Rick Santers is a Canadian musician and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist, guitarist, keyboardist, and songwriter for the Canadian hard rock band SANTERS. He later went on to work with Triumph over their last three studio albums.
Born November 13, 1959, Rick’s romance with the life of music began early when his father would read him bedtime stories about the lives of the great European classical composers. When Rick turned seven years old he began studying classical piano through the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. He later studied theory and composition with the University of Toronto professors Alexander Rapaport and Julia Galieva.
At age nine Rick began forming various basement bands with his brother Mark. The Santers brothers were surrounded by neighbourhood friends and families who loved to share music and would regularly get together for rehearsals after school. The boys instantly became a classic power duo band when Rick received a SEARS Silvertone guitar and amp and Mark got a Stewart drum kit for Christmas.
Rick was passionate about learning to play the guitar, to sing and write songs. He would spend hours playing along with recordings of his favourite bands, and by slowing his turntable down to 16 2⁄3 RPM he would to lift his favourite guitar solos note by note. At the age of nine he wrote his first song called “Rollin’ Along”. His childhood hero was John Fogerty of Creedence Clearwater Revival who represented the quintessential rock musician – bandleader, lead guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, arranger and producer.
Rick’s musical tastes developed and diversified over the years. He’s been inspired by some of this era’s greatest musicians and guitarists including; Jeff Beck, Johnny Winter, Jimmy Page, Ritchie Blackmore, Allan Holdsworth and Jerry Reed, along with bands including; The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Steely Dan, Deep Purple, Yes, Gentle Giant and Rush and songwriters including; Lennon and McCartney, Becker and Fagan, Page and Plant, Sting, John and Taupin, Marley, Mercury, Fogerty, Dylan, and Lightfoot, just to name a few.
Rick plays a 1964 Fender Stratocaster, 1969 Gibson Les Paul Gold Top, 1970 Dan Armstrong Ampeg and a 1967 Gibson Hummingbird. His amps of choice include Marshall, Mesa Boogie, and Fender.
LOVESICK - the single
“Lovesick” is a song that strikes at the heart of love, loss, and longing, and is sonically resonant with Rick’s hard rock roots. The musical message is delivered through a driving riff and rhythm section, and they lay the foundation for his lead vocal and guitar work.
Entirely self-produced in his home studio, “Lovesick” fully embraces the digital revolution that has turned recorded music and the legacy music industry on its head.