Dick Sillman began his passion for making music as a child enjoying thunderous tones from underneath his Dad's grand piano. By age 14 he'd become a multi-instrumentalist playing drums, bass guitar, flute, acoustic guitar, tympani, and his all-time love, the piano. Dick developed a wide-ranging and eclectic repertoire beginning with his 10-piece brass funk band in high school to several progressive rock bands in college to the popular covers and non-stop dance music of The Megatones today.

He also enjoys the technical challenges of pristine studio recording and has lent his production talents to various songwriters and professional audio engineers. He is equally at home dialing in just the right compression and tone on a lead vocal one minute and laying down his own funky bass rhythm the next. As a founding member of the Megatones in 1988, Dick pulled together his favorite musical friends from various jam sessions and parties in the South Bay and steadily progressed their sound from playing corporate casuals to hard-edged bars and nightclubs, all the way to the satin sounds required by Hearst Castle and the Mark Hopkins Intercontinental Hotel.

Dick contributes lead and backing vocals, often blending a unique harmony voice or rhythmic styling to compliment other sounds on stage. He loves to whip the crowd into a frenzy with his searing synthesizer solos and soulful Hammond arpeggios, but he's just as content to hold down his corner of the rhythmic foundation with some funky piano and organ comping.

Gear

• Roland D-70 synthesizer as upper keyboard midi controller
• Roland A-30 as lower keyboard midi controller Roland JV-880 synth module for acoustic and electric pianos
• Korg WaveStation synth module for synthesizer leads
• Voce V3 organ module for Hammond Organ emulation with Voce Midi Drawbars Motion Sound R3-147 rotating speaker and tube pre-amp for realistic Leslie sound
• Barbetta 32c keyboard amplifier
• Ultimate Ears E5 in-ear monitors for crystal clear personal cue mix

Notes

"As keyboard player and sound engineer, I still get a little finicky before shows because I want every element of our tri-amped sound system perfectly balanced to create a high fidelity listening experience. People have a lot of options with their entertainment so I want each Megatones show to bring something special to the crowd. Tight, gotta-dance-now rhythms, smooth harmonies, and cutting solos are highlights, but it's equally important to me to support the other artists with a creative, but dependable foundation. We have so much excitement and energy to give, leaving adequate space for the musical light to shine through is probably the highest challenge."

Pre-Show Rules

• Get my beauty sleep
• Vocal warm-ups are essential
• Clear your mind of daily worries
• RELAX and don't forget to BREATHE
• Good hydration is critical for the voice.