RICK ALONGI Bass Guitar

"Daddy sang bass, Mamma sang tenor," best describes Rick's early years. The younger of the Linda Jean / Ricky Dean twins, he followed in the family music tradition. Mama taught  all six of her charges to play piano and guitar. Rick recalls the teasing he received from the Full Gospel Church of God congregation at the age of six. His guitar was a tiny one and the church folk accused him of picking it from the vine too early.    As Rick grew, so did his guitars. He started with the neighborhood band dubbed "The Junior Beatles," making music at junior high school dances and in the garage. Rick also had a solo act every Friday for the last hour of sixth grade. At age fifteen, he picked up the bass guitar. Rick's older brother Bob put him to work with Reverend Bob Alongi and the Sunny Banks.

As the gospel group turned out their albums, Rick would jump on his bicycle and race to KASA radio station to deliver the new release, then race back to call the DJ and request one of the songs off the new album.

Following his time in Germany with Uncle Sam, Rick has continued with his bass guitar through the years with "Stump Thumb," "Eclipse," "The Oklahoma Land Band," "Gold Mountain," and "Silverton Station" lending his expertise in country music as well as rock n' roll. 

Rick's formal studies in music were attained through Rose State College from 1980 through 1984. He spent nine years in the Oklahoma National Guard and is a twenty year veteran of the Department of Defense, Tinker Air Force, Oklahoma. 

Born in Oklahoma and raised in Southern California, today Rick lives in Oklahoma City and is the proud papa of two beautiful daughters. The whole family follows "Mike Black and the Stingrays" and Daddy, the bass player. Rick sports awards for BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR for 1994 and 1995 from the Country Music Association of America in Las Vegas. 

Rick's claim to fame is not performing with greats like the Byrds, Eddie Raven, or the Grass Roots, but preparing two dozen bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches for Elvis and his band while working nights at a local all-night restaurant as a dishwasher and backup cook in 1966!!