, “If I Had a Cheatin’ Heart,” “Can You Feel It” and “Three Nickels and a Dime.”
In 1993, Billboard ranked Gregg at No. 4 on its list of Top New Country Artists of the Year. He also received a nomination for Best New Country Act by Performance magazine. Following the huge success of his 1992 album, Gregg’s second album, Get a Little Closer, displayed his edgy approach to the country genre.
The next year, Gregg chose to leave Liberty, and though he continued to perform, he wanted to show deep appreciation of his Native American heritage. He founded the charity, Trail of Hope, which provides clothing, food, pharmaceuticals and other necessities to underprivileged Native Americans.
From 2001 to Present:
Co-produced by Gregg, Barry Beckett and Eddie Gore, Ricky Lynn Gregg’s third solo album, Careful What You Wish For, proves to be his most diverse project. Along with chart-ranking music videos, the album’s title single, “I Wanna Be Loved by You,” reached No. 1 for five weeks on the EMS Music Charts, further confirming that country audiences have been taken in by Gregg’s vocal and instrumental virtuosity.
Following the initial success of Careful What You Wish For, Gregg was approached by country star Larry Gatlin, who asked him to try his hand in acting. The off-Broadway production of “Quanah and the Parker Family Saga,” funded by the University of Texas, revolves around the Native American Comanche warrior Quanah Parker, played by Gregg.
“What an amazing experience,” Gregg said, “It felt like I embraced Quanah’s soul.”
Cast in the production’s lead role and acting alongside such prolific actors as Anne Lockhart, Barry Corbin, Gerald McRaney, Tom Selleck, Gregg performed for Congress in Washington, D.C., and in 2005 the production moved to New York City.
Today, Gregg lives with his wife, LaCretia, on their beautiful acreage just outside Nashville. The pair are an ideal team, with Gregg’s immense vocal talent and songwriting/performing abilities and former paralegal LaCretia’s natural skills and business acumen that enable her to serve as her husband’s manager and agent.
“I am so blessed to have LaCretia in my life,” Gregg said, “ On the road I’m a singer, songwriter, producer, entertainer, actor and musician, but at home she knows I’m ‘just Ricky.'”
Today, Ricky is back to performing his own rockin’ style of music at venues across the United States, with the ever-able aid of his band. Comanche Peak, all of whom are committed to entertaining their fans. Composed of Karri Lee (keyboards, fiddle), Les Thomas (drums) and Ty Campbell (bass, vocals), Comanche Peak’s live performances at casinos and live-music venues have developed a major following in the Native American community and beyond, including the heart of country music, Nashville.
Recently, Gregg served as host to WSM’s Midnight Jamboree at the Ernest Tubb Texas Troubadour Theater in Nashville, and he’s also been asked (and accepted) to perform at three country festivals in Switzerland and will scheduled to participate in the upcoming CMA World Music Festival in Nashville.
“We’ll give ‘em rock, country, funk, old-school rhythm ‘n’ blues, whatever the crowd wants,” he confirmed.
With his diverse style and charismatic stage presence, Ricky Lynn Gregg truly has his finger on the pulse of what people want.
