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Artist Bio

Born in Newtownards, County Down, Northern Ireland.Singer/Songwriter/Guitarist Ricky Warwick was cut from the cloth of a mill workers jacket.
Raised on a diet of Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, Thin Lizzy, Stiff Little Fingers, Motown and everything in between.
Saving his money from a newspaper round and a little help from his father Ricky got his first electric guitar at age 13. “ That cheap electric guitar changed my life....it saved me, it was more than just notes on a fret board, it was the deepest breath of life I ever experienced “
At age 14 Ricky and his family relocated to Strathaven, Scotland. It was here that Warwick fully immersed himself in the sonic seas of Rock n Roll.
Writing and practicing every free moment he wasn’t working on his fathers farm, Ricky got a call to join acclaimed U.K. Punk/Folk band New Model Army as rhythm guitarist on their 1987 “ Ghost Of Cain” World Tour.
After leaving New Model Army Ricky went on to form The Almighty in Glasgow Scotland. The Almighty enjoyed ten top forty singles and four top twenty albums in the U.K. touring worldwide with such iconic bands as Ramones, Motorhead, Megadeth and Iron Maiden.
In 2002 after relocating back to Ireland Ricky recorded his first solo album “ Tattoos & Alibis” in Joe Elliott of Def Leppard’s studio in Dublin. Joe also handled production duties. It marked a shift in direction “ I realized that didn’t need to yell over a wall of sound to make my point...the less is more, stripped back instrumentation could achieve the same goal just as effectively. I learned so much making that record primarily about myself”
Warwick would go on to release two more solo albums between 2002 -2010 and tour globally opening for the likes of Def Leppard, Cheap Trick, Bryan Adams and Lynyrd Skynyrd.
In January 2010 Ricky received a call from his old friend Scott Gorham who was spearheading a reformation of Ireland’s favorite sons Thin Lizzy and wanted Ricky to front the new line up.” I was shocked, terrified, excited and extremely humbled when I got that call. Phil Lynott was my hero and Thin Lizzy were the soundtrack of my life. I realized that I could never hope or even dare to try and stand in Phil’s shoes, all I could do was try and stand beside them and sing his songs with as much heart, soul and passion possible.
In late 2012 with a necessity to write and perform new material, out of respect for the Thin Lizzy name Black Star Riders were born. Warwick is the frontman and main songwriter for the band. 2013 saw the release of Black Star Riders acclaimed debut album “ All Hell Breaks Loose”
Black Star Riders have release four critically acclaimed and commercially successful albums the most recent being 2019’s “ Another State Of Grace” They have achieved two U.K. top 15 albums and one U.K. top 10 album as well as mainstream radio play also claiming two “singles of the week” on BBC Radio 2.
In early 2021 Ricky Warwick will release his fifth solo album. His last solo album the critically acclaimed “ When Patsy Cline Was Crazy... And Guy Mitchell Sang The Blues came out in 2016.
“ When Life Was Hard & Fast” was recorded in Los Angels and produced by Keith Nelson ( ex Buckcherry) who also co wrote the majority of the songs on the record with Warwick.
“ I wanted to create an album that had the simplistic melodies of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers charged with the electric hedonistic fury of Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers. Working with Keith Nelson was a no brainier for me as we are kindred spirts..plus he has a great vintage guitar collection”
“Recording the album as live as possible with a full band was requisite to achieving the desired effect”
Once again Warwick tapped some of his closest friends for guest appearances on the record Andy Taylor ( Duran Duran & Power Station) Luke Morely ( Thunder) Joe Elliott ( Def Leppard) Dizzy Read ( Guns n Roses ) Ricky also duets with his daughter Pepper on the song “ Last Place That I Look”
“I can’t wait for people to hear this album and to hit the road touring it wether it’s with my band The Fighting Hearts or just myself and my acoustic it will be amazing. I’m grateful that after 30 years of making records my appetite for writing and playing is the same as it was that day all those years ago whenI got my first electric guitar”