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Rik Emmett
Rik Emmett plays at The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano. (Photo: Burns! 2002)
Background information
Birth name	Richard Gordon Emmett
Born	(1953-07-10) July 10, 1953 (age 71) Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Genres	Rock hard rock progressive rock heavy metal
Occupations	Musician songwriter record producer
Instrument(s)	Guitar, vocals, synthesizer, piano, bass guitar
Years active	1975–present
Labels	MCA Universal Rockit Sounds Attic Duke Street Fontana North
Website	rikemmett.com

Richard Gordon Emmett (born July 10, 1953) is a vocalist, guitarist, and member of the Canadian hard rock band Triumph.

Career

In Toronto, during the mid 1970s, several local musicians formed a progressive rock group called Act III. One member of the group was Emmett, who left to join Triumph. This led to the break up of Act III. Other members formed Zon. Emmett says that one of the songs he performed with Act III was "The Blinding Light Show", a tune which he later recorded with Triumph.

Emmett left Triumph in 1988 to pursue a solo career. His first solo album, Absolutely, was released in 1990 and became a moderate hit across the United States and Canada thanks to the hits "When a Heart Breaks," "Big Lie" and "Saved by Love". He is also a writer for Guitar Player magazine and teaches song-writing and music business at Humber College in Toronto. For a time during the 1980s, Emmett contributed cartoons to Hit Parader magazine satirizing the music industry.

Due to a production error by Gil Moore and Mike Levine on Triumph's first album, Emmett changed the spelling of his first name to "Rik" rather than have the album recalled or cause confusion with fans.

Although he is best known as a rock guitarist, his playing style incorporates rock, blues, jazz, classical, bluegrass, and flamenco techniques. Similarly, his songwriting and discography demonstrate his ability to employ and blend multiple genres. In April 2005, he won the Canadian Smooth Jazz Award for Guitarist of the Year.

Emmett is also a proficient singer, splitting lead vocal duties of Triumph with Gil Moore. Emmett's voice also has a noticeable resemblance to that of Geddy Lee of Canadian progressive rock band Rush, leading to the band's sound sometimes being compared to that of Rush.

In 2007, Emmett joined former Triumph bandmates Gil Moore and Mike Levine for their induction into the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame. On Sunday April 6, 2008, at The 2008 JUNO Awards, Triumph was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame by the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS).

As a result of positive audience response to their dual guitar work in live shows, Emmett and guitarist Dave Dunlop formed the duo Strung-Out Troubadours. In 2007, they won 'Album of the Year' and 'Group/Duo of the Year' at the Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards, where they were the most heavily nominated act. Both were also nominated for 'Best Guitarist'.

Emmett's 2018 tour with Dunlop may prove to be his last, citing an interest in retirement, or at least an extended break.

As of January 2019, Emmett is on hiatus from touring.

Emmett revealed that he is being treated for prostate cancer in 2024. He also has developed arthritis in his hands.

Discography

Solo albums

• Absolutely (1990)
• Ipso Facto (1992)
• The Spiral Notebook (1995)
• Ten Invitations from the Mistress of Mr. E. (1997)
• Swing Shift (1997)
• Raw Quartet (1999)
• Handiwork (2002)
• Good Faith (2003)
• Then Again: Acoustic Selections from the Triumph Catalogue (2012)
• Marco's Secret Songbook (2012)

Live albums

• Rik Emmett LIVE at Berklee (2000)
• ‘’Live at Hugh’s Room’’ (2007)

DVDs

• One Night in Cinci (2005)
• Live at 10 Gigs (2005)

with Triumph

• Triumph (1976)
• Rock & Roll Machine (1977)
• Just a Game (1979)
• Progressions of Power (1980)
• Allied Forces (1981)
• Never Surrender (1982)
• Thunder Seven (1984)
• The Sport of Kings (1986)
• Surveillance (1987)

with Sam Reid

• The Spirit of Christmas (1999)

with Strung-Out Troubadours

• Strung-Out Troubadours (2006)
• Push & Pull (2009)
• reCOVERy room 9 (2011)

with Airtime

• Liberty Manifesto (2007)

with Pavlo and Oscar Lopez

• Trifecta (2009)

with RESolution9

• RES9 (2016)

Solo singles

Soundtrack appearances

• "Saved by Love" (from Problem Child 2) (1991)

See also

• Pavlo
• Oscar Lopez

References

1. "Krall, Benson win first Smooth Jazz Awards". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. April 11, 2005. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
2. "Rik Plays Rush Song 'Red Barchetta' with Neil Peart Drums! | RikEmmett.com | The Official Website for Rik Emmett".
3. "Could Rik Emmett retire from touring this year?". July 11, 2018.
4. "Show Listings | RikEmmett.com | The Official Website for Rik Emmett". www.rikemmett.com. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
5. Blabbermouth (March 9, 2024). "TRIUMPH's RIK EMMETT Says His Prostate Cancer 'Is Under Control And Being Treated'". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
6. McNairpublished, James (July 17, 2024). "Triumph were on the cusp of superstardom – then they let it all go". louder. Retrieved July 18, 2024.

External links

• Official Rik Emmett Website
• CanConRox bio
• Rik Emmett discography at Discogs
• Rik Emmett at IMDb

• 1953 births
• Living people
• Canadian rock guitarists
• Canadian male guitarists
• Canadian male songwriters
• Canadian rock singers
• Canadian male singers
• Canadian heavy metal guitarists
• Canadian rock keyboardists
• Lead guitarists
• Singers from Toronto
• Triumph (band)
• Writers from Toronto