Rikki has been performing on stage since he was 7 years old. As a Cub Scout he would often be asked to perform solo spots at the annual Scout Gang Show and at age 8 (along with older brother Ian Morris) won the 1ZB Talent Quest singing ‘Walk With Me’ by The Seekers.
The winning performance was broadcast live on 1ZB and the boys won $10 cash and $6 worth of groceries from 4 Square!
In 5th form at Sacred Heart College Rikki took the lead role of Joseph in ‘Joseph & His Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat’.
Rikki’s first foray into life as a professional musician was in legendary Kiwi band The Crocodiles whom he joined as guitarist/vocalist in 1981. His 5th gig with the band was in front of 35,000 at the iconic summer music festival, Sweetwaters – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-zIbjraFuk
Rikki also began his recording career with The Crocodiles, taking lead vocal duties on their 1981 single ‘Hello Girl’ – http://www.nzonscreen.com/title/hello-girl-1981
The next few years saw Rikki honing his performance skills in London (Lahore Safari), Sydney (The Hanks) and in Auckland (Cor Blimey!, The Vibe Brigade, The Rocking Lovegods, Chrome Safari).
In the summer of 1988/89, having penned and sung the NZ #1 single ‘Nobody Else’, Rikki embarked on a 37 date NZ tour with all girl band When The Cat’s Away as their support act. At the time the biggest grossing local tour in history, nationwide exposure for Rikki was guaranteed. He also played in the Cat’s Away backing band.
Another sold out nationwide tour supporting WTCA the following summer cemented Rikki’s place in the psyche of mainstream New Zealand.
Having moved to Melbourne in 1990, Rikki was asked to join Australian legend Jimmy Barnes and his band as a backing singer on Jimmy’s ‘Soul Deep’ showcase shows along with Kiwi singers Debbie Harwood & Annie Crummer. Superstars John Farnham, Ross Wilson and Diesel also joined Jimmy on these shows.
On return to New Zealand in the early 90s Rikki formed several different corporate bands and played hundreds of corporate functions for such clients as Air New Zealand, Vodafone, Coca Cola, Vero, Barfoot & Thompson, TVNZ, Sky TV, NZ Rugby, and Soccer NZ amongst others.
In 1996 Rikki performed 19 shows as support act to 70s soft rockers ‘Bread’ on their Australasian tour. The same year his band supported platinum award winners ‘Hootie & the Blowfish’ in both Auckland and Christchurch.
In December 1998 Rikki was a principal vocalist in the annual ‘Coca Cola Christmas In The Park’ and performed in front of over 200,000 Aucklanders – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzx3e4mGXUc
In 2003 Rikki and his brother Ian performed at ‘Symphony Under The Stars’, joining the APO and a 100 piece choir in front of 100,000 people.
2008 saw Rikki touring New Zealand as support act to Spandau Ballet front man Tony Hadley and British icon Paul Young.
In 2011 Rikki was a headline performer at the annual ‘Lakeside’ concert in Rotorua.
2013, Eddie Rayner invited Rikki to be a principal singer in the ‘ENZO – Stranger Than Fiction’ shows featuring Annie Crummer, Rima Te Wiata, Jesse Sheehan and original members of Split Enz including Mike Chunn, Paul Crowther, Wally Wilkinson and Geoffrey Chunn.
In 2013 Rikki was invited by Split Enz keyboard player Eddie Rayner to be part of his ‘ENZO – Stranger Than Fiction’ series of concerts at St Mary’s Cathedral in Auckland.
Rikki continues to play corporate shows with both ‘High Wide & Handsome’ (featuring Jackie Clarke & Chet O’Connell) and ‘The Sticky Situation’ (featuring Chet O’Connell, Patrick Kuhtze, Mark Hughes and Mark Steven).
Rikki has also recently reformed his old band ‘Golden Kiwis’ after a short sabbatical, featuring Harry Lyon and Rick Ball (Hello Sailor), Tony Waine (Narcs), Cherie Mathieson (Sola Rosa) and Mark Steven (Ardijah).
If you would like to book Rikki for your next corporate event, either solo, as a duo with either Chris Sanders or Chet O’Connell, or one of Rikki’s bands, click here.
