It is with great sadness that we learned of Rick's passing.

Heather, our hearts are heavy today and if there is anything Donna or I can do to help in any way you know you can call on us.

My remembrances of Rick are many, as a musician's musician who did not just live the life many musicians want to live, but lived the life many musicians SHOULD want to live. Who played where his music would be appreciated, not just where he could get work. As a font of knowledge on all things musical, most things baseball and many things political. As a very good and caring friend, and one who would not shy away from telling me what I needed to hear, as opposed to what I wanted to hear. As the man who introduced me to my wife.

And as a great husband to Heather. Rick was very appreciative for the life he had as a musician, and was happy to have been able to live his life as a player, and teacher of music. That appreciation was dwarfed by how much he appreciated Heather.

I had the pleasure, some 15 years ago, to sit with Rick as he reflected - no, gushed - on how incredibly lucky he was to have found his life's mate in Heather, and how panicked he was that she might not return his love, or that somehow in his flood of unbridled emotion he would scare her away. He opened his heart to her completely, holding nothing back, and he met nothing but love in return. I know this was life-changing for Rick, and i suspect it was for Heather as well. We should all have that. You two did, and always will.

Rick, I will mourn your passing. I will regret many of the things not said between us in the past few years, and I will remember lessons learned from my friend and sometimes mentor, many of which are musical, many more of which are not. I will continue to intersperse your licks, badly played, throughout my music, but most of all I will remember my friend as the man who was giddy in love with his wife for all the time they shared together, that he knew he was a better man for it, and that no matter what else happened, he was a very lucky man, who shared his life's love, music, with Heather, the love of his life.

Godspeed my friend, I'll weep for you today, and sing for you tomorrow, and laugh for you as soon as I can.

David