When I was a teenager I'd sneak into the Fallsway on Clifton Hill to see the Rick Rose Band play..maybe even sneak a few beers ("A couple of MIlwakee's Best, the coldest ones, I guess") He was our hometown Springsteen, our hometown Cougar....hell, they had a sax player. I was a fan.

 

Years later, I got to know Rick, and when Mike Minervini and I were planning our first Light of Day Canada event, we called Rick and Mark Matthews to help us. He told us what we had to do with sound, bands, etc. and even helped us bring his friend, Ron Sexsmith to our first show (that was cool). Rick played a killer set with his band, and the rest, as they say is history.

Rick played several Light of Day shows, as well as our virtual Light of Day shows, the Light of Day Songwriters shows, and of course, he played the Final Farewell show with his trio. My favorite was when he played the Sunday Songwiters show at the Watermark Restaraunt overlooking the Falls with Joe Grushecky, Joe D'Urso, Willie Nile and John Eddie. What a show!

Rick was also DANIMA client for years with several of his businesses and later I volunteered for him at 4680Q doing my Light of Day podcast for a year, and helping him get the 4680Q website sorted out.

I loved Rick's music. He knew that one of my all-time favorite songs, up there with Drift Away, Thunder Road and Carmelita (we were both big Zevon fans) was his masterpiece, "The Greatest Train Ride". That song chokes me up every time I hear it, and if I was in the crowd he always sent it out to me. We included it in the music at the funeral home when my Dad died. It's one of the most beautiful Father and Son songs ever written. From Buffalo to Yonkers....damn!

Over the past several years he was a big influence on Evan. Evan loved his music too and he gave him some great advice, including "when you play covers, make them your own...don't try to sound like the artist'...and so he did. He also played a few times with Evan as a duo and in our Songwriters shows. He influenced Evan so much that he started playing Dreaming Out Loud a couple of years ago at many of his gigs. I remember sending a video to Rick and he loved it. He also talked about putting together an album of local artists doing his songs and Evan doing Dreaming Out Loud. I really hope we can make that dream come true for him in the near future.

One of my favorite shows that he played was with Evan at The Canalside in Port Colborne when they both swapped songs all night and Rick went into a great version of Your Mama Don't Dance and he asked Evan to play harmonica. I enjoyed it so much I forgot to video tape it. But I have the memory!! He also did a killer version of "Ain't Even Done With The Night"...and yes, he made it his own.

What I'll remember the most is our talks last year before or after my podcast when we just talked about music. We had the exact same taste, but he knew 1000 times more. I could listen to him talk about his experiences all day. Recording with Anton Fig and the late, great Mick Ronson.

He was one of the good guys. Salt of the earth. Never talked bad about anyone. Always encouraging. He wasn't in it for the money, he wanted to help people, help young musicians...from teaching to mentorship...he had an impact on so many lives. He loved seeing artists grow and he did what he could to assist them. I spoke to a few folks over the last couple of days who told me incredible stories about how Rick helped them, their bands, etc. Other than our mutual friend, Dave Rave, I've never met anyone so connected and knowledgeable about the industry...and of course, so kind and so helpful. And I always knew, if I needed something from him, he was there.

Niagara has lost a legend (and that's not emotions or hyperbole) and the world has lost a great person, a great man, a great husband, a great father, and for many of us....a good friend. From the time I was 16 until now, Rick has always been to me and many, the Godfather of the Niagara Falls Music Scene. Asbury has Bruce Springsteen and we have Rick Rose. And I say it in the present tense because that won't change.

So Rick, I want to thank you for helping us all Dream Out Loud and for giving us "Something To Remember", but mostly thank you for taking us all on the "Greatest Train Ride".

In the words of one of Rick's favorite's, Steve Earle

"I'll see you when I get there Maestro"

Much love. Much respect.