(e.g., "New York guitar player" or "Beatles influenced drummer")

Musician - Rick R.

• Age 51 | Musician | Saint Clair Shores, MI

I described my skill level as intermediate, only because I can't read music, however my ear trained ability is exceptional, especially for the era of rock, pop and AM gold from the mid 50's to 1980's. Guitar or bass, I have an ear for arrangement, I know that less is more sometimes, and I know how to fill holes. Pro equipment, Bass and guitar, I play because I love to play. I've been in local cover bands in the Detroit area since the 1970's, covering everything from motown to golden oldies and doo wop, to hard rock. I've recorded tracks for hiphop artist R.A.B.S. on his CD release "Let it be Known" in 2007.
I also do pro level photography. Website: Robillardphotography.com
I do portraiture, fine art, press kits, live performance/concert photography, etc. I have pro galleries on Detroitcity.com, I specialize in low key and existing light portraiture, and Photoshop work. Check out my portfolio on my website if you have a chance. Hit me up if you are interested.

• Percussion,
• Guitar,
• Bass Guitar,
• Backup Vocals

• Acoustic,
• Blues,
• Classic Rock,
• Folk,
• Heavy Metal,
• Light Rock,
• Popular,
• R&B,
• Rock,
• Rock n Roll,
• Rockabilly,
• Southern Rock

• Upright Bass,
• Lead Vocals,
• Keyboard,
• Guitar,
• Bass Guitar,
• Backup Vocals

• Acoustic,
• Blues,
• Classic Rock,
• Folk,
• Light Rock,
• Popular,
• R&B,
• Rock,
• Rock n Roll,
• Rockabilly,
• Southern Rock

Think WABX, WLLZ, WCSX, WOMC, CKLW, WKNR... you get it. Clapton, Beatles, Hendrix, Trower, Joni Mitchell, CSNY, Croce, CCR, Three Dog Night, Guess Who, Santana, Alice Cooper, Sparks, Kiss, Rush, Nazareth, Aeorsmith, Journey, Black Sabbath, Johnny and Edgar Winter, Montrose, Southern rock, British invasion, AM gold one hit wonders, and the list goes on and on....

• The box below listing my experience as intermediate...You're asking me to toot my horn here, I'm not really very comfortable with that. What are the differences between intermediate and expert? I can't sight read, but I'm astoundingly well ear-trained, confident, and I've run with some pretty big dogs before...
  
  Availability 1 day a week...ok, flexible here, per required needs.
  
  Currently playing lead guitar with the Illusions, a classic rock and oldies cover band that also provides for live band karaoke, with a very extensive songlist. (Yes, we do know that many songs). Together since 1991.
  
  I attend various open mics in the area, performing solo with an acoustic electric, or backing up jammers with electric bass, or a djembe.
  
  I find ways to cover songs that were recorded with instruments other than guitar, i.e., Don't Walk Away Renee, Tell Her No, Eleanor Rigby, Kind of a Drag, etc., and I do so faithful to the original, different enough to be my own arrangement, and still, intelligently enough that listeners are able to easily follow the song as they remember it and even sing along.
  
  I do have my sound together. I bring what I need.
  
  Gear:
  Guitar: '74 Strat, '78 Paul Custom, Ibanez acoustic electric w/eq, Ampeg VL503, Ampeg V4 half stack, Digitech rack unit delay, various pedals.
  
  Bass: '75 Precision, Sunn Coliseum Bass head, Hartke 3500 bass head, 4x10 and 1x18 cabs.
  
  Sonor 14" djembe.

• Other local musicians to perform with, who need help to expand their sound, who need extra instrumentation on a recording, who need fill in musicians for open mics or gigs.
  
  Not necessarily looking for additional band mates for the Illusions, but sometimes one thing leads to another. (Keys would be nice...)
  
  I have time available to perform between band gigs.
  My voice isn't what it once was...If I were to find someone to handle most of the vocals, I could cover quite a songlist on acoustic guitar, ideal for an informal happy hour piano bar setting, or small evening venue, doing oldies/classic rock requests on the fly. Rhythm guitar skills even better. Crowd interaction skills preferred.
  
  OK, beat me up now, if you want, for not pushing original music. Patrons in my demographic actually like covers. They react when you pull out things they haven't heard in years, like Little Green Bag or the Rapper. I'm not too proud to cover anything, including those silly-ass bubblegum hits. They like it, and the tip jar shows it, believe me. And all that equipment listed above came from that tip jar.

• Experience: Intermediate
  
• Availability: 1 day a week
  
• Commitment: Playing gigs
  
• Energy: In the groove
  

• Smokes: Some
  
• Drinks: Some
  

• Experience: Intermediate
  
• Energy: In the groove
  

• Tolerates Smoking: Don't Care
  
• Tolerates Drinking: Don't Care