Allan Ricketts
Torbay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada | SELF
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Allan Ricketts recorded his first solo album at 18. Now 21, he is working with some of the best-known musicians in the province, releasing a new album and showing off three years of musical development.?Ricketts will launch his new album, “Rivers,” tonight with a special show at 8:30 at The Ship.
?When asked about the release, Ricketts said he felt it was simply the time to record a new CD — one that would show his growth as a musician since his debut.?“This one I put out before just isn’t representing me the way it should be,” Ricketts said Monday, highlighting the new album’s “intricate instrumentation” and improved vocals.
?Although able to play octave mandolin, banjo and accordion, Ricketts also credits guest artists with helping create the challenging instrumentals.?The tracks include established local artists Duane Andrews, Mike Hanrahan, Patrick Moran, Fergus O’Byrne and Pamela Morgan. Some of the musicians playing with Ricketts on the CD are also expected to play during his release show tonight.?Ricketts said, with the tougher instrumentals and improved vocals, the album has a different feel than his first release, “Allan Ricketts.
”??More mainstream?“This one is more mainstream than my last one because there’s more drums and more harmonies,” he said. “There’s a couple of songs on this one that have more of a rock kind of feel.”?Ricketts said he didn’t feel pressured to make his material more rock or pop, but had tried out different sounds and new arrangements and was simply drawn to material that tended to have a heavier beat.?“I was always interested in all types of music, so I was very open to experimenting,” he said.?
During several years of live work, Ricketts was able to experiment quite a bit and said the experiences have moved him a step away from the purely traditional work of his past. ?Hoping to take his new sound through “the festival circuit,” Ricketts will be promoting his new release throughout the coming year. ?In addition, he said, he’s going back to school to continue his study of graphic production and promotion at the College of the North Atlantic.?
As for recording again, Ricketts plans to continue with guest work when it’s available. The 21-year-old has guested on several releases in recent years, including Patrick Moran’s “No Place Like Home” and Sherry Ryan’s “Wonderful Cures.” ?Ricketts said, having put several years into the recording business, he now appreciates the challenge of studio work. “When you record, you’re doing it in bits and pieces. It’s like putting a puzzle together,” he said.?Despite enjoying the puzzle of the studio, Ricketts said he also always appreciates having a live audience. ?He’ll be looking for a crowd at The Ship tonight.??
afitzpatrick@thetelegram.com
13/08/09 - The Telegram-BY ASHLEY FITZPATRICK
Discography
Solo Albums-
1."Allan Ricketts" 2006
2."Rivers" 2009
Guest appearances-
1.“No Place Like Home- Patrick Moran and Chris Andrews" singing “The Hillsides of Torbay”
2. “Our Songs Vol. 3” singing “A Great Big Sea”
3. “Our Songs Vol. 4” singing “Trinity Cake”.
4. "Our Songs Vol. 5" singing "The Hillsides of Torbay"
5. “Wonderful Cures” by Sherry Ryan. Allan’s accordion playing can be heard in the song “Stuck in Rewind". It is an award winning album
6. "Freeing Lonesome Tune" by Michael Hanrahan playing pedal steel on "Emma Rose" and "The Beginning".
7. "Man of the Year" by Sean Panting playing banjo on "Love, What Would You Have Me Do?".
Photos
Bio
Allan Ricketts is a traditional musician and visual artist from Torbay, Newfoundland. He is a singer and multi-instrumentalist with his primary instruments being the octave mandolin, banjo, pedal steel and accordion. His main influences are Planxty, Andy Irvine, Paul Brady, Hank Williams sr, Bob Dylan, The Band, Neil Young, Frank Maher.
Allan has performed at many events including folk nights, concerts, traditional Irish sessions, and festivals including the Newfoundland & Labrador Folk Festival, 2009 Stan Rogers Folk Festival and the Aloy O’Brien Tribute Concert (2009 Festival of the Sea). In 2010 and 2012, Allan performed at the Festival of the Sea in South East Ireland. In 2006, Allan accompanied a singing group, Potluck Singers to Ireland. During this trip he was given the opportunity to record with other young musicians at the Liam Clancy Recording Studio in An Rinn, Ireland. In 2005, Allan was one of four artists to represent Newfoundland and Labrador as part of the National Artist Program during the 2005 Canada Summer Games.
Allan is playing pedal steel as the newest member of the country band, The 8-Track favorites. Other band members include Larry Foley, Patrick Moran, Sandy Morris, George Morgan and Wayne Hynes.
In Dec. 2006, with the assistance of a Sound Recording Grant presented to him by MusicNL, Allan released his debut CD “Allan Ricketts”, a fine CD of traditional songs, tunes and original compositions produced by Patrick Moran (The Punters).
In October 2007, Allan was a Showcase performer at the MusicNL 2007 Conference as well as one of the award presenters at the MusicNL 2007 Awards Show and was a performer on the Molson stage along with Shanneyganock and Duane Andrews at the 2009 ECMA's.
In August 2009, Allan released his second solo album "Rivers". It was produced by Kalem Mahoney. Some of the album’s guest artists include Duane Andrews, Mike Hanrahan, Patrick Moran, Rob Brown, Dave Panting, George Morgan, Mark Bragg, Graham Wells, Mark Neary, Fergus O’Byrne and Pamela Morgan.
This album has been nominated for: 1. Male Artist of the year (MusicNL awards, 2009) 2. Folk/Roots Artist/Group of the Year (MusicNL awards, 2009) 3. Folk/Roots solo album of the Year (ECMA, 2010) 4. Emerging Artist of the Year (25th NL Arts Council Awards) Allan was recently one of three finalist for the 2010 New Business of the Year Award (Torbay) for his company "Ricketts Art & Entertainment"
Memberships / Affiliations: Music Newfoundland and Labrador (MusicNL) Newfoundland and Labrador Musicians' Assoc. (Local 820, American Federation of Musicians) Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Arts Society East Coast Music Association (ECMA) Folk Alliance of America Socan Contact Info: Phone: Home (709) 437-5462 Cell (709) 690-2058 E-mail: allan-ricketts@warp.nfld.net
Band Members
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