Richard James (aka Rick)
Hailing from Memphis, Tennessee. In the mid
60's he got his first taste in Music performing in an R&B band called the Challengers playing trumpet. In 1968 he
toured the southern and midwest states and ended up in LA where he payed in clubs such as the "Whisky A Go Go", "The Classic
Cat", Green Onions and several other well know establishments. He then went off to serve his country and after 10
years in the army he decided to quit and make his home in the San Francisco Bay Area. After a successful business career
and the sale of his business in 1995, he took up the drums as a hobby, then after several jam sessions in the garage
he turned pro and joined the "Chicken Bone Blues Band" Rick Loved the Memphis sound R&B, Soul and missed this
music so much he decided get back to his Memphis roots full time. His drums are his passion.
Rick founded his first own band the "Blue Legacy Band"
in 1996 and evolved the band from a strictly blues band into the New Legacy Band. With it's melting pot of members and diversity came
all styles of music and idea's but the one thing he stressed was good dance music whether it be R&B, funk,
soul, rock, country, Latin, jazz, or the good old blues. They were most popular in San Francisco.
In 2002 Rick Moved to Paradise, "The Tampa Bay Area" and again started up his own band called
the Funk Monsters and it's been going strong ever since.
Rick has shared stage with some greats, "The Temptations, Jimmy Smith, Jr, Walker and
the All Stars, Bar-Kays, John Lee Hooker, Boxtops, Lenny Williams, Santana, Grateful Dead, Mickey
Dolan."
Rick plans on taking the FM's on a Asian and Europeean tour overseas after their next album.
