Jerry Riggs
Encyclopedia
Jerry Riggs is an American rock guitarist and vocalist, born on August 25, 1956, in Knoxville, Tennessee.
were featured prominently in the 1981 animated feature film Heavy Metal
. The songs were also included on the movie's soundtrack release. Riggs' debut album on the Full Moon
label was released shortly after, but failed to make much of an impact on the music scene. One song, "Ready Or Not", was a minor hit, but the album otherwise went unnoticed.
Riggs began working with Canadian rocker Pat Travers
in 1983 and joined the Pat Travers Band band as co-lead guitarist. At the time Riggs joined, Travers was at the end of his most successful period. The band became a staple on the North American nightclub circuits during the latter half of the 1980s and toured constantly. At headlining shows, Riggs performed at least one of his original songs, and "Ready Or Not" was always a crowd favorite. He also showcased his skills with a very memorable guitar solo. A few of Riggs' original compositions made it onto Travers' 1990 release School Of Hard Knocks
. One Riggs-penned track was an instrumental entitled Guitars From Hell, which featured fretwork from both he and Travers. Riggs is also featured in the 1991 video release Boom Boom-Live At The Diamond Club, a full-length concert filmed in Toronto
which features Travers' greatest hits, as well as "Ready Or Not" by Riggs. Although one of his songs was included in this video release, Jerry Riggs' guitar solo was not.
Riggs left Travers' group in 1993 and now lives in Florida. He performs regularly with Bobby Friss, whose Bobby Friss Band has a large and loyal following in Florida, as well as Michigan and Wisconsin. He also performs with "Rock and Pop Masters", a self-described group of musicians / business professionals who deliver "authentic, high quality, custom-tailored “Classic Rock” events".
The band Riggs has reunited for occasional one night engagements, most recently on November 28, 2009, playing at The Loft in Atlanta.
Biography
Jerry Riggs began his musical career as lead guitarist for the Knoxville, Tennessee group, Lynx, a popular staple on the local bar circuit in the mid-70s. The band, featuring Michael Byassee on vocals, soon relocated to Atlanta, Georgia. There, musician Don Train ("Stormtrooper") recruited Riggs and fellow guitarist Jeremy Graf to join his group "Raggedy Ann". The band recorded a series of demos at Last Stand Studios in 1978. By 1979, the band was being courted by major producers and new demo tapes were cut in Lookout Mountain, Tennessee, resulting in new management and recording deals. When Don Train elected to leave the group and return to Philadelphia in 1980, Jerry Riggs replaced him as frontman and the band became known as Riggs. Two of the band's songs Radar Rider and HeartbeatHeartbeat
Heartbeat may refer to:* Cardiac cycle of the heart* Heart sounds* Pulse* The interval for keeping alive a push e-mail connection* Heartbeat , a British police drama* HeartBeat Heartbeat may refer to:* Cardiac cycle of the heart* Heart sounds* Pulse* The interval for keeping alive a push e-mail...
were featured prominently in the 1981 animated feature film Heavy Metal
Heavy Metal (film)
Heavy Metal is a 1981 Canadian fantasy-animated film directed by Gerald Potterton and produced by Ivan Reitman and Leonard Mogel, who also was the publisher of Heavy Metal magazine....
. The songs were also included on the movie's soundtrack release. Riggs' debut album on the Full Moon
Full Moon Records (US)
Full Moon Records was an American record label existing from 1974 to 1992. Prominent signed groups include Chicago and Dan Fogelberg.Beginning in 1974 with Fogelberg, Full Moon Records was originally a subsidiary "spin-off" label from Epic Records that was created by Irving Azoff. The first album...
label was released shortly after, but failed to make much of an impact on the music scene. One song, "Ready Or Not", was a minor hit, but the album otherwise went unnoticed.
Riggs began working with Canadian rocker Pat Travers
Pat Travers
Patrick Henry "Pat" Travers is a Canadian rock guitarist, keyboardist and singer who began his recording career with Polydor Records in the mid-1970s...
in 1983 and joined the Pat Travers Band band as co-lead guitarist. At the time Riggs joined, Travers was at the end of his most successful period. The band became a staple on the North American nightclub circuits during the latter half of the 1980s and toured constantly. At headlining shows, Riggs performed at least one of his original songs, and "Ready Or Not" was always a crowd favorite. He also showcased his skills with a very memorable guitar solo. A few of Riggs' original compositions made it onto Travers' 1990 release School Of Hard Knocks
School of Hard Knocks
The School of Hard Knocks is an idiomatic phrase meaning the education one gets from life's usually negative experiences, often contrasted with formal education...
. One Riggs-penned track was an instrumental entitled Guitars From Hell, which featured fretwork from both he and Travers. Riggs is also featured in the 1991 video release Boom Boom-Live At The Diamond Club, a full-length concert filmed in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
which features Travers' greatest hits, as well as "Ready Or Not" by Riggs. Although one of his songs was included in this video release, Jerry Riggs' guitar solo was not.
Riggs left Travers' group in 1993 and now lives in Florida. He performs regularly with Bobby Friss, whose Bobby Friss Band has a large and loyal following in Florida, as well as Michigan and Wisconsin. He also performs with "Rock and Pop Masters", a self-described group of musicians / business professionals who deliver "authentic, high quality, custom-tailored “Classic Rock” events".
The band Riggs has reunited for occasional one night engagements, most recently on November 28, 2009, playing at The Loft in Atlanta.