John Ritchens

John Ritchens was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on February 13th, 1972. His musical virtuosity, was not something new, because his mother used to play piano at recitals of classical music, at the age of 4, being complemented by HEITOR VILLA LOBOS. John Ritchens grew up listening to all kinds of American and British bands and artists and believe it or not that happened in 1972! The first albums he heard were “Who Do You Think We Are”, “Machine Head” and “Made In Europe” by Deep Purple. Because of this, Ritchie Blackmore turned his first influence as a guitar player and he used to play along with Deep Purple´s records at the age of 6. Later that time he was introduced to bands like Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Alice Cooper, Rolling Stones, Stephen Wolf, Pink Floyd, Genesis, Kiss and Peter Frampton.

Since then he has fully dedicated himself to the study of music. His first instrument was his mother´s acoustic nylon guitar string, followed by the electric and bass guitar. His first teachers were the albums that John used to listen to and play along with at the age of 6 years old. He went to “Casa Milton Pianos”, a very well famous music store in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to have guitar lessons in 1981. It was there where he had the chance to play professional instruments and to try every stomp box pedal that was sold. An interesting fact happened during classes: John could play all solos his teacher played and the teacher was not able to teach the guitar solos John learned by himself at home. Teacher got very pissed off about that and even made a phone call to his mother to bad mouth him! That was the time where he heard of guitarists like Gary Moore, Randy Rhoads, Van Halen, George Lynch, Vivian Campbell, Warren DeMartinni, Jake E. Lee.

John became famous in his school because of his ability to play the guitar. Older people used to play cheesy Brazilian music on the acoustic guitar while people were setting in a circle and one day John asked to play and begun to soloing like his guitar heroes and people couldn´t believe in what they were seeing. They got shocked and from that day John became famous at school. He was 8 years old then. His name was spread around school and everybody heard of him. He won some Musical contests at school. His childhood was not about getting girls but about he, his guitar and his rock and roll heroes. Loneliness was a friend though.

The years of 1990 and 1991 was a mark into John Ritchens life. Grunge killed hard rock and Dokken was not on the scene anymore. Those were the reasons that made John Ritchens to make a band. In 1991 John begun to built a name as musician on the brazilian show business because of a friend who worked for Sony Music. His name was João Carlos “Pery”. He got impressed by John Ritchens guitar playing and asked him for a tape. No vocals, no songs, only guitar playing. A lot of important producers were also impressed and offered him to be released as a solo artist but he declined because he felt that it was not the right time for that. He known that he should learn everything about the industry, every detail and learned how things really work on the show business. At that time he worked at a record store that was located in Ipanema called “Pointer Discos” an amazing store for collectors where he learned important lessons about how things work in a band from the owner called Bruno Masetti. It was because of those important lessons that he shaped his personality as a leader.
John had a band that time and it didn´t work out because they were not serious about being in a band and some decided to jump out of the wagon, giving up of the dream. They thought that being in a band and reaching the glory was an easy thing to do and forgot that it was a long way to the top with blood, tears and pain along the way. Being in a band, in a real band was way different from sweet dreams it was about working hard, very hard. There were days that only John went to the rehearsals and payed the dispenses himself. John didn´t use to sing that time. He wrote all the songs, made all the arrangements, wrote all the lyrics and contact people.
He then, decided to do what he should do, what his boss taught him: be a solo artist, to do not have a band anymore and hire musicians. He had a name, all the contacts on the show business and having a band was an obstacle for him to reach his goal.

He started singing in 1995 when he began lessons with the renowned jazz singer, Laura Valle and learned how to write songs for his voice and not for other singers. He started his first professional recordings at the end of 1997, finishing in January 1998. In 2002, John recorded a mini album and all of the five songs got some air playing in a lot of Brazilian radio stations and one of them in LA/CA.
John writes his own songs.

John moved to the US in 2014 and has been playing since the second day of his arrival. He begun to have a name among musicians being elected as one of the best guitar players in Michigan.
On November 5th, 2016 John Played at "The CrossRhoads II Music Festival: A celebration of the life, legacy and music of guitarist Randy Rhoads" where he was honored and blessed to be the chosen one between guitar players in the US to be the first guitar player after Randy Rhoads to play one of the songs he wrote with one of my good friend Kelly Garni during the Quiet Riot days called "Demolition Derby". Thanks to God now John Ritchens and the musicians who played with him are part of The History Of Rock And Roll History and nobody can take that out from their lives and hearts.