RICKY NYE
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RICKY NYE (Rick Neiheisel) was born in Cincinnati in 1956, and was bitten by the music bug at the age of five. Ricky began his performing career at age twelve with his family’s band, and upon his return to the area in 1979, his musical journeys on piano, organ & accordion have taken him through jazz (with internationally acclaimed guitarist Wilbert Longmire), funk, rock & roll (years 1979-1985 with legendary cult faves The Raisins), country, zydeco, New Orleans styles, boogie woogie & blues- knowledge which has landed him on countless recording sessions and as accompanist to renown blues artists. In his twenties and thirties, Ricky established working relationships and friendships with Cincinnati blues icons such as Big Ed Thompson, H-Bomb Ferguson and fellow pianists Big Joe Duskin and Pigmeat Jarrett.

 

After years of leading RICKY NYE & THE RED HOTS (winners of BEST BLUES BAND in the Cincinnati Enquirer's 2001 CAMMY awards), Ricky now focuses his attention on his trio/quartet RICKY NYE INC. (formerly The Swingin' Mudbugs, the band behind Ricky's 1998 release "Piano Is Fun!", 2003's "Quick 'N' Dirty" and 2015's "Swingin' Some Blues") and RICKY NYE &THE PARIS BLUES BAND, based in Paris, France who have released five CDs: "VIlle du Bois"; "Ricky Nye & The Paris Blues Band"; "Jump Steady"; "Gettin' Loose!" and a compilation titled "OH MAN!".

 

Ricky is a solid solo performer (winning BEST SOLO ACT in the 2001 & 2002 CAMMY Awards) and also frequently performs in duet settings: with upright bass or drums accompaniment; and with vocalist extraordinaire Bekah Williams.

 

Oher local accolades include BEST BLUES/R&B INSTRUMENTALIST in 2002 CAMMYS; BEST BLUES ARTIST in the 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2010, 2013, 2014 & 2019 CEA Awards held by CityBeat Magazine, and BEST LOCAL MUSICIAN 2012, 2013, 2014 & 2018 CITYBEAT MAGAZINE "Best Of Cincinnati" Readers Poll Awards.

 

Since 1996, Ricky has been a regular performer on the Arches Boogie Stage, part of Cincinnati, OH's Cincy Blues Fest (where he was inducted into the INTERNATIONAL BOOGIE WOOGIE HALL OF FAME in 2013), which put him in association and friendships with some of the finest blues and boogie pianists from around the world, such as Fabrice Eulry (Paris); Lluis Coloma (Barcelona) ; Chris Conz (Switzerland): Joerg Hegemann (Germany); Julien Brunetaud (Paris);  Renaud Patigny (Brussels); Martijn Schok (Netherlands); Eric-Jan Overbeek a.k.a. Mr. Boogie Woogie (Netherlands); Julian Phillips (U.K.); Silvan Zingg (Switzerland); and Jean-Paul Amouroux (Paris), who have all hosted Ricky for their international boogie woogie festivals and touring dates.

 

And since 1998, Ricky has been the producer of the annual BLUES & BOOGIE PIANO SUMMIT, from which CDs have been released from the years 1999-2011.