By Dan Wooding
Founder of ASSIST Ministries
VENTURA, CA (ANS) -- When I first viewed a video by singer and musician Rick Irwin
on YouTube, I have to confess it was one of the most unusual offerings I have ever seen. You can check it out for yourself athttp://www.youtube.com/watch?
on YouTube, I have to confess it was one of the most unusual offerings I have ever seen. You can check it out for yourself athttp://www.youtube.com/watch? |
Creative shot taken about 1999 |
He began by telling that at 15, he joined his first band called "Danny & the Drop Ins” playing rhythm guitar and singing backing vocals.
“I always wrote my own songs after that," said Rick. "I hardly ever tried to learn how to play the hits of the day. As I progressed through school - four colleges and three universities, I broadened my entertainment skills taking theatre and extensive dance classes.
“I was in and out of bands through the years but that always led me back to my solo song writing. I was able to play 11 different instruments in college and spent my evenings in the piano practice rooms at Western University in Bellingham, Washington. The head of the music department called me a ‘young George Gershwin
.’ The head of the theatre department stated that ‘something big would come out of me one day.'"
.’ The head of the theatre department stated that ‘something big would come out of me one day.'"Rick laughed and added, “I am still waiting for that with no thought of ever giving up. I got these compliments from most of the schools I attended and sure it was flattering but I kept my concentration on building my skills instead of letting it go to my head.”
Irwin said that after graduating from Western University Bellingham in 1976, he returned to his home town of Sunnyside, Washington, and began recording his first Album “All Summer Long
.”
.”“After completing the tracks, I booked a flight to London to get me a record deal,” he said. “It was quite an experience going to a foreign land all by myself being from a small farm town in Washington State. I didn't get a deal, but did get a lot of encouragement from several entities including 'World Management’ who saw that same potential in me as my college professors. A little time in Holland visiting EMI Records and back to London where I was playing at the ‘Whistle Stop Inn” before departing back to the U.S.”
Hollywood, California, he said was his next place of call where there was a “constant Battle of the Bands” competition taking place for attention and respect, where he said there were up to 200,000 musicians in the L.A. area all trying to get discovered by managers, agents and record labels.
But like so many up-and-coming “stars,” Rick found life was tough in Tinsel Town and for several months he slept in his van.
“This is one of the points in my life where I reconnected with the Lord,” he said. “I had always been a non-wavering Christian, but sometimes I had put God on a back burner while I tried ‘cook’ my own plans to perfection.”
After this time sleeping in his van he said that the Lord stepped in and he found employment as a ground keeper at a church on Sunset Strip, which had many musicians and actors of that time attending, and in return, they let him sleep there each night. He also got some free acting lessons at the church and played the piano in the chapel every night with “no one there but God listening.”
He went on to say, “I wrote some great songs back then that will eventually be recorded and made available to the public. As the years passed and the struggle continued in Hollywood, I recorded five more albums with bands I had started and demoed several songs with bands I had been a part of as the lead singer.”
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Still camera shots on the sound stage of the Onward Christian Soldier video shoot with Rick discussing the next scene with director. |
“With the second formation of Foolish Pleasure, my signature band with some great musicians, I released 'End of Time
' on Rip Records Inc. My label and found that my music was being appreciated in Eastern Europe. I was very happy to be number one for weeks in Poland and Romania on their National broadcast stations. This came from my promotion efforts while in Mejeve, France, where i was invited to participate in a two week jazz dance seminar where I performed the song 'Mejeve’, whcihI had written for the occasion. Soon the CD End Of Time was playing in the States and in rotation on over 412 college stations simultaneously and was number 1 at 11 college stations at the same time. (CMJ statistics).
' on Rip Records Inc. My label and found that my music was being appreciated in Eastern Europe. I was very happy to be number one for weeks in Poland and Romania on their National broadcast stations. This came from my promotion efforts while in Mejeve, France, where i was invited to participate in a two week jazz dance seminar where I performed the song 'Mejeve’, whcihI had written for the occasion. Soon the CD End Of Time was playing in the States and in rotation on over 412 college stations simultaneously and was number 1 at 11 college stations at the same time. (CMJ statistics).“This secured a national distribution deal for my ‘End of Time’ album, but unfortunately, this was not the digital age yet and with no Internet it was impossible to service the European market without major label support.
“It was at this point in my career I started going to Russia. I couldn't afford to take the band so I went solo to promote the album. This land interested me and I feel the Lord sent me there. I met my now estranged wife Tanya there. I was intrigued by the Russian people. They were not at all like what I had learned about them in the U.S. Yes, they were different from Americans, yet witty and charming on all social levels. Religion was the problem or a lack there of. I found that many Russians had no faith, thanks to Stalin, yet so many were trying hard to find their religion and God.
“I remember this one cloudy day going with my driver and interpreter to an open air market with all kinds of wares for sale and many people milling about. At some point in this outing, a very poor man wearing dirty rumpled clothing came up to me begging in Russian for a hand out. He knew I was American as I stood out from the crowd. This man had a very sincere look in his eye and I knew he was hurting. It touched me deeply. My interpreter tried to shoo him away from me as she saw me reach into my pocket. Calling for security to make him leave us alone. I turned to her and said, ‘Can't you see his desperation. Wouldn't you want to be helped if you were in his shoes?” She stood silent.
"I reached into my pocket and gave this man all of my Russian money. It was a fair amount maybe $50 US or more. Right after I did this, with my interpreter in dismay, a beam of sunlight shot from the sky right upon us! This from a totally gray sky, this shaft of light came breaking through the clouds upon us as if was a spotlight! and only on us! It was surreal. I could see Tanya was amazed by it as well as the people who had witnessed the whole exchange. I then said. “Tanya (my interpreter’s name) this is a sign from God meant for you.” I am still today awed by that moment. It was a miracle. That sky was totally dark grey all day. No partial clouds, and no way that could have happened without a higher power intervening.
“I was married in Yekaterinburg on my next visit and appeared in a TV commercial for a dating site. They provided me with excellent housing overlooking an Olympic skating rink for two weeks in exchange. I began to feel a little important when after getting a stomach ache from something I ate, was rushed to the hospital and found out later my ordeal was on all the radio stations.
“During the three times I traveled to Russia, Foolish Pleasure recorded ‘Look Up’ and shortly thereafter we went on hiatus as we in the group pondered our careers. Trying to keep busy while waiting to see if the band would reform I was able to write and record ‘Castle Town’ my 6th CD. It was recorded as a group sounding solo album with me playing all instrument and singing all vocals as with my current CD ‘One Way Up’.
“After the 'Castle Town' CD my life plunged into darkness. My wife Tatyana was divorcing me, and I lost everything in the 'dot com market crash'. It was a very difficult 10 years of being in poverty combined with a loss of confidence and a lack of desire to accomplish anything. For me, I thought it was all over. Yet, I now see the Lord did this to me for a reason.
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A still from the 'One Way Up' video shoot April 2011 |
“I have not married again, but plan to in the future.
Paul’s mother’s maiden name was Tatyana Vasiliy Russkikh. After initially bringing her to America, and with Paul being born, I spent the next 12 years being the very best dad I could be and that's why I didn't remarry. I did not want him to feel threatened by my love for another woman.
It was hard enough going from her place to mine back and forth, back and forth. He cried every time I left him at her front door. It broke my heart. I would try again and again to reunite with Tanya for the sake of 'family' over those 12 years and I made myself remain in love with her for the sake of my marriage vows. Not very practical in today’s world I know, but what the Lord expected of me.
“Tatyana now lives 28 miles away from Ventura in Santa Barbara and teaches piano lessons, so he has a couple of musical parents. We drive Paul back and forth twice times a week so he can spend time with both of us.
“Both of her parents now live in Hollywood, California, and have become U.S. citizens. They are the most wonderful people. I love them as my own parents and they love as if I were their son.”
Rick also raised a daughter, Sabrina, but was not married to her mother.”
Rick also raised a daughter, Sabrina, but was not married to her mother.”
He went on to say, “I love her so much! She has turned out to be a spectacular young lady and is about to give me my 4th grandchild. She lives in Utah. Although I love my grandchildren very much, it is difficult to realize 'they are' my Grandchildren as I am 'Peter Pan' in my heart. I have shared custody of Paul whereas Sabrina had lived with me full time from the age of 12 until she was married"
Now, Rick is back on the comeback trail and is putting all the pain behind him.
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Rick Irwin with a bike |
“Many people now take my picture and shoot video from their cameras etc. anytime I'm working on my bike. They try to hide the fact that their doing it but I am quite happy about their curiosity. It's especially flattering when they ask if the can film me or take a picture with me. This bike stuff is a testament to hidden treasures inside of everyone. The special gifts that God has given all of us. What Are they? What are yours? That is for each one of us to discover! If everyone searched for their gifts and pursued them first in life the world would be at peace.
“So you see, sometimes in life, the Lord will send you on a journey seemingly far away from your dreams and pursuits, but if we can just keep in the faith we will eventually see the wisdom of what is happening in our lives. We must always remember it is not about ‘us’ but it is about the Kingdom.... and God will use us on occasions to the benefit of someone else's journey, not ours. He can use us to help a brother or a sister, or a total stranger, find their way and their place in heaven.
“I now ask everyone to pray for me that I remain pure of heart in my career as an entertainer and that I might help counter the dark messages constantly being displayed to all mankind by many of the current 'stars' of our day.
“I invite everyone to watch my videos and if the Lord calls upon you to support my endeavor -- through iTunes or Amazon. (less than $8 U.S.) -- I would be delighted.
“Note on Russia: I believe in my heart that I will return to Russia soon; that my life partner sole mate is still there waiting for me. It is up to the Lord as when this will happen.
He concluded by saying, “May God Bless you and your families for all eternity, Rick Irwin.”
Rick has now set up an e-mail account for people from all over the world to contact him. It is: rick.irwin@gmail.com
Here are a few links to catch Rick Irwin’s music:
TMG Records : http://www.tatemusicgroup.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/1u2
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/
iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=
| Dan Wooding, 70, is an award winning British journalist now living in Southern California with his wife Norma, to whom he has been married for 48 years. They have two sons, Andrew and Peter, and six grandchildren who all live in the UK. He is the founder and international director of ASSIST (Aid to Special Saints in Strategic Times) and the ASSIST News Service (ANS) and was, for ten years, a commentator, on the UPI Radio Network in Washington, DC. He now hosts the weekly “Front Page Radio” show on KWVE in Southern California which is also carried throughout the United States. The program is also aired in Great Britain on Calvary Chapel Radio UK and also in Belize and South Africa. Besides this, Wooding is a host for His Channel Live, which is carried via the Internet to some 200 countries. You can follow Dan on Facebook under his name there or at ASSIST News Service. He is the author of some 44 books. Two of the latest include his autobiography, “From Tabloid to Truth”, which is published by Theatron Books. To order a copy, press this link. Wooding, who was born in Nigeria of British missionary parents, has also recently released his first novel “Red Dagger” which is available this link. |
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