THE DANCE AND HOW TO DO IT, 5 YEARS ON
On the anniversary of Dick Jr. & The Volunteer’s debut, we take a trip through FanWorld’s archives to bring you some fun facts on the album, from conception to release. Plus, fans pick their favourite tracks from Dick's debut.
HOW IT STARTED
“It was always a no brainer for me. I don’t remember when I first had the thought that he should have his own record, but I remember when I realized he was *slightly* open to the idea. (A van ride in a parking garage on the way to a venue for a SPN convention, when he started asking me questions about it in a way that I could see he kinda wanted to do it) Once I knew he kinda wanted to do it, I wasn’t gonna let it go. Lol”. Jason Manns, Anatomy of an Album, 2024
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The project announcement came as something of a belated Christmas gift from our man Manns. On 29th December, 2017, Jason addressed fan disappointment that a Rich solo track was absent from “Recovering with Friends”:
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“I had a chat with Rich and we both decided to leave that specific track off this album so we can zero in on it and make it perfect. Mind you, it, it wasn’t Rich’s performance that needed work, it was just the song itself wasn’t coming together the way I wanted it to production wise. So since Rich and I HAVE AGREED TO WORK ON A SOLO ALBUM OF HIS OWN THIS YEAR…I felt like we’d have time in the studio to zero in and make it perfect…so now you know.;-)” Jason Manns, via Kickstarter
THE FIRST DAY
It would be 2019 before the album’s recording sessions began, with the first studio day falling on Warren “Skip” Muck’s birthday, January 31st. This was all the more poignant as Rich and Jason each pledged their own personal donations to The Wounded Warriors Campaign to mark the end of the album’s crowdfunding project (as Kickstarter forbids campaigns raising money for charity). Rich’s donation was made in memory of Sgt. Muck, who he so memorably portrayed in HBO’s “Band of Brothers”. ( Jason’s was made in memory of his brother, Michael N. “Chip” Manns.) Jason and Rich shared with FanWorld how uncharacteristically apprehensive the fledgling frontman was that first day:
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“He was so nervous. Like first day of school nervous. (Which I had not really ever seen before in Rich) once we got rolling all that went away. By the end of day one he was comfy and we were cooking.”
– Jason Manns, Anatomy of an Album, 2024
“I had to start a publishing company name for music. You know, when you write stuff, you have a publishing company name. It's usually not just under your name name. And the name I chose was ‘Burn The Shirt’ music. And ‘Burn The Shirt’ music was a reference to... I was so nervous making the first album that I smelled terrible every day after recording, because I was sweating myself silly. So I was like, you know, we have to go home and burn the shirt.”- RSJr, Anatomy of an Album, 2024
DICK JR. & THE VOLUNTEERS
On the subject of naming things - what about the band?
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“There were a few name rejections before “and the Volunteers” came along that I can’t really recall, but The Volunteers was one of the first ideas I had because A) Tennessee is the Volunteer state, and I am from Tennessee, B) the convention world is (or used to be) largely staffed by volunteers and that is what they were called. They are now paid, so the title is ‘Handler’ or 'staff member,' but when I started out, they were all called ‘Volunteers’ so I thought the name was a cool nod to the world that gave rise to the band…Conventions are key to this project coming to life, so using “Volunteers” as part of the name allowed me to connect who I’ve always been as a boy from Tennessee and the world I entered when I joined the “Supernatural” family.”- RSJr, Dick Jr. on Dick Jr. & the Volunteers, 2020
THE DANCE AND HOW TO DO IT
And like the band name, the album title has its origins in Supernatural cons:
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“When new people would come in to join the convention world, I found myself often saying, welcome to the dance, a term used a lot in professional sports when a player finally get to the big leagues. So I said that all the time and when it came time to name the album, that was my first pitch. It just sounded right, felt right, and made sense for the tone of the album while, again, having roots in the convention world from which the whole ‘make an album’ thing was born.” – RSJr, Dick Jr. on Dick Jr. & the Volunteers, 2020
HATCH SHOW PRINT
Given Rich’s pride in Nashville’s musical heritage, there was just one obvious choice for the album’s cover art. Hatch Show Print has been producing iconic wood block prints since 1879, and its images are woven into the fabric of country music history.
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Now based in the Country Music Hall of Fame, Hatch was a stop on last year’s Speight & Son Bus Tour, where Rich got to meet the actual artist for “The Dance and How to Do It” for the very first time. One of my favourite memories of The Roxy (more below) is Rich giddily pointing out the band’s Hatch print on sale at the show. He was so excited.
THE ROXY
On November 26th, 2019, a release party for “The Dance and How to Do It” was held on Sunset Strip. It’s a night that none of us who attended will ever forget. Here’s what Dick Jr. himself had to say about it:
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“That was a fantastic night. I had family there, friends, and so many fantastic fans. And the other musicians on the bill were so incredibly GOOD. Watching them perform was a blast in itself. Plus being at The Roxy, that historic club, up in that green room before the show, where you know countless other bands and musicians have warmed up (and done Lord knows what else) before and after taking the stage. I have crystal clear memories of the night with all of us from Dick Jr. & The Volunteers, The Station Breaks and Left on Laurel all crammed in there, chatting, goofing, pre-gaming. It was super cool. “ - RSJr, Speight Country, 2021
24 Hours a Day
The best part of 24 hours a day being the first song of the album The Dance and How to do it, is that you know within the first few measures what you are getting into. The upbeat hit mixed with Rich's vocals, and the rest of the Volunteers bringing their musical expertise, immediately sends my toes tapping. Rich's ability to tell a story has been established in the acting/directing industry and with this song it further illustrates his incredible talents that also shine in the music industry. 24 hours a day begins that journey of country rock and stories you can play out in your head. It's a wonderful beginning to what ends up being an outstanding album!
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- Kera
Raspberry Beret
While I never fully connected with Prince’s original version of Raspberry Beret, Dick Jr & the Volunteers have completely changed the song for me. This cover breathes new life into a song I always personally thought was missing something and gives it new light.
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I've mentioned before that Richard has an unparalleled talent for storytelling through song and this is another perfect example of how he manages that, except this time it's as much through the speed as the meaning of the lyrics which conveys the story more effectively than the original and for me, helps me to visualise the entire scene.
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From the original album, this song still remains a huge favourite of mine for it's upbeat and almost goofy tempo and the good mood it puts me in.
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- Beth
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Jackson
I was at karaoke at Supernatural DC Con in November 2017, back when Rich still hosted. The song “Jackson” came up on the screen to be performed next, and I remember Rich looking at it and then saying very excitedly “I *love* this song!” I remember all of us singing it (somewhat drunkenly), including Richard – he was so happy someone had chosen it. It became the "dream song" I wanted to hear him sing, and NOT half-drunkenly at karaoke! I wanted to hear him sing it in his best twang and drawl, and as a duet just like the original. My dream choice was for Emily Swallow to sing June’s part– her voice seemed perfect and I just loved her. When Rich did the album, he did the song with Emma Fitzpatrick. That was the first I’d ever heard Emma sing, and not only did she have a terrific voice, but the song also had a fun banter between the two that I had not expected. I got to see it performed live at The Roxy in November 2019, and it was cute, sassy, and sweet all at the same time. Definitely a great choice, and a keeper!
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- Jill
Me & Paul
This version of this "buddy song" by Willie Nelson smells of travel and (mis)adventures with friends. More catchy than the original, it's a must have on a travel playlist to a convention... In any case it's on mine ^^
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- Anne-Valérie​​
Living at Night
“I mean, that's just a mudstomper. It’s a badass tune."
Rich, “Under The Covers”
When Rich announced his debut album, the general expectation in fandom was very much his SNS tunes, and a couple of country classics. But knowing his musical tastes, I held out hope that something a little more obscure might just make the mix. And while "Jackson" and "Me and Paul" saw the classics covered, Rich took the opportunity to introduce listeners to some lesser known favourites too.
I first discovered "Walk The West" in a feature that called their self-titled album "the one great lost cow punk record". And it *is* a great album, of its time.
But Dick Jr. & The Volunteers' take on "Living At Night" may actually be better.
More than a straight cover, their version maintains the thumping drive and wild west riff of the original, but shakes off its new wave shackles for a result that is somehow simultaneously more sophisticated, *and* more kickass than the WTW take.
Emma's backing vocals, of course, are a big part of what elevates the Dick Jr. track (They're also guaranteed to make a gal dance around the bedroom in her underwear, while singing into her hairbrush), but there’s something about Rich’s vocal on this track that is particularly assured. Maybe he just knows how killer he sounds…
From the moment I heard it, I knew it was going to be my favourite from the album. What I didn’t know then, was how much of a talisman it would end up being over the next few years.
The song was a standout at the band’s triumphant, joyous Roxy show in November 2019. I remember turning to a friend and saying that if I never got to do another show, or even another trip, that would be okay, because there was no topping this night. Ironically, it seemed for a while that the universe heard me. That night would be my last spent in America before the pandemic hit. And there were many times I played “Living at Night” to bring back that show, and to reflect on my last great adventure. The song was a souvenir of a better time.
On April 20th 2020, when we should have been in Nashville for the second ever Dick Jr. show, Rich opted to mark “the concert that wasn’t to be, but hopefully will be someday soon” with a rocking acoustic version of the song, played at his home in lockdown.
In a small, hopeful pocket of my heart, I chose to believe in “someday soon.” And with that, the souvenir became a promise.
That promise would, at long last, be fulfilled in December 2023, in a full-circle moment for Rich. The kid who snuck in to Exit/In to watch “Walk the West” was now headlining that same venue, and playing “Living at Night” for an audience who had fallen in love with the song through his band..
My personal lockdown ended that night, sweating in a rhinestoned rodeo suit against the barrier in Elliston Place, caterwauling those “Woah-oah”s along with Emma. No hairbrush required.
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- Rain
Cautionary Fairytale
Cautionary Fairytale is one of my many favourites on this album. I admittedly have a soft spot for it purely by virtue of it being written by Rob (who also sings backing vocals), but also because this song is so very Rich. Any kind of collab between those two is always a treat, let’s be honest! I love so many things about this song. The relative simplicity of the music really allows the story to be the focus, and Rich’s voice to shine through as the star of the show. His vocals on this track are stunning. They always are of course, but here in particular his distinctive gravel voice and the emotion he injects into every word are perfect for the song and still give me goosebumps, every time. If I only have time to play one track, it’s nearly always going to be this one as it somehow hits the spot for any mood. Love it love it love it!
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- Kat
Goin' Straight
166,430. That’s how many listens “Goin’ Straight” currently has on Spotify. It tops out as the Dick Jr. tune with the highest number of hits thus far, which is certainly something to celebrate! But even without the foresight that “Goin’ Straight” would shape up to be the crowd-pleaser it is, I knew from my first listen that this song would always be one of my favorites.
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It could be the ever-present theatre kid in me, but I love a conversational duet. “I Got You Babe”, “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart”, “Islands in the Stream”, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”, and of course “Jackson” - also artfully represented by Rich and Emma on The Dance and How to Do It. How does one improve on such an idea? Why, you write a playfully antagonistic conversational duet! The humor inherent in the lyrics, Rich and Emma’s delightful delivery, and the honky tonk vibes that just make you want to dance - why, it’s like the song knows exactly what it’s doing on this particular album!
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To add icing to the cake, or perhaps whiskey to the glass (this idiom is getting away from me), “Goin’ Straight” also inspired the very first Dick Jr. & The Volunteers music video. Dreamed up at the height of COVID-19 lockdown, The Volunteers once again put together their heads and their immense talents (from their own homes with their own phones) to tackle a formidable Dick Jr. challenge: “Film yourself doing whatever the hell you want as long as you’re having fun!”
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And have fun they did. If you haven’t had the pleasure of being enchanted by The Volunteers in person, the music video for “Goin’ Straight” is a nice little window into the energy that makes the band so enjoyable and so special to us. Whether you’re jamming in the street, taking a dip, determining just which bottle from your fridge makes the best percussion instrument, burning away the memories the whiskey won’t carry with it, or getting kicked out of the best bar in town (Sorry, Billy, them’s the rules!) - we’ve all “got some drinking to do”!” Turn the speakers up full-blast and reach for that top shelf.
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- Nicole
In the Pines
So. I hate mornings. Or rather, I hate being rudely awakened. I need something that eases me into the day - Not a blaring alarm. Ever since smartphones, I’ve been able to use music. Ideally something quite gentle, and that I love enough that I will never be able to hate it for waking me! Which brings me to Rich’s version of ‘In The Pines’… That gorgeous twangy opening, and then Rich’s easygoing vocal - just perfect.
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- Sarah
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