Meet Rick Sherman | Music Composer, Audio Engineer, and Musical Entertainer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rick Sherman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rick, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I pursued my careers as a music composer, audio engineer, and musical entertainer because I’ve always believed that I should feel passionate about my career pursuits, and starting at a very young age (4 years old), I’ve always been passionate about music, and I’ve been pleased about the creative processes needed for the work that I do.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
As an audio engineer and composer at my studio, I combine my passion for composing and/or editing music to match the visual content and/or voice-over, to help make the production more impactful. Continuing to learn and use the powerful music and audio software at my studio helps greatly in this process. Any audio engineer can edit music so that at least a music piece can start and end where it needs to for a production, but being a musician and composer helps me customize the music to not only technically match up with a production, but to also make the production more impactful on an emotional level.

Also, as a musical entertainer, I am proud of the unique One Man Band live performances I am able to create. All the vocalists, keyboard, sax and guitar players I know of who promote themselves as a One Man Band use backing tracks (mp3 files or audio CDs) to play along with. As a keyboardist, I’m able to play left-hand bass on one keyboard, while playing piano, organ, guitar, saxophone, vibraphone, trumpet, flute sounds, etc. with my right hand on a second keyboard, and I control 2 drum machines with 4 foot pedals, while I’m singing. I use no backing tracks, playing everything live, and I do indeed sound like a band. I started playing piano when I was 4 years old, and I’ve been performing in my One Man Band format for decades. I can play classic Rock, Pop, Swing, Motown, Country, Jazz, Blues, and more. I perform music by Jimmy Buffet, Johnny Cash, Billy Joel, Elton John, Frank Sinatra, Neil Diamond, Randy Newman, Kenny Rogers, The Righteous Brothers, The Beatles, The Eagles, Glen Campbell, The Beach Boys, The Doors, Willie Nelson, and on and on (please see the sample Song List on my web site). I sincerely enjoy playing all types of music, and since I enjoy it, it seems to become infectious, and everyone listening and/or dancing enjoys it too!

I’m well-known in Newport Beach (or so I hear :-). On Thursday, August 24th, 2023, I performed for a “standing room only, packed house” at the Village Inn on Balboa Island to celebrate my 45-year Anniversary of performing there. I started there in 1978, and am now working for the 5th owner since starting there over 45 years ago. On Sunday, May 19th, I once again (for the 26th year) performed for the 29th annual Balboa Island Artwalk, and on Sunday, June 2nd, I was once again the featured entertainment on the Grandstand Stage for the annual Balboa Island Parade, which I have performed at for the past 26 years. Year after year, I perform for all of these annual Balboa Island community events. I also performed every Saturday night for the final 8 years of the landmark Villa Nova restaurant in Newport Beach (now The Winery), and I have also been providing music for all of the Orange County Business Journal Awards dinners and luncheons for over 18 years.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
When close friends come to visit me, I do my best to show them why I enjoy working and living in Orange County. One of the first things on my itinerary, if they haven’t already done it, is to give them a tour of Orange County Production Studios, the facility in Irvine where my studio, Sherman Sound Suite, is located. We have 3 sound stages, all of which can be used as greenscreen sound stages, as well as a large podcasting room. The Real Housewives of Orange County has been frequently shooting all of their one-on-one interviews in the mid-size greenscreen soundstage just down the hall from my recording studio. My studio has a comfortable Control Room, adjacent to my Voice-over/Audio Isolation Booth.

For dinner, one place we go to is my favorite restaurant in Orange County, the Thai Kitchen, in Irvine. Another restaurant we go to is Harborside Restaurant, located in the historic Balboa Pavillion, on Balboa Peninsula. We usually park our car(s) on Balboa Island, and then take the Ferry across scenic Newport Harbor, to the Fun Zone, Upstairs at the Pavillion, in the Ballroom, my wife and I had our Wedding and Reception, 30 years ago. We also enjoy the food at Mi Casa restaurant in Costa Mesa. Other things we enjoy doing include renting a boat and cruising around Newport Harbor, walking on the beach in Newport Beach and Laguna Beach, and going to hear live music, sometimes at Campus Jax in Irvine, and at Vittorio’s Italian Restaurant in Huntington Beach, where I’ve been performing in my One Man Band format, for many years.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are 2 people who have made a huge, positive difference in my career pursuits. The late Dave Ferguson, guitarist and band leader, was responsible for my move from Kansas City to Orange County, California. Also, Dan McKechnie, owner of Advanced Video Productions (past) and Moving Images (present), gave me a life-changing position and career start as a Music Composer and Audio Engineer.

Website: https://www.ricksherman.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rick.sherman.5454

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaJYqR7pO_tiOpTj0hHXiMA