Ricki Derek
Date/Time:Sat., June 2, 6:00pm, Every week Sunday
Ricki Derek Does It His Way
Sinatra is dead. Long live Ricki Derek.
Rich Lopez
For the past decade, Derek has been Dallas' own Sinatra. With well-cut suits, slicked-back hair and sometimes a drink in hand, the MacArthur High School graduate cuts a striking nostalgic figure complete with a voice that could fit right in with Bobby Darin and Mel Tormé on any Ultra-Lounge compilation CD. But over the years, he's learned that it's not just about singing. "It's more about being [an] entertainer than singer at first. I really like the music. By people's reaction, I feel like I could do this really well." He may be doing it too well. He started becoming "that Sinatra guy" around town. He knows he has a niche market, but at his core Derek is a musician and artist. "When I first started doing it, definitely, the comparisons are flattering. Whatever music you're into, you can't deny the sound," he says, but then adds, "I don't want to be considered an impersonator, but then you go to my show and people say, 'You're doing 80 percent Sinatra songs, are you sure you don't want to be?' Plus, I hear that term so much that it kind of cheapens it. Am I really the kind of guy that sounds like him, or is that the only generalization they can use?" While he may be somewhat hindered artistically by the comparisons, Derek's retro style has brought him success most bands would kill for. In short, he says, he simply wants to spread cool a little bit. Besides, he has bills to pay.
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