Rickie Simpkins
Best known for
Fiddle
Rickie Simpkins is a Virginia fiddler and mandolinist with one of the longest in-demand careers among modern bluegrass sidemen — a forty-year run that includes the Tony Rice Unit, the Lonesome River Band, the Seldom Scene, and Emmylou Harris's Red Dirt Boys.
- Born Rickie Hal Simpkins on March 10, 1955 in Montgomery County, Virginia; raised in Christiansburg. Started fiddle at age 6 and played onstage with Flatt & Scruggs at age 9.
- Played with brother Ronnie Simpkins (bass) in the family group Upland Express, recording an album on Leather Records in 1979.
- Spent the early 1980s with the McPeak Brothers (alongside a young Jerry Douglas) before joining Heights of Grass / the Virginia Squires (with Sammy Shelor and Mark Newton); the Squires recorded five Rebel albums between 1984 and 1988.
- Joined the Tony Rice Unit in 1983 with Jimmy Gaudreau, Wyatt Rice, and brother Ronnie on bass; recorded across the Unit's late catalog including Tony Rice Sings Gordon Lightfoot (1996) and Unit of Measure (2000).
- Joined the Lonesome River Band in 2000 (recording Talkin' to Myself) and gospel act the Isaacs in 2001; began touring with Emmylou Harris and the Red Dirt Boys in 2007.
- Joined the Seldom Scene in January 2016 replacing Ben Eldridge; left in 2017, replaced by Ron Stewart. Brother Ronnie has been the Scene's bassist continuously since 1995.
- Released the solo records Dancing on the Fingerboard (Pinecastle, 1997 — IBMA Instrumental Recording of the Year nominee) and Don't Fret It (Doobie Shea, 2002).
- Inducted with brother Ronnie into the Virginia Folk Music Hall of Fame in 2008.
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The Lonesome River BandPlayed on recordings with The Lonesome River Band
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The Tony Rice UnitPlayed on recordings with The Tony Rice Unit
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Larry RicePlayed on recordings with Larry Rice
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Rice, Rice, Hillman and PedersenPlayed on recordings with Rice, Rice, Hillman and Pedersen
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Rickie SimpkinsPlayed on recordings with Rickie Simpkins
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The Rice BrothersPlayed on recordings with The Rice Brothers
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Dan MenzonePlayed on recordings with Dan Menzone
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Lou ReidPlayed on recordings with Lou Reid
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The Virginia SquiresPlayed on recordings with The Virginia Squires
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Don RigsbyPlayed on recording with Don Rigsby
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Mike AuldridgePlayed on recording with Mike Auldridge
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Ronnie BowmanPlayed on recording with Ronnie Bowman
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The Bluegrass BandPlayed on recording with The Bluegrass Band
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The McPeak BrothersPlayed on recording with The McPeak Brothers
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The Seldom ScenePlayed on recording with The Seldom Scene
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Wyatt RicePlayed on recording with Wyatt Rice