Introducing a fresh rhythmic approach to the typical “guy with a guitar” commonly found in breweries and restaurants, Heart Headed has hit upon a sound that has Ricky Delgado booked week after week, fusing strumming and drumming into something listeners love.
Delgado was born in California, raised in New Jersey, and settled in the Lehigh Valley, where he's happy to have the country close by. “Twenty to 30 minutes and you're in the boons,” he says admiringly.
The Valley is also home to a staggering number of venues for a talented musician. Starting on piano as a youngster, he began at open mics when a friend caught him playing music too good not to share. Switching to the more portable guitar, Delgado started to quietly play out, then met Shane Reimer. Thanks to Reimer's influence, Delgado became faster, gutsier—more rock and roll. When Reimer's not on tour, he and Delgado make up the duo Public Displays of Rejection, but on his own, Delgado is Heart Headed, and he's carved out his own unique style.
Trying to get a fuller sound out of his instrument, Delgado discovered he could hit his cheap, sturdy guitar pretty hard for resonating tones, and it's certainly been resonating with audiences. “No one is doing this,” Delgado says. “If they can, they're not trying to.”
There's a bit more to it than being in demand as “the guy who beats his guitar.” Working with a looping station, he layers beats and harmonies, playing fusion that mixes Latin, blues, jazz and rock. From '60s to contemporary Top 40 hits, he has a wide repertoire to draw from when he feels out a room and delivers a vibe tailored to the mood.
Find his next gig on Facebook and discover the sound that sets Heart Headed apart.
