While Atlanta's Rick Richards is no relation to Rolling Stone Keith Richards, it is likely he will wail on a Stones cover or two when he guests for 90-plus minutes with Northwest Indiana's Steepwater Band this Tuesday at the Double Door in Chicago.
"I'm coming up to Chicago from Atlanta just for this gig," said Richards, cofounder of The Georgia Satellites.
"Those guys are great. I really enjoy Steepwater's music and jamming with them."
Richards first met Steepwater's members -- Joe Winters, Jeff Massey and Tod Bowers -- when they opened for the Satellites last year at an Iowa motorcycle rally.
Hitting it off both musically and personally, Richards has jammed with the trio a few times since when their paths have crossed -- the last time in Barcelona, Spain.
"They were on tour and playing in Barcelona, and I happened to be there on vacation. So I made a point to catch their show and they invited me up," he said.
Richards has been playing guitar since his early teens.
"I hate to sound cliche, but the rock 'n' roll bug bit me after seeing the Beatles on television," he said.
After playing Beatlesque pop for a spell, Richards embraced the Fab Four's arch-rivals, The Rolling Stones. They led him to discover bands like Free and The Small Faces. From there, he discovered Chicago bluesmen like Willie Dixon and Muddy Waters.
A bluesman with rock roots, Richards formed The Hellhounds and became well known in the Atlanta music scene. Eventually, The Hellhounds morphed into The Georgia Satellites.
After four national studio albums on Elektra Records and a pair of successful radio hits, "Keep Your Hands To Yourself" and "Battleship Chains," the original band splintered.
Richards and Satellites bassist Rick Price since have continued to tour and occasionally record with their own version of the popular Southern-fried rock group.
Richards also began moonlighting a few years ago with former Guns 'N Roses guitarist Izzy Stradlin in his band, The Ju Ju Hounds, an on-again/off-again rootsy Americana blues ensemble.
"We last recorded about two years ago, and it was pretty good stuff that would be great for people to hear," said Richards, uncertain of Stradlin's future plans for The Ju Ju Hounds.
Richards confirmed he will play guitar on original Steepwater songs he's learned off their albums and that Steepwater's members will back him on covers of Satellite songs. While he hinted a Ju Ju Hounds song or two might make the set, he never committed.
"Honestly, I have no idea what will happen on stage (this Tuesday)," Richards said.
"All I know is that I'm going to be there with them jammin', drinkin' and havin' a whole lot of fun."
E-mail Tom Lounges at beatboss@aol.com.
If you go:
Rick Richards and The Steepwater Band (with The Wabash Cannonballs)
When: 9 p.m. Tuesday
Where: The Double Door, 1572 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago
Cost: $8, 21-and-older show
FYI: (773) 489-3160
