WHEN LISTENING TO MULTI-INSTRUMENTALST RICKY PERSAUD, JR, you’re treated to an unbelievable range of sound and passion that is both simple and sophisticated all at once. Just when you think you’ve got him figured out, another track pulls him out of any pigeonhole you might have put him in. Is he Rock? Reggae? Pop? Funk? Check ‘em all. Ricky’s knowledge of music belies his years, and he delivers it all and more on his tenth album, titled “Ricky Persaud, Jr.”

Growing up in New Jersey, Ricky was always surrounded by music. His father, Ricky Sr, engineered for reggae bands in NJ & New York early in his working career and passed his love of music along to his two sons. His mother, who was always musical but denied lessons as a girl, promised herself that her children would be able to learn any instrument they wanted. At age 4, Ricky began to play percussion and was accepted to the Newark School of the Arts to study drums. However, it wasn’t until he was 9 that he grabbed a guitar and instinctively knew what to play. “I just picked up a family guitar and started to play, having never taken a lesson. That day it all clicked for me; I knew I had found a way to express myself.” Aiding in the journey was an early musical lesson courtesy of The Beatles. “The Beatles taught me that you can make incredible music within the pop realm and also be socially conscious lyrically at the same time.” 

WHEN RICKY WAS YOUNG all he wanted to do was focus on music. He took both guitar and bass lessons (along with drums), and discovered Billy Joel, which led to his interest in harmonica and keyboards. By age 14, Ricky put together a band, Ricky Persaud Jr and Crossroads, which featured not only his brother Nicholas on bass, but his mother Valerie on percussion. The group, who still tour, is rounded out by different musicians at varied times, and they’ve become a live staple around New Jersey.

A PRODIGY IS DEFINED AS "a person, especially a young one, endowed with exceptional qualities or abilities." Here is Ricky at age 16, playing Rockwood Music Hall in lower Manhattan, NYC. The venue has become one of the most respected names in NYC for finding and booking the next big thing in music. There you will find music of all genres from local and international artists, many of whom use Rockwood for their first plays in the city. 

NEXT WITH RICKY AS HE GOT OLDER, AND SMOOTHER, is just the beginning of his amazing story. This video is one of his latest and you can see the remarkable evolution from age 16. It's a great story, so stay tuned for more episodes of Ricky's intriguing journey here on Somewhere In Time Music News

I HAVE BEEN BEYOND BLESSED IN MY LIFE to have received such a wonderful gift from God that enables me to do what I love most and to constantly continue to hone my skills. My mom and dad have been so loving and supportive to me as have my amazing friends and colleagues. One of my most important life lessons that I have learned and one that I want to pass along to everyone is that if you are determined to accomplish something and are willing to work hard at it, there are no limits to what you can achieve. I can't wait to see what life will bring next.