Rick Atkinson

Lead Vocalist-Guitar-Keys & Percussion

Utilizing his edgy tenor vocal style and solid guitar skills, Rick began fronting heavy metal show bands on the Midwestern ballroom circuit in the early 80's and later in Florida hard rock clubs. While beboppin' around the sunny land of surf and sand, Rick's musical endeavors took a turn for the slightly eclectic.

A self titled CD with the Ocala purveyors of all things funky, Electric Flame, got things heading off in a more suitable, less spandexy direction. That band's three hour live shows packed funky hits from the 70's and phreaky-funky tracks from the 80's with it's own unique brand of original "powerfunk" to the delight of enthusiastic audiences from coast to coast ...ahemm....of Florida, that is.
Next it was South to Fort Myers for stints as guitarist/ rhythm keyboardist (if that's a thing)/ vocalist for a handful of local bar acts while helping write and produce, as well as providing most of the vocal tracks for whackadoo bassist extraordinaire Ricky Wolking's acclaimed "Smell That?" release (sometimes leaving the gig at 3 AM and hitting the studio till way past first light). These sessions touched upon every musical style imaginable and may have invented a few. Explorations into math-metal rapping, tape loop country, senseless crooning, and Frank Sinatra send-ups might have provided a seamless (ok, maybe not exactly seamless, but go with it) transition into the wigged out world of A SPARKLING PLANET if not for that pesky 600 miles and decade or so in between.

Rick spent most of the interim in the Little Five Points, Atlanta area working a "day job" for perhaps the first time and performing, recording, and just basically showing off with various college market alt-rock party bands (one of which included future A SPARKLING PLANET founder, fearless leader, and evil maniacal mastermind, Billy Bryant) and varied projects with local talent. Among these are several performances as Simon Zealotes in The Little Five Point Rockstar Orchestra's heralded Jesus Christ Superstar tributes, and its recurring theatrical stage adaptation of Iron Maiden's "The Number of the Beast". Rick also sings, plays guitar, and writes songs for his original three piece combo, Ol`e Sanchez.