Fontanna Sunset band member Rickey Rakestraw has stepped down from music due to some health issues. Rickey is a well known and respected throughout the Georgia bluegrass community as a multi instrumentalist / vocalist and his absence from the stage will certainly be felt. As a longtime member of Frances Mooney and Fontanna Sunset, his contributions with lead and harmony vocals and rock solid rhythm guitar work have been heard throughout the southeast and beyond!
Here is a statement from Frances Mooney.
“With over 40 years of significant contributions to our show, his absence will be deeply felt. As my closest friend and a pivotal part of the group, he will be greatly missed. We wish Rickey all the best in the days ahead. Fontanna Sunset will move forward with its current lineup, featuring Matthew & Mark Mundy, Brian Morgan, and Frances Mooney & Fontanna Sunset”
Rickey is a lifetime residence of Dallas Georgia. He started playing Banjo in 1968 and began his first band with Jerry (Jughead) Rogers around 1973.
Over the next years, he performed with: The Betty Fisher Band where he got to perform at the Grand Ole Opry; Hood N Wylie; (1981-1996) Indian Summer Band with Frances (Mundy) Mooney where they performed festivals and venues all over Georgia, Florida taking their music all the way to Shanghai, China; Born Gypsy with Louisa Branscomb, The Little Roy & Lizzy Show where he got to be with friends with the legendary, Earl Scruggs. Over the years he got to play shows with Patty Loveless, Emory Gordy.
Rickey and Frances
In 2011, Rickey rejoined with Frances Mooney & Fontanna Sunset where he currently plays Guitar and shares the lead and harmony vocals with Brian Morgan and Frances Mooney. (Rickey has shared the stage with Frances more than 25 years)
For the past 42, years, his family has run the Raccoon Creek Bluegrass Festival. Rickey is the proud Daddy to two beautiful daughters, Shylah and Alaina and three Grandchildren, Ethan, Hollis and Lilly.
Rickey is proud to be endorsed by GHS Corporation, VN-M, Acoustic Guitar Vintage Bronze medium strings and Blue Chip Picks.
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