Welcome to our next music series, centered around Richard Speight, Jr.’s music, as well as his album The Dance and How To Do It by Dick Jr. & the Volunteers.
Much like our previous Louden Swain series, we asked fans a series of questions about Rich’s music and album, and we’ve compiled them into a fun series. Next up, we asked fans what their favorite collaboration of Rich’s was. We also might have had the man himself answer the questions, too – and this time, he gave us an exclusive on a brand new song.
Rich (@dicksp8jr): “Favorite collaboration? I have many – working with Jason on the album, writing with Emma Fitzpatrick, doing a Rob Benedict original… But maybe my favorite collaboration has yet to be released (but will be soon). It is an original song Billy Moran and I wrote called “I Liked You More (When I Knew You Less)” that he and I recorded with the Volunteers. That’s right, there is new Dick Jr. & the Volunteers music – and it’s headed your way SOON.”
Here’s what fans had to say about their favorite collaboration:
Emma Fitzpatrick
Natasha (@NatashaCole): “I love the songs he does with Emma Fitzpatrick. I think the two of them sound so good together and they sound like they have a lot of fun singing together. I love what they did with ‘Jackson’.”
Bernadette (@flutterbee72): “‘Goin’ Straight’ with Emma Fitzpatrick. Emma’s clean pure vocals blends perfectly with Rich’s gravelly intonation. You can feel they really had fun recording this one.”
Lindsey (@lindyysolo): “‘Goin’ Straight’, because Rich and Emma’s voices are absolutely beautiful together, and the beat and rhythm of the song really accentuate this.
Muriel (@housecatsswain): “I really love his collaboration with Emma on the song ‘Jackson’. I love Emma and the way her voice and Rich’s voice sounds together. I also love the energy of the song.”
Emma (@preserveroftime): “‘Jackson’. Rich and Emma are both spit-fires full of personality. They make a great pair and made a song full of energy.”
Rain (@writteninrain): “Emma Fitzpatrick, for sure. Like everybody else who’s been to Rockwood Festival, I’m just deeply in love with her voice, her sense of fun and her attitude. I think a lot of us expected that any female vocals on the album would be by one of the talented SPN actresses, but Emma was the right choice. Her voice is the perfect contrast to Rich’s.”
Becca (@breakmydreams): “Richard and Emma Fitzpatrick because it wasn’t a collaboration that I saw coming. It brought a great vibe to the album and provided the opportunity for the inclusion of tracks ‘Jackson’, as well as the original track, ‘Goin’ Straight’.”
Jessica (@jessicakate413): “‘Goin’ Straight’ with Emma Fitzpatrick. They make great songs together. She has an amazing voice. I love the song because it has an upbeat tune to it. It’s a fun song!”
LeeAnn (@librarianleeann): “This has to be Rich and Emma on ‘Jackson’. The song is such a classic, but they cover it so well! The pair play off each other so well vocally, it’s not hard to fall in love with the song all over again (or for the first time). It is such a fun song, and they sound like they had a ton of fun recording which makes it an awesome listen.”
Julia (@willow_row): “‘Jackson’, all the way. Emma’s voice is perfect, Rich’s drawl- also perfect. It’s so much fun.”
Rob Benedict
Kaity (@RogersThatCaptn): “Rob Benedict. There’s just an ease and familiarity with them that’s almost palpable in every project.”
Sarah (@Wyldefandom): “I always love it when he sings with Rob Benedict. The harmony of their voices combined gives chills as they complement each other wonderfully.”
Ebony (@wordsofleisure): “ I really loved that Rob was supportive of Richard and his album, and not only wrote him a song, ‘Cautionary Fairytale’, but performed back up on it as well. I remember when Jason talked about Richard doing an album and asking Richard about it maybe a year or two before at a convention about it, and asking Rob working with him on the album, and Rob answered he was willing. So, to have that come to fruition is awesome!”
Dayna (@darkfireunicorn): “‘Cautionary Fairytale’, because Rob Benedict wrote that song.”
Priscilla (@SuperWho_Lock1): “With Rob Benedict their voices just mix so well and that adds everything we need for the song to be complete.”
Jessica (@jessica_capasso : “I enjoy when Rob and Rich sing together. Their voices compliment each other in a way that doesn’t happen often and is also different than what is normally heard since their styles are so different, but somehow they still mesh so well.”
Miranda (@miranda9995): “It’s Rich and Rob on ‘Cautionary Fairytale’. I love their voices together! I wish they would release an album of duets.”
Jana (@datajana): “Rich and Rob on ‘Cautionary Fairytale’ – such gorgeous harmonies!”
Judy (@LAgirlHD): ” Rich & Rob, these two are a great team no matter what they do!”
Rianna (@RiannaMelton): “I have to choose Rich and Rob with ‘Cautionary Fairytale’. Even though this was Rich’s album it’s obvious he truly values his friends musical capabilities. From Jason producing it, from the others he sung with, and with him inviting Rob to actually write a song for it. I got to hear Rob perform a StageIt show a couple weeks ago where he sung the version he wrote for the album. Rich changed very little with his rendition! A word here, a note there, but it was still his song. And he invited Rob to join him for the harmonies. Their friendship is one that truly shines in everything they do.”
Alison (@GbrielLives): “I mean, any time Rich and Rob get together it alway comes out to be spectacular.”
Jason Manns
Emma (@simplyreflected): “Jason because without them working together we wouldn’t have gotten the album and we wouldn’t have gotten the album.”
Laurie (@LauriePC): “I’m gonna go with the first one that I ever heard, which is his recording with Jason and Rob of ‘Wagon Wheel’. The three of them are all fantastic artists, and I love how their voices are all quite different but go together so incredibly well.”
Stay tuned for the next part in the series!
