Rick Edgett: guitarist extraordinaire - 1952 - 2013

RICK EDGETT - 1952 - 2013: I had the great pleasure and fortune to work with one of the finest guitarists in Canada in the production of my 2007 album "From A Distance". That guitarist was Halifax, Nova Scotia based musician Rick Edgett. Rick and I had history. If you listen to my 1977 album Street Ballet you will hear his lead guitar adding the fire to my tracks. We also co-wrote a song called "Somewhere They Found Love" which appears on my album Gallery.

Photo: Tony Tobias

Rick Edgett at Ken Tobias recording session in Saint John in 2007.

I stayed in touch with Rick off and on over the years but more so when I moved back to my home town of Saint John, New Brunswick in 2003. When planning the production of From A Distance I thought Rick would be perfect as the lead guitarist plus he was living not that far away from me in Halifax. So it worked out. Rick came to Saint John and over a few days laid down the great lead guitar parts you hear on the album.

The one track that especially stands out for his playing is my song "My Maria". One day during production while Rick was off by himself rehearsing his guitar parts for "My Maria", Tony peeked in with a video camera and captured the bare bones of him working out his acoustic guitar parts for the song. We see Rick listening to the bed tracks on his headphones with his music notes at hand. We don't hear what he is hearing. We only see and hear him playing with passion as he accompanies the phantom music in his phones. I recommend that once you view the video that you listen to the full production of "My Maria" to experience Rick's complete contribution to the song. His playing is amazing!

More About Rick Edgett: Over his career Rick recorded with a lot of Atlantic Canadian artists like Doug Mallory, Frank MacKay and Ken Tobias. He was a session musician with the Doobie Brothers, Dutch Mason and Chuck Berry. He was nominated for an East Coast Music Award for producer of the year. In the 1970s he was a member of the Halifax band Pepper Tree. Sadly Rick Edgett died in July 2013 of cancer. A great talent gone too soon.