Today we’d like to introduce you to Emmitt Rickey.
Hi Emmitt, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I got started with country music at a very young age. My parents put an acoustic guitar in my hands as soon as I was old enough to hold one on my own. Between the ages of 3 and 5 years old you can almost bet that when you showed up to the Rickey family household in Bates City that you were going to get a country music concert put on by a young Emmitt on the living room footstool that I used as a stage.
My mother, Diana Rickey, is a lifelong Alan Jackson fan and I was taken to many of his concerts growing up. I was always mesmerized by the sights and sounds of country music.
Once I started school sports took up much of my time. After high school I re-connected with playing guitar and I began to advance my skills as a guitar player and singer.
I played some of my first ever live performances locally in Lafayette County, Missouri alongside a few other local musicians in my early 20s. During that time frame I was attending classes and pursuing my graduate degrees from Avila University in Business Administration as I was also working the family business that my father, Clarence Rickey, started nearly 60 years ago, Bates City Asphalt.
In 2021 I started playing a few of the local bars and restaurants in my hometown community. Some of them include Broken Dollar Saloon in Odessa, MO, Arcadian Moon in Higginsville, MO, Catfish Charlie’s in Wellington, MO, and Branded Steakhouse in Richmond, MO.
After consistently playing some of these local places I began to branch out to many other areas of the state of Missouri. I’ve also had recent stents of playing for local breweries and wineries out in the Sacramento, CA region.
I began writing my own music here in the past year. I’ve spent the last few months recording in the studio with Phil Brant out of Knob Noster with Brant Studios. I’ve been working with Phil and the Clay Clear Band. Clay Clear has helped me produce my first ever album to be released on all streaming platforms on Christmas Day 2025. Album title: “Country Music Fire”
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not been a smooth road. I wanted to pursue my dream of country music at a young age but it just did not happen that way. I got started in my late 20s. The right opportunities just never did come up. But, I kept the faith and stayed persistent and things finally started falling in line because of hard work and the right people that I’ve met along the way.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a singer/songwriter. I perform in many of the local Kansas City area restaurants, bars, venues, and different private events.
I believe that I am known for my old country music style. I have been able to keep that older country music style yet still make it relevant and pleasing for people to listen to in a modern country music scene. I believe that is what I am most proud of; I have been able to write country music that tells old timey stories that anyone can enjoy listening to. I believe that sets me apart from others as well as am most proud of.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
The most important lesson that I’ve learned along my journey is to never give up and stay persistent. I believe that God has a plan for us and His plans for our life may be different than what we expect at times. But He always stays true and faithful no matter how hard things may seem at times.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erickey11/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emmittrickeycountrymusic/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@emmittrickey2060
