From 1973 through 1982, I wrote songs with lyrics and played them on acoustic guitar. Decades later, in 2009, I received an email from a guy named Jens from Sweden. He wrote to see if it was the Rick Cormier who recorded the album, "Our Mountain" and to tell me how much he loved it! He told me which were his favorite songs and asked about my songwriting/performing career. He even told me he was listening to his favorite song of mine while he emailed me. He said that he had worn out the album and asked whether I had another copy for sale. According to Jens, a copy of that album had sold for $350. in Europe recently. I explained that even I no longer owned a copy of that album!

I told him about my second album and subsequent cassette tapes and I made an MP3 file of my best version of that favorite song and sent it to him.

Here's the thing: Despite having written 180 songs between 1973 and 1983, when I was in my 20's, I was never willing to starve for a career in music. I had other interests and ambitions. I would later become a Director of Human Resources in the private sector for twelve years before going to grad school to become a licensed psychotherapist. Musically, I began writing electronic instrumentals on synthesizers in 1982 and wrote another 100+ songs while in my 30's. At around age 40, I began playing hand drums.

Weeks after I heard from Jens, a girl from Sweden requested to be my 'friend' on Facebook. I joked with my friends and family that I was preparing for my “Weeks after I heard from Jens, a girl from Sweden requested to be my 'friend' on Facebook. I joked with my friends and family that I was preparing for my “Swedish Comeback Tour” (despite never having been to Sweden!).

Out of curiosity, I did an internet search and discovered that a bunch of east and west coast radio stations have played cuts from that first album! It also came up on several international lists of albums! I saw that one was for sale on Ebay and decided to follow it to see how much it sold for.

$196.00! ...And I had sold them for five bucks each! In the past year, my first album has sold for $400. twice in Europe.

What I couldn't figure out was how that album came to be on anyone's radar at all! I only made a limited number of copies of it! To be honest I always hated that first album. I made many more copies of my second album, "John B. and Me".

In July, 2010 I got an email from “Ben” in Scotland telling me how he has been searching for my first album, "Our Mountain" for years and would I have a copy that he could buy. I asked Ben from Scotland how he knew of that first album and he said, “Every serious record collector knows that album!”

Watch for my "Watch for my "Swedish/Scottish Comeback Tour"

In November, 2010 I found a box of my albums. It was the remainder of a stash my late mother had kept to sell to her friends decades ago. In the box were 8 copies of “Our Mountain” and 21 copies of “John B. and Me.” None of these Europeans even knew that I had recorded a second album, which I always liked better. I mailed one of each to Jens in Sweden. Jens, in response, wanted to buy both albums to resell. He offered me $100. each for any additional copies that I was willing to sell!

I was never a very good singer or guitarist. I did write some decent songs. Just before graduating, I played a 2 1/2 hour concert at my college. 1100 people filled the auditorium. I sold lots of albums. Newspaper reviews were great. That was the night I walked away from live performing and spent the next ten years writing electronic instrumentals on synthesizers. In retrospect, I think what drew live audiences to my vocal/guitar music, aside from the songs, was that I was "fun to watch." I'd introduce a comedy song and I'd hear someone whisper, "Oh! Watch his face on this one!" Funny that, all these years later, only known playing hand drums, I'm still told that I'm “fun to watch”.

This was how the story ended in my book, “My Life Cracks Me Up”. But, shortly after that book was published, I received an email from a guy who worked for a recording studio in Greece. He wanted me to know that a major Greek music magazine had done a feature article that praised my first album. He sent me a photocopy of the article. Sure enough... there was “Our Mountain's” album cover! A Facebook friend of mine got a Greek teacher at her college to translate the article for me. 

While in Philadelphia this past week (12/2019), I was looking for an old video on YouTube when I came across some of my old original guitar and vocal songs from the 1970s posted by someone I didn't know. The songs had lots of "likes" and had some very complimentary comments such as, "Beautiful and honest." and "This is music! Finally we found an island where to breath in harmony!"

I was both surprised and flattered. I wrote to the woman who posted my songs and thanked her for promoting them, explaining that I wrote and performed that music around 40 years ago.

She wrote back this morning. It turns out that she hosts a radio show in Greece (she's also the Station Manager) and wants to interview me by phone and do a "tribute" to my music on her show!

Watch for my “She wrote back this morning. It turns out that she hosts a radio show in Greece (she's also the Station Manager) and wants to interview me by phone and do a "tribute" to my music on her show!

Watch for my “European Comeback Tour”? 

...if I can just remember how to sing and play guitar!

2020 UPDATE: A modern dance company that tours throughout Europe has asked permission to put a dance routine to one of my guitar instrumental songs and add it to their act! It debuted in Paris!