HOW IT ALL BEGAN

Rick Bedrosian

SHORT BIO- Rick Bedrosian began playing in bands in 1968 and has been a full-time, professional musician since his high school graduation in 1973. Throughout his career while living in New York and Tennessee, Rick has performed on stage and in recording studios along side many performers including Stevie Ray Vaughan, Gene Clark (the Byrds), The Outlaws, John Stewart (the Kingston Trio), Tommy Makem, Marshall Crenshaw, Henry Paul, Billy Crain and Jim Fish (The Henry Paul Band), Floyd Domino (Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Asleep at the Wheel), The Fureys (in concert on Carnegie Hall’s main stage), Blackhawk, Marshall Chapman, Tommy Crain (Charlie Daniels Band), Lonnie Mack, James Hooker (Steve Winwood, Nanci Griffith, Amazing Rhythm Aces) and Eddie Angel (Los Straitjackets).

Rick Bedrosian is the leader of the internationally renowned Irish-Rock band, Hair Of The Dog (founded in 1993) and he portrayed George Harrison in the Beatlemania Show, Hey Jude for seven years. He’s also the writer and star of the YouTube food, music and travel series, “I Could Eat”, winner (2022) of the New York Movie Awards top honor for Best Web/TV Series. Rick’s remastered LP (CD and vinyl), “Inside My Car” was released in 2009. He’s also one of the most in demand electric bass players in the Northeast and is a popular solo performer, strumming acoustic guitar and singing for audiences of all ages. And if all that wasn’t enough, each year, Rick Bedrosian brings groups on music and food tours to Ireland and New York City.

FULL BIO- Rick Bedrosian began playing guitar, electric bass, keyboards and drums shortly after seeing the Beatles perform on “The Ed Sullivan Show”. He played bass in numerous rock bands during his years as a junior and senior high school student and throughout his studies at The Junior College Of Albany and The State University Of New York at Albany where he earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and also studied theater. Rick’s SUNY Theater Department class included Terri Vandenbosch, an actress who was eventually cast as Frannie Hughes on “As The World Turns”. Rick has been a full time professional musician since his eighteenth birthday.

In 1975, Rick and long time friend Jim Fish formed the obscurely legendary country-rock band Silver Chicken. Fish had just returned to New York after a stint in Florida with a group that eventually became Arista recording act, The Outlaws. Silver Chicken established a large fan base, first playing clubs in Upstate New York and eventually opening for big name acts and headlining at larger clubs and colleges throughout the Northeast. In 1977, Silver Chicken caught the attention of Boston’s Don Law Agency.

The Don Law Agency began grooming their best two unknown bands for success; Silver Chicken and a Boston based outfit called The Cars. Meanwhile, Silver Chicken recorded a demo of catchy original songs at Rick’s October Eve Studio. With their high profile gigs, Boston connection and a quality demo tape, a major label recording contract seemed within Silver Chicken’s reach. But it wasn’t to be. Late in 1977, Henry Paul, a singer/songwriter with whom Jim Fish founded Sienna, the group (Monte Yoho and Frank O’Keefe were members of Sienna) that morphed into The Outlaws, left The Outlaws, formed The Henry Paul Band and recruited Fish as lead guitarist.

Silver Chicken survived for a few more years with many musicians coming and going. They finally disbanded in 1985. Rick was now free to pursue other musical styles. Rick’s bass playing and vocals were now very much in demand and he kept himself busy performing with popular Albany, NY based groups including The Fabulous Newports, a doo-wop band that featured Bert Sommer, a singer/songwriter whose credits included a slot in the fabled 1969 Woodstock Music and Arts Festival. Rick was also an integral part of other Upstate groups like Johnny Rabb’s rockabilly Rockin’ Shadows, art-rockers Squareone (YouTube video), Celtic-folksters Donnybrook Fair and roots-rockers Jeannie Smith and The Hurricanes.

In 1986, Rick moved to Nashville, Tennessee with Jeannie Smith and The Hurricanes aka, Breathless. After a year of playing clubs, concert venues and private showcases, The Hurricanes, who were re-christened Breathless by their Bug Music manager, signed a recording contract with CBS Records. While in Nashville, Rick also played with many other talented musicians the likes of Stevie Ray Vaughan (YouTube video), Marshall Crenshaw, John Stewart (The Kingston Trio), Gene Clark (The Byrds), Carla Olson (The Textones), Floyd Domino (Asleep At The Wheel), Hank DeVito (Emmylou Harris’ Hot Band and The Everly Brothers), Marshall Chapman (Jimmy Buffett), and Eddie Angel (Los Straitjackets) — before returning to New York to help put together The McKrells (with whom he played at Carnegie Hall and The Winterhawk Bluegrass Festival). Rick formed the popular Irish act Hair Of The Dog in 1993

Hair Of The Dog has become one of America’s foremost Irish Rock bands and a potent international force as well. As the leader and bassist/vocalist of the group and producer of their CDs, Rick has helped guide Hair Of The Dog from its humble beginnings as a three piece folk group into the one of the 21st century’s most sought after world music acts. His independent October Eve Music record label has sold thousands of units worldwide with the Dog’s “Release The Hounds” (1997), “at The Parting Glass” (2001), “Let It Flow” (2003), “Donegal” (2007) and “Liam Left The Lights On Again” (2012) accounting for the bulk of sales. Instead of running out of steam after more than two decades together, Hair Of The Dog has been gaining momentum lately and seems poised for more success.

Hair Of The Dog concerts have become happenings for the band’s worldwide legion of fans. As the leader and spokesman of Hair Of The Dog, Rick infuses humor at performances with off-beat jokes and commentary. His occasional shout-outs to random audience members has even inspired an addition to pop-lexicon. “Ricknowledged” was recently added to the Urban Dictionary. Rick Bedrosian’s well-regarded solo CD, “Inside My Car” was re-mastered and re-released in 2009 to much critical praise.

Rick is also an accomplished fine-art photographer and film critic. His photographs hang in numerous homes and businesses throughout the United States. Rick’s recent photo of Sir Paul McCartney landed on the cover of the Spring, 2010 issue of Classic Drummer magazine, an international publication. His weekly iTunes movie review and interview podcast “Rick’s Picks” won the 2008 Communicator Award for Entertainment, the 2008 MarCom Award for Broadcast Excellence and the 2011 Nori Award for Interactive Media. Susie Essman (HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm”) and James McCaffrey (FX’s “Rescue Me”) were recent guests on Rick’s Picks.

Rick Bedrosian is currently portraying George Harrison (lead guitar and vocals) in Hey Jude, an authentic Beatles tribute band that debuted in July, 2013. A Hey Jude concert is first and foremost a bona fide performance of classic Beatles songs but it’s also an engaging theatrical experience. The band members dress in a variety of Beatles costumes and bring a wealth of Scouse humor, history and hubris to their stage show. Hey Jude has received an incredible amount of popular acclaim, with hundreds of Beatles fans standing and cheering at the conclusion of virtually every show.  YouTube video.

From time to time you can also catch Rick as a solo artist, singing and playing acoustic guitar at corporate events, house parties, Celtic events, Christmas and Holiday celebrations, town concerts, restaurants and nightclubs. A Rick Bedrosian Solo Concert is a funny, informative and often moving trip down memory lane, showcasing material drawn from his decades of work with bands like Silver Chicken, the Fabulous Newports, Jeannie Smith and The Hurricanes, The Rick Bedrosian Band, Donnybrook Fair, Hair Of The Dog and Hey Jude.

Since 2015, Rick’s day trips to New York City have gotten foodies from Plattsburgh to Brooklyn talking. Traveling to NYC neighborhoods like Corona, Flushing, Little Italy, Chinatown, Wall Street and Greenwich Village with Rick Bedrosian isn’t only a culinary delight, it’s also a fun learning experience. Read all about it at Nippertown.

In late 2017, Rick launched the October Eve Music YouTube Channel, featuring episodes of his classic Upstate New York 1990’s show, “Up Beat”, as well as music videos by Hair Of The Dog and Hey Jude. In addition to the October Eve Music Channel, Rick’s video venture, “I Could Eat”, a series of food, music and travel episodes, made its YouTube debut in 2018. The “I Could Eat” Pilot Episode was the winner of, “Best Web/TV Series” in the October, 2022, New York Movie Awards.  YouTube.com/ICouldEat

In 2021, RB’s acoustic guitar talent caught the ear of long time friend and founder of The Outlaws, The Henry Paul Band and Blackhawk, Henry Paul, who asked him to join The Outlaws for a two hour acoustic show in Upstate, NY. Henry Paul- “Rick, you did a great job yesterday (playing acoustic guitar with The Outlaws and Blackhawk for a two hour show, July, 2021) and it was fun for all of us to have you along on the date. A quick tip of the hat to you from the band for the effort you put into learning these songs and showing up prepared. Your professionalism wasn’t lost on us. A really fun afternoon. Thanks”.