Ricky Rydell Dillard (born February 25, 1965) is an American gospel musician. He started his music career, in 1987, as a Chicago house musician. His first Christian music album was Promise, by Muscle Shoals Records. His next album, A Holy Ghost Take-Over, was released in 1993 by Malaco Records. The subsequent album, Hallelujah, was released by them in 1995. Crystal Spring Records released, 1996's Work It Out, 2000's No Limit, and Unplugged in 2004. With EMI Gospel, he released, 7th Episode, that came out in 2007. He released, Keep Living, with Light Records in 2011. His next release, Amazing, came out in 2014 with Entertainment One Music.
All of his Christian albums charted on the Billboard Gospel Albums chart. His No Limit album charted on the Christian Albums chart, and the album Unplugged charted on the Independent Albums chart along with the releases Keep Living, and Amazing that also charted on The Billboard 200. He was nominated at the Grammy Awards twice, the first time in the Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album category at the 34th Annual Grammy Awards for Promise, and the second time would come at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards in the category Best Gospel Album for Amazing.
Early life
Dillard was born on February 25, 1965, in Chicago Heights, Illinois, as Ricky Rydell Dillard. His mother and grandmother imparted to him a love of gospel music, and he was raised in the church singing in the choir at the age of five years, and eventually got the opportunity to direct the youth choir at St. Bethel Baptist Church. In 1981, he formed the first gospel choir at Bloom High School. Around that time, while working as a front desk clerk and later as a file clerk, he performed in a professional Backup band called Love, Salvation & Devotion (LSD) on the weekends. In 1984, he joined the late Milton Brunson's Thompson Community Singers. Also in 1984, he graduated from Bloom Township High School in Chicago Heights, Illinois.
Music career
Dillard started his recording career in 1987 in Chicago house music, to which he was introduced by the "Godfather of House", DJ Frankie Knuckles, a few years ago. In this genre, he collaborated with notable record producers such as Farley "Jackmaster" Funk on It's You (D.J. International Records, 1987) and As Always (Trax Records, 1988). He also worked with deep house pioneer Larry Heard, who was the main producer of Dillard's first album, Let The Music Use You, which was released on Jack Trax in 1989.
