Phil Dirt & The Dozers
As Phil Dirt and The Dozers were walking to their bus just minutes after their standing ovation performance in Williamsburg Virginia, drummer Rick Frye collapsed in front ot them. On January 5th, 2007, Rick Frye, 53, passed away from a heart attack. The band lost a friend, a brother, and a great rock and roll drummer and singer.
I met Rick years ago, through our head crew member John Mccoy and former sound engineer, Gary Nahs. John had known Rick since elementary school. Rick invited me to a jam session in a studio somewhere in the middle of a corn field. Boy did we have fun, Goofing around, rocking. Rick's brother mark kept putting Gershwin's Rhapsody In Blue over every song we played. Rick's then wife, Christen, a great singer in her own right, laid down a blistering version of RESPECT, that I will never forget. We had a couple of jam sessions on off nights, he invited my family up to his victorian house in Ashley Ohio, for a huge Christmas jam session. We jammed on Christmas carols and old rock and roll 'til the wee hours of the morning. In 1989, Myself, Rick, John McCoy, his brother Mike, piled into a car and drove up to Cleveland for the Stones concert. What fun! Hours in the car talking music, telling band stories. Rick was always a smiling, fun guy.
For me it was a sad loss. There are many bands out their playing. There are very few that last. With Rick, I had a common bond: I too played and still play, music with my brother. That in itself is a rarity. There is simply put, an inborn telepathy that takes place when you play music with a sibling. Rick and his brother mark have played music together all their lives. My heart goes out to his brother Mark who is also a Dozer.
Rick was the only other drummer I knew, that was still out rocking, with largely the same group of musicians that he started with 25 years ago. Going out, with what I call, "The Bubble". Your little group of band mates and crew, sharing crazy hours, 3AM in the carry out in the middle of nowhere, rocking the house weather it is a huge street fair or a wedding, and all the other crazy things that go on while you are out playing. This "common bond" made hanging out with him Rick special.
Rick like myself, played a white drum kit, which is a color you don't see any drummers use.
The Calling Hours and Funeral
As early roots rock and roll played, long lines of friends, fans and fellow musicians slowly moved through the church, lined with flowers photos of Rick throughout his life. A pair of saddle shoes that he wore with the band, were displayed, with a worn drum stick in each one.
On stage sat his gleaming white drumset. It looked sad and lonely. A roadie, with tears streaming down his cheeks made his way to the drumset with a a pair of drumsticks. How many times had he set up this kit...countless..and now, never again. Bless the roadies, they are the show as much as the band, and no one sees them.
The Chapel, quiet as people strolled in. The swinging Oscar Peterson Trio's West Side Story played in the background. During the service, after a nice Eulogy by the pastor, a stirring video "Dreams Of Ricky", and some wonderful reminisces, the Dozers went up on stage. With guitars strumming in precise unison, Steve Cabot sang a very moving "In Dreams" By Roy Orbison, complete with the rich Dozer harmonies. I doubt there was a dry eye in the house.
Then a warm "Here Comes The Sun" was performed.
As the casket was rolled out of the quiet sad chapel, a lone guitar played, While My Guitar Gently Weeps.
Please visit http://www.phildirt.com/
I met Rick years ago, through our head crew member John Mccoy and former sound engineer, Gary Nahs. John had known Rick since elementary school. Rick invited me to a jam session in a studio somewhere in the middle of a corn field. Boy did we have fun, Goofing around, rocking. Rick's brother mark kept putting Gershwin's Rhapsody In Blue over every song we played. Rick's then wife, Christen, a great singer in her own right, laid down a blistering version of RESPECT, that I will never forget. We had a couple of jam sessions on off nights, he invited my family up to his victorian house in Ashley Ohio, for a huge Christmas jam session. We jammed on Christmas carols and old rock and roll 'til the wee hours of the morning. In 1989, Myself, Rick, John McCoy, his brother Mike, piled into a car and drove up to Cleveland for the Stones concert. What fun! Hours in the car talking music, telling band stories. Rick was always a smiling, fun guy.
For me it was a sad loss. There are many bands out their playing. There are very few that last. With Rick, I had a common bond: I too played and still play, music with my brother. That in itself is a rarity. There is simply put, an inborn telepathy that takes place when you play music with a sibling. Rick and his brother mark have played music together all their lives. My heart goes out to his brother Mark who is also a Dozer.
Rick was the only other drummer I knew, that was still out rocking, with largely the same group of musicians that he started with 25 years ago. Going out, with what I call, "The Bubble". Your little group of band mates and crew, sharing crazy hours, 3AM in the carry out in the middle of nowhere, rocking the house weather it is a huge street fair or a wedding, and all the other crazy things that go on while you are out playing. This "common bond" made hanging out with him Rick special.
Rick like myself, played a white drum kit, which is a color you don't see any drummers use.
The Calling Hours and Funeral
As early roots rock and roll played, long lines of friends, fans and fellow musicians slowly moved through the church, lined with flowers photos of Rick throughout his life. A pair of saddle shoes that he wore with the band, were displayed, with a worn drum stick in each one.
On stage sat his gleaming white drumset. It looked sad and lonely. A roadie, with tears streaming down his cheeks made his way to the drumset with a a pair of drumsticks. How many times had he set up this kit...countless..and now, never again. Bless the roadies, they are the show as much as the band, and no one sees them.
The Chapel, quiet as people strolled in. The swinging Oscar Peterson Trio's West Side Story played in the background. During the service, after a nice Eulogy by the pastor, a stirring video "Dreams Of Ricky", and some wonderful reminisces, the Dozers went up on stage. With guitars strumming in precise unison, Steve Cabot sang a very moving "In Dreams" By Roy Orbison, complete with the rich Dozer harmonies. I doubt there was a dry eye in the house.
Then a warm "Here Comes The Sun" was performed.
As the casket was rolled out of the quiet sad chapel, a lone guitar played, While My Guitar Gently Weeps.
Please visit http://www.phildirt.com/
posted by Tom Smith of the Danger Brothers at 10:59 PM
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