Photo Credits Marlen James
Singer/ Songwriter Rick Marshall was born in Newfoundland, Canada, lived in Libertyville, Illinois and now hangs his cowboy hat in Neuvo Vallarta, México a good part of his time.
He has found his true love south of two borders. We caught up with Rick at his home n México, “How I got here and what led to me writing the song, Viva México, is an interesting story. I moved to Hollywood, California in 1988 for a few years and worked in the film industry. During this period, my friends and I traveled many times down into México. Each time I did, I felt a familiarity, a kinship, a wanting. Over the following decades, this would continue. Every time I would visit, part of me longed to stay, to the point, I would joke with my friends and say: “If you ever find yourself down in México one day, take a good look at the guy napping under the sombrero, because it might just be me. And here I am, although I don’t do much napping! I love it here.”
Lyric Excerpt:
I’m lying here under a blue sky
The palm trees sifting the sunlight
I don’t know how, but I’m happy, that I came
I came for the sun, I came for the sand
But what you gave me México you can’t understand
The oceans right there and the waves say come and play
Chorus
Oh oh, México
You got my mind and you got my soul
No place I’d rather go
Than my, México
Rick met his future wife at an Irish Pub in Toronto, Canada where he was working as the GM and she would come in once in a while with a couple of friends who were regulars, and he knew he wanted to get to know her better. It wasn’t until later that he found out she was from Guadalajara, México. They are now married and have a 6 year old son. “I actually split my time between my home in Canada and here in Mexico and am living my best life.”
They say a man who is on the path he was meant to be on is a happy and satisfied man and Rick Marshall is on that path.
A big ingredient in a man’s happiness is doing what he is meant to do and music is in Rick’s blood. While living in the US he attended a show featuring the legend, Johnny Cash. He caught the fever. “The songs, the stories, the persona, the whole vibe hit me. This is what I want to do. Johnny Cash was a hero of mine. I was lucky enough to meet him and shake his hand at that show at The Bismarck Hotel in Chicago back in 1994. It was at that moment that I knew what I was meant to do.”
Returning to Canada, Rick started a band called Covered in Cash doing Johnny Cash songs to sold-out rooms, theatres and cheering audiences. After years of singing the songs of the iconic Johnny Cash, Rick decided it was time to introduce the world to his own music.
Revisiting and revamping some of his original tunes, Rick spent time honing his craft of his own musical journey. And that is when the magic happened.
He was contacted by Dean Miller, the son of the legendary Roger Miller (King of the Road, Dang Me) who has built a successful career on producing artists at the Sound Emporium Studios in Nashville, Tennessee and was told by Dean that he would like to produce Rick. It all became a reality when Rick found himself on his way to Nashville to record his tracks produced by Dean and backed up by some of Nashville’s most sought after session players laying down the tracks.
Rick shares his thoughts on the experience that brought these new great tracks to fruition.
“As I walked into the Sound Emporium I was immediately hit with a sense of calm. The Emporium has such a warm and inviting vibe. It is no wonder that so many of Country Music’s biggest names have recorded there over the years. One of the first things I saw as I walk in, is a quote on the wall from The Sound Emporium's founder, Cowboy Jack Clement and it read, "Remember, we are in the fun business. If we are not having fun, we are not doing our job”.
"That pretty much describes my experience at the Sound Emporium. I had a blast recording my tracks and getting to know Producer Dean Miller. Watching him in action was like taking a master class in production. The opportunity to meet all of the famed Studio Musicians who were all so very kind and talented and having a chance to chat and trade stories with them, made the dream come alive."
In the core band are keyboardist Billy Nobel and drummer Shawn Fichter (both of whom do double duty with Tim McGraw and Faith Hill), plus bassist Sam Hunter (Willie Nelson, George Strait, Ronnie Milsap, Glen Campbell, Elton John, Amy Grant, Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, et al) and electric guitarist Troy Lancaster (a past nominee for The Academy of Country Music’s Guitarist of the Year award).
Also appearing on two tracks each are Tim Galloway (the ACM’s 2023 Acoustic Guitar Player of the Year), steel guitarist Steve Hinson (who’s performed and/or recorded with the likes of Trace Adkins, Dolly Parton and Randy Travis) and acoustic guitarist Pat McGrath (a 25-year veteran of the Nashville scene with over 100 releases to his credit across the categories of bluegrass, folk, country and rock). Backing vocals come from Tania Hancheroff, who’s been heard on records by everyone from McGraw and Hill to Sheryl Crow, Carrie Underwood, Brad Paisley, Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood and Alan Jackson.
“It was almost surreal,” Marshall says. “The opportunity to meet all of these famed studio musicians, who were all so very kind and talented as well as having a chance to chat and trade stories with them made the dream come alive.”
Listen on Spotify here: open.spotify.com/track/6oOmifMNdKh8LH38CuCHPa
The result is a four song EP Classic Country, with the first release being "Viva México", and future releases on the horizon.
Sit back and take a magical trip to paradise with Rick as he sings the praises of his second home with his hit single “ Viva México.”
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