January's Artist:
Richard Vernon
Richard Vernon, born and raised in Ottawa, grew up in a family where music was an every day part of life. Although Vernon enjoys many genres of music, including reggae, rock and jazz, his passion has always been funk and R&B. His earliest major influence was Ritchie Blackmore of Deep Purple. Later, his influences included the jazz, blues and R&B stylings of Grant Green, Charlie Christian, Ronny Jordan, Bruce Conte, and the Three Kings: Albert, BB, and Freddie. With twenty-three years of experience, Vernon has mastered his self-taught technique and has contributed to the success of notable bands such as The Funky Presidents, The Boogieman, Rudeboy, and of course Soul Review Board.