RICHARD "RICH" DIEKER IS WHO I AM, CHOSEN BY MY MOTHER MANY YEARS AGO.

I LOVE TO PERFORM LIVE, WITH JUST MY GUITARS AND DRUM MACHINE AND YAMAHA AMP/SPEAKERS WHEREVER I CAN. THIS INCLUDES PARKS, CLUBS, RETIREMENT VILLAGES, STORE OPENINGS, OR WHEREVER I GET AN INVITATION. I DON'T DO IT FOR A LIVING--I DO IT FOR FUN.

JOHNNY CASH, SINCE HIS FIRST RECORDING IN 1955 WITH SUN RECORDS, THROUGH HIS LATEST RELEASE IN 2008 ON AMERICAN RECORDINGS, WAS/IS A MAJOR INFLUENCE. CLEAR, HONEST, DIRECT. (SIMPLE GUITAR MAN) I WAS ALSO MOVED BY BOB DYLAN'S EARLY PROTEST MUSIC(SHAME,WAR GAMES), JIMMY BUFFET'S SEARCH FOR TROPICAL NIRVANA, (BIG PINE KEY) TOBY KEITH, KRIS KRISTOFERSON, WILLIE NELSON AND MANY OTHER FOLK AND COUNTRY ARTISTS. HARRY CHAPIN WAS A GREAT STORY TELLER, AND I FEEL HIS INFLUENCE IN SOME OF MY SONGS (A MEMORY OR TWO, TOMORROW NEVER COMES, ETC). I WISH I COULD PLAY 12 STRING GUITAR LIKE LEO KOTTKE.

MY FAVORITE SPOT IS WHEREVER I AM WITH MY WIFE, KIDS, GRANDDAUGHTER, AND GOOD FRIENDS. SOME OF MY FAVORITE SPOTS HAVE BEEN: SAILING MY PEARSON 30 ON LAKE MICHIGAN AND LAKE HURON; FLYING MY CESSNA 150 OVER THE LAKES AND COUNTRYSIDE OF MICHIGAN; HAVING LUNCH OR DINNER IN A CASUAL CAFE ON THE INTRACOASTAL OR OCEAN IN SOUTH FLORIDA; DRIVING THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA; SITTING BY MY POOL PICKING GUITAR, SINGING, AND COMPOSING SONGS. ALMOST ANYWHERE I AM, I GUESS.

TAYLOR GUITARS--710CE AND 814CE 6 STRING AND 854 CE 12 STRING, BOSS RYTHYM MACHINE, ROLAND DIGITAL RECORDER, SHURE BETA58 MIKE, AND Yamaha sound system.

Two original CD's are available:
A Memory or Two - 8 original songs (sold out)
Broken Bridges - 14 original songs
(This is NOT the Toby Keith movie soundtrack!)
Another CD of original music about to be released.
RECENT MUSIC AWARDS:
AUG. 2004-
WINNER, SENIOR GOSPEL SINGER;
FIRST RUNNER UP, SENIOR COUNTRY MUSIC SINGER
FLORIDA COUNTRY MUSIC ASSOCIATION OF
PALM BEACH COUNTY

OCT. 2004
SECOND PLACE, SENIOR GOSPEL SINGER;
FLORIDA COUNTRY MUSIC ASSOCIATION STATE CONTEST