Special Column - RARWRITER.COM

RICHARD DEAN

by Sam Broussard

When Richard and I met on some hill overlooking Denver, I was in a band called Manchild, which consisted of a bunch of Louisiana boys who had moved to Denver for a gig. Richard was in a duo with John Cable, formerly of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, who is now in Dallas but will be moving back to Denver soon. We hit it off because Richard, John and I are southerners – them from Texas – and because after I heard them I wanted them to like me. They were really good; meaning they had voices that were believable, and songs that meant something. In my band we were impatient with any crap but our own, and they weren't peddling it.

Richard is married for the last time to stockbroker and photographer Samantha Brady, an eternal beauty with genetics to match her soul. As an aside, his first wife, Beverly, was introduced to him by Townes Van Zandt, the seminal Texas songwriter, who lived next door.

Richard went on to play excellent lead guitar with Michael Martin Murphey, he of "Wildfire" fame; he was in the band both before and after Murphey's fleeting days of "outlaw" stardom. I played on the record and sang and played on that song, but I was just a hired gun, possibly due to some internal politics of which there were many. A year went by before Richard left due to creative differences, which is to say that childhood reared its cute but ugly head somewhere in there on the part of someone.  He actually "left" twice. He was replaced by Sonny Landreth, the modern master of slide guitar and a friend of mine from Louisiana , who was living at the time in Colorado. Sonny didn't stay long because his wife was ill and unprepared to find herself alone for long periods while he was on tour. So I replaced Sonny, thereby getting a taste of the Big Time. Richard and I have remained friends, which has been as easy as falling off a log. 

Richard wrote a song for Michael Martin Murphey on the earlier Swans Against the Sun album called “Buffalo Gun”, for which he is not credited. He was to play a solo on his song but was prevented from doing so by weather conditions inside the studio – dark clouds badly drawn by children. 

In his career he has written three songs for Tom Rush: One on his Ladies Love Outlaws album on Columbia, one that Rush did as a duet with Emmylou Harris (Live at Symphony Hall, Boston – "Louisiana Eyes") and one that was the title of Rush's limited edition last six song sampler, Work in Progress.

Richard stayed active as a solo performer, coming out with the Changes in the Heart album in 1996, a record tinged with country but with lyrics from a higher place – not more complex, just higher. He has a deep, bluesy voice and knows how to use it. I remember him making people shout from the audience from the way he treated a melody. I remember him sitting down to play but rocking the chair forward when he summoned up almost more than he could contain.

Richard has restlessly channeled the same poetic insight into other challenges, such as painting and photography, which you can see at http://www.usefilm.com/photographer.asp?P=1&ID=32624&PF=0.

He has a few paintings of hands on guitars that make me ache in a certain place, the one reserved for reviewing your life honestly. He is one of those people who can't do anything poorly or part-way. Recently he received a degree in the French language and has spent much time in that wonderful country. (If you're one of those people who disparage the French, you're an ignorant moron.) He got into astronomy and biking and God knows what else. 

Musically, Richard could have been a successful artist on the solo singer-songwriter circuit, but chose not to. He had or still has a standing invitation at the Kerrville Folk Festival, the best one, but only played twice, once for the festival's Kerrville Folk Festival: 25th Anniversary Album and on the very rare Kerrville Folk Festival: Early Years 1972 - 1981 CD. I've railed at him for wasting an opportunity that I envy, but to no avail. I wanted his potential, and he wasn't having any of my whining on his behalf. If he didn't actually laugh at me, he should have. 

Sam Broussard is guitarist for Louisiana Cajun band Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys. Sam was signed to Capitol Records in 1971 as part of the adventurous acoustic quartet of Louisiana boys called Manchild, which also included his friend David Bankston. As a teenager he shared the stage with the likes of Ramblin’ Jack Elliot, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee, and Dave Van Ronk. He went on to do studio work in Nashville and roadwork with Michael Martin Murphey, Nicolette Larson, Foster and Lloyd, and Jimmy Buffett. During his Colorado days he often played with Robben Ford. In the mid-90’s he toured Europe, recording, filming and writing with million-selling Franco-Swiss star Stephan Eicher.

Sam's solo LP Geeks, featuring his story telling skills against a dazzling backdrop of alt-tunings and innovative slide guitar, won broad praise in the music industry and multiple awards from New Orleans’ prestigious Offbeat Magazine. Sam was featured last year on Linda Ronstadt and Ann Savoy's Louisiana LP   Adieu False Heart, released on Vanguard Records.