ricky warwick

Northern Irish vocalist and songwriter Ricky Warwick has devoted decades to rock & roll, establishing the Almighty, Black Star Riders, and the Fighting Hearts while serving as Thin Lizzy’s singer since 2011. Beyond those commitments he has maintained a steady solo catalog stretching from the 2003 release Tattoos & Alibis through the 2025 album Blood Ties.

Warwick entered the world in Newtownards, County Down. Music drew him early; childhood listening ranged from Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash to louder discoveries such as the MC5 and the Clash. A short tenure with New Model Army in the late ’80s preceded his co-founding of the Almighty in 1988. During the following decade he concentrated on that group, yet still joined Stiff Little Fingers for a single performance that yielded a live album and appeared with the band during the Almighty’s first hiatus from 1996 to 1999. When the Almighty disbanded once more in 2001, Warwick turned to solo work rooted in his longstanding affection for country and Americana. The initial trio of releases—Tattoos & Alibis, 2005’s Love Many, Trust Few, and 2009’s Belfast Confetti—favored acoustic textures. In 2011 he made his debut appearances as Thin Lizzy’s lead vocalist, and the association soon led him to form Black Star Riders in 2012 alongside guitarist Damon Johnson. Even as these projects kept him busy onstage and in studios, he continued issuing solo albums.

Entering the 2020s, Warwick delivered the solo set When Life Was Hard and Fast in 2021. By 2024 he was previewing material from the forthcoming Blood Ties. That loud, guitar-driven record stood in marked contrast to his earlier solo efforts and featured appearances by musicians from Buckcherry, Blackberry Smoke’s Charlie Starr, the Cult’s Billy Duffy, and Lita Ford.