Review and photos by Liza Wilson-
Singer/songwriter Ricky Montgomery doesn’t have the typical origin story. After several years in the business, and achieving moderate success, he was nonetheless about to quit music for good around 2020, taking a job in social media marketing instead. Shortly after that, though, he blew up on the video platform TikTok, causing them to gain a resurgence in fans and interest from record labels. Since then, they have put out two more albums, his latest being “Rick(y).”
Ricky Montgomery singing in Cincinnati, OH
The comeback
In 2024, Ricky Montgomery is back full-time in the industry and on a headline tour of the U.S., which inCincinnati, where I had the pleasure of photographing them.
Unlike other artists I’ve photographed, Montgomery interacted with me, helping me get awesome shots. He also made it a point to interact with all the fans, even heading into the audience during their first song. It was clear that they cared about all the people who had come to the show, and seeing his fans’ faces light up after each interaction was truly heartwarming.
Ricky Montgomery is a crowd pleaser.
Montgomery’s genuineness for their fans and music is refreshing to see in this day and age. It was obvious that he has fun performing and connecting with fans, which allows for anybody to have fun at his shows– the energy is contagious!
Some old favorites
The show opened up with the very popular “Line Without a Hook” which was perfect, it painted the picture for the rest of the concert. The setlist mainly contained songs from Montgomery’s most recent works: Rick and Rick(y). It also included some fan favorites from their debut album such as “This December” and “Cabo.”
Do not miss out on the Rick tour this year. Even if you only know a few songs, you’re guaranteed to have a great time with this talented artist.
PF Wilson has been writing about music, TV, radio, and movies for over 20 years. He has also written about sports, business, and politics with his work appearing in Cincinnati CityBeat, The Houston Press, Cleveland Scene, Cincinnati Magazine, Cincy Magazine, Atomic Ranch, and many more. Check out his podcast PF’s Tape Recorder available from Podbean or in iTunes.