| Biography |
Dick Sims is known as one of best rock keyboard players in the world. His work
on the Hammond B-3 is incomparable and he has been listed as one of the best
rock Hammond B-3 players alive today. He is most known for his own work and
his work with Eric Clapton. Dick is in fact on Clapton’s latest “Complete Clapton”
and Clapton’s “The Millennium Collection” CDs.
Dick was born January 22, 1951, in musically rich Tulsa, Oklahoma where he was
influenced by Skip VanWinkle (of Teegarden and VanWinkle), Carl Radle and
other famous Tulsa Sound musicians.
By age 4, Dick had music constantly running in his brain and blood. Later on he
would skip classes at elementary school to go play his grandmother’s organ all
day long. His talent was so obvious; grandmother was just fine with this. There
was no question of what he was going to do…it was the beginning of a musical
life – one that would go down in rock history. Once the boogie-woogie was in his
blood, there was no turning back. So at around 4 or 5 years old, Dick just started
playing and writing music most of the time. He took piano and organ lessons at
the same ages and even took more lessons after playing and touring with
Clapton. Always improving . . . always evolving. . .always learning.
At age 12, Dick was already earning money playing the renowned/ infamous/
notorious Tulsa club circuit. He was around 14 when he formed Tulsa County, one
of the first younger more noticeable Tulsa Sound bands which included well-known musicians such as the respected guitarist Jim
Byfield, drummer Jamie Oldaker, who also played with Clapton during the time Dick did. (They went on 8 world tours with EC.)
Dick Sims professional career really kicked off in 1968, when at the age of 17, he appeared on the last Ed Sullivan Show ever aired,
performing with Phil Driscol and Yur Mama.
Dick performed and worked with JJ Cale before he joined Eric Clapton in 1974 for Eric’s comeback album. Right before that he’d
recorded and toured with Bob Seger on his landmark LP, ‘Back in ‘72’, and on blues-great Freddie King’s ‘Burglar’ prior to joining
Eric Clapton with his band and recording “461 Ocean Boulevard”. From 1974 through 1981, Dick was a driving force in Clapton’s
band, playing the Hammond B-3 organ and piano on a number of hit songs including; "I Shot the Sheriff", "Wonderful Tonight",
"Cocaine", "Lay Down Sally", and "Willie and the Hand Jive", and accompanying Eric and his band on eight world tours. Dick then
did a world tour with Joan Armatrading , who is up for a Grammy this year. He also recorded with Joan on her album “To The Limit."
Dick took a sabbatical from the music world for nearly 10 years to study and write music and most importantly to rehabilitate
himself. Touring and rock stardom did take its toll, as it did on many musicians. The price can be quite impactful and Dick’s writing
on his next album, Within Arm’s Reach, depicts much of that. It’s a contemporary, hip CD that reaches deep into what Dick has
really been through: young stardom, earning lots of money, losing it to addiction, and living on the streets of NYC for two years in his
own self-exiled sabbatical.
Dick returned to Los Angeles and began composing the songs that would make up this album, ‘Within Arms Reach’. He joined
forces with music producers, Pride Hutchison and Jim Barth who also hail from Tulsa.
With Dick’s classic rock songwriting and his amazing Hammond B-3 organ work, in addition to featured classic and contemporary
players such as: Jamie Oldaker (ex-Clapton drummer) and Richie Hayward (Little Feat drummer), jazz bassists, John Heard (Count
Basie, etc.…) Pat Senatore (ex-Tijuana Brass), Lester Chambers (Chambers Brothers) on harmonica, Doug Pettibone on guitar,
and most noticeably the familiar and stunning vocals of Marcy Levy (also ex-Clapton) made the album, “Within Arm’s Reach” a
showcase of Dick Sim’s diverse talent.
The album covers a lot of musical territory, from the ethereal "Katie" and "Blue Skies" to the reggae "Don’t Go Away", "Sitting Here
By Myself", the classic rocker "One More Toke", the upbeat, timbale laden "Man on the Run" to the haunting "Downtown" blues rock.
“When Old Words Fall”, “Time Code”, “Take a Little Time” and “Do What’s Right” speak of Dick’s personal journey sharing his
courage and determination. . . encouraging us to try again and again as Dick as always picked up and done. And with several
catalogs of music and new albums on the way, make no mistake that Dick Sims is back and doing what he does best!
Look for Dick’s CD at CD Baby.com
or email Dick at simsisdicksims@gmail.com for information.
of the first younger more noticeable Tulsa Sound bands which included well-known musicians such as the respected guitarist Jim
Byfield, drummer Jamie Oldaker, who also played with Clapton during the time Dick did. (They went on 8 world tours with EC.)
Dick Sims professional career really kicked off in 1968, when at the age of 17, he appeared on the last Ed Sullivan Show ever aired,
performing with Phil Driscol and Yur Mama.
Dick performed and worked with JJ Cale before he joined Eric Clapton in 1974 for Eric’s comeback album. Right before that he’d
recorded and toured with Bob Seger on his landmark LP, ‘Back in ‘72’, and on blues-great Freddie King’s ‘Burglar’ prior to joining
Eric Clapton with his band and recording “461 Ocean Boulevard”. From 1974 through 1981, Dick was a driving force in Clapton’s
band, playing the Hammond B-3 organ and piano on a number of hit songs including; "I Shot the Sheriff", "Wonderful Tonight",
"Cocaine", "Lay Down Sally", and "Willie and the Hand Jive", and accompanying Eric and his band on eight world tours. Dick then
did a world tour with Joan Armatrading , who is up for a Grammy this year. He also recorded with Joan on her album “To The Limit."
Dick took a sabbatical from the music world for nearly 10 years to study and write music and most importantly to rehabilitate
himself. Touring and rock stardom did take its toll, as it did on many musicians. The price can be quite impactful and Dick’s writing
on his next album, Within Arm’s Reach, depicts much of that. It’s a contemporary, hip CD that reaches deep into what Dick has
really been through: young stardom, earning lots of money, losing it to addiction, and living on the streets of NYC for two years in his
own self-exiled sabbatical.
Dick returned to Los Angeles and began composing the songs that would make up this album, ‘Within Arms Reach’. He joined
forces with music producers, Pride Hutchison and Jim Barth who also hail from Tulsa.
With Dick’s classic rock songwriting and his amazing Hammond B-3 organ work, in addition to featured classic and contemporary
players such as: Jamie Oldaker (ex-Clapton drummer) and Richie Hayward (Little Feat drummer), jazz bassists, John Heard (Count
Basie, etc.…) Pat Senatore (ex-Tijuana Brass), Lester Chambers (Chambers Brothers) on harmonica, Doug Pettibone on guitar,
and most noticeably the familiar and stunning vocals of Marcy Levy (also ex-Clapton) made the album, “Within Arm’s Reach” a
showcase of Dick Sim’s diverse talent.
The album covers a lot of musical territory, from the ethereal "Katie" and "Blue Skies" to the reggae "Don’t Go Away", "Sitting Here
By Myself", the classic rocker "One More Toke", the upbeat, timbale laden "Man on the Run" to the haunting "Downtown" blues rock.
“When Old Words Fall”, “Time Code”, “Take a Little Time” and “Do What’s Right” speak of Dick’s personal journey sharing his
courage and determination. . . encouraging us to try again and again as Dick as always picked up and done. And with several
catalogs of music and new albums on the way, make no mistake that Dick Sims is back and doing what he does best!
Look for Dick’s CD at CD Baby.com
or email Dick at simsisdicksims@gmail.com for information.
Dick Sims Project
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