US country vocal harmony outfit formed in 1994 by Heath Wright (b. 22 April 1967, Vian, Oklahoma, USA; vocals, guitar), Jeff Bryant (b. 27 December 1962, Pecos, Texas, USA; drums), Jeff’s brother Junior Bryant (b. Duane Mack Bryant, 23 October 1968, Pecos, Texas, USA; mandolin, fiddle), Greg Cook (b. 28 January 1965, Vian, Oklahoma, USA; bass), Teddy Carr (b. 4 July 1960, Lafayette, Tennessee, USA; steel guitar), and Eddie Kilgallon (b. 12 May 1965, East Greenbush, New York, USA; keyboards, saxophone, guitar).
The origins of Ricochet can be traced to Wright and the Bryant brothers’ west Texas outfit Lariat, which broke up in the early 90s. Having recruited additional personnel and changed name, Ricochet then came to the attention of veteran producer Ron Chancey, best known for his work with the Oak Ridge Boys and Sawyer Brown. He saw them play a club in Columbia, Missouri, and tipped off his son Blake Chancey, who procured a development agreement for the band with Columbia Records. Their debut sessions were produced by Ed Seay, and, impressed with the four songs that resulted, Columbia converted their agreement into a full recording contract in February 1995. A self-titled debut album ensued the following year, highlighting their contemporary vocal sound, which echoed the earlier work of Diamond Rio and BlackHawk. The album’s strongest ballad, ‘What Do I Know?’, and ‘Daddy’s Money’ became radio hits as the band set out on support tours with artists of the calibre of Merle Haggard and Doug Stone.
Ricochet then returned to the studio to record the 1997 follow-up Blink Of An Eye. The album generated three minor hit singles and was markedly less successful on the charts than the band’s debut. Jeff Bryant, who suffers from carpal tunnel syndrome, and Teddy Carr were replaced on 2000’s What You Leave Behind by Tim Chewning (b. 17 December 1962) and Shannon Farmer respectively. Further line-up changes in the new millennium saw Wright, Cook and Farmer joined by Dwayne Dupuy (guitar) and Marty Mitchell (percussion). The band also parted company with Columbia.
