Rick MacDonald-band leader, lead singer/songwriter/guitarist
Influences
Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Hank Williams, The Eagles, Merle Haggard, Johhny Cash, Led Zepplin, The Beatles,Townes Van Zandt,Guy Clarke, Willie Nelson, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Robert Johnson, John Prine, Gordon Lightfoot, Django Reinhart,Ugly Duckings,Eric Clapton,Jeff Beck,Jimi Hendrix Just to name a few
Sounds Like
The Eagles, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash
I was born Richard William MacDonald in Halifax, Nova Scotia. I lived on Charles Street with my parents, three brothers and two sisters (my youngest sister hadn't arrived yet). When I was four, we moved to Fairview where I spent my early years - doing everything except listening to music. Unlike today, music was geared more towards an older crowd.
What changed me and the world happened in 1964 when the Beatles played on The Ed Sullivan Show. I was just thirteen years old and that was my musical awakening. From that time on, the radio and I were inseparable. Music took over my life.
Everyone seemed to come alive. All my friends started playing guitar, drums or some kind of musical Instrument (it was our Nintendo or X box). Bands started popping up everywhere. Over the years, I, like so many others, were influenced by the likes of Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, The Animals, The Stones and of course, the Beatles - just to name a few.
In 1967 a local band called The Lost Children arrived on the scene and became the biggest group around our area. I got to know two of their members - Ritchie Richmond, the bass player and Lenny Brennan, the lead guitarist. Lenny was my first big influence, teaching me the guitar basics. One of the things he told me was that it¹s important to learn all types of music but that I should try to create my own. I took this to heart and have been writing ever since. As George Harrison said: " You write a lot of bad to get to the good." I hope I hit the good.
2003 was an important year for me and my music. That's when I made the decision to record some of the songs I had written over time. So, I went to the Logan Recording Studio, owned and operated by guitarist, James Logan. The result is my first CD entitled "The Beginning".
It was a great experience working with local musicians - pianist, Ross Billiard; background vocalist and harmony singer, Melanie Donnelly; violinist, Anthony Rissesco; Jim MacKay on mandolin; James Logan on guitar, bass & steel guitar and John Morgan on drums.
My family has always played a very important role in my life. My parents believed it takes hard work and determination to achieve your goals as well as a good amount of strength and courage. Most importantly, though, they taught me to simply be my best.
Rick MacDonald owns and maintains the East Coast Boxing Academy, a facility for training amateur and professional boxers in Bedford, Nova Scotia.
My new single "I Can't Kiss Me" just became available at ITUNES and you can watch the video at YOUTUBE. The full album comes out on Aug 11th! Here's the video!
