Singer-songwriter Rick Pickren has shared the stage with George Strait, Merle Haggard, Alabama, The Judds, Dolly Parton, Joe Ely, Steve Earle (when he was country), Rodney Crowell, B.J. Thomas and cowboy poet Waddie Mitchell. His past awards and successes include:
1988 winner of Marlboro Country Talent Roundup with his band Paleface Brigade. In 1989 he again won the Marlboro Country Talent Roundup with his new band Thunder Riders (a name taken from the Gene Autry serials) and went on to the Nashville Finals losing to Ronnie Dunn, soon to be half of Brooks & Dunn. In the early 90s Rick was a staff writer for Jordan Entertainment in Nashville.
A descendant of Buffalo Bill Cody, he travels the plains performing his cowboy song and history program “Songs From The Lonesome Prairie” and "Songs From The Steel Rails". Rick has a Bachelor of Music in Musicology and Masters of Acting/Directing from the University of Michigan. His knowledge of cowboy and rail history, lore and song is reflected in three critically acclaimed albums: Songs From The Lonesome Prairie, The Call: More Songs From The Lonesome Prairie and Rails, Rogues & Wrecks.
As an actor, he portrayed the role of Jim in the original Chicago production of Pump Boys & Dinettes. He also directed and starred in Foxfire. He is featured in the films, Major League, While You Were Sleeping, Soul Survivors and U.S. Marshals. He has also guest starred on many TV shows including The Untouchables, ER, Early Edition, Missing Persons and Turks.
The band features Drew Carson on mandolin (formerly of Special Consensus), Malcolm Ruhl-acoustic bass, and Tom Boyd-banjo and dobro (Dry Branch Fire Squad) John Rice (Jon Langford) electric guitar, fiddle, dobro and Ed Breckenfeld (The Insiders) on drums.
yes. Anywhere.
The Fab Four, classic cowboy singers, Moody Blues, Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys, Ralph Stanley.
Custom 15 Martin gtr, D16 Martin gtr, 1914 Gibson A mandolin,
1965 Gibson 12 string, 1956 Gibson ES-125, 1980 Rickenbacker 360-12, Bart Reiter open back banjo, 1920 Slingerland May Bell Tenor banjo, Oscar and Hohner harmonicas and melodicas.
Visit, BigStrikeMusic.com, and sample music from all ten of Rick's albums.
