Commentary: Vt. Western Swing band leader Rick Norcross shares a newsy retirement update
September 15, 2025 | By Rick Norcross
Cover art from one of Rick & The All-Star Ramblers recent releases. Courtesy photo
Even though I have retired from live performances, I am happy to share with you the excellent news that our recordings are being played more than ever locally, nationally and, yep, internationally around the world as we speak. It’s a real heart-warmer to hear our songs being played so often that it almost seems like I am still standing in front of my favorite musical pals, The All-Star Ramblers.
When Rick & The All-Star Ramblers Western Swing Band officially got done, we released three new “last albums” over the past two years, just so that you can still hear our music over the radio, the internet, and in your homes. Our last studio album was “God Bless The Mighty Pickle,” that came on the heels of “The Bestest Songs I Ever Wrote” as chosen by Rambler fans and friends, and its follow-up classic, “The Second Bestest Songs I Ever Wrote,” as chosen by me.
Thankfully, these are the albums that have delivered all the songs being played today around the world. Visit our website at rickandtheramblers.com to read about the albums and hear some tracks. You can even buy one there.
Special thanks to Dena Wood from Denison, Texas, who runs IndyExpress, a music distribution program that has made our recordings available to over 600 Western Swing DJs around the world. Larger-Than-Life radio personality Billy Bowles, host of “Swinging Country” on KSSL-FM in Lubbock, Texas, has also been instrumental in giving our music an international boost for nearly 10 years. The Ramblers sincerely thank them both for their amazing, long-time support and smiles. Dena Wood shared this note recently:
“Rick, It has been such an honor to be associated with Rick & The All-Star Ramblers over the years. Through the Academy of Western Artists, The NDxpress LLC, and i2i Records, we’ve helped to distribute and promote your wonderful music. God Bless you, my special friend and the future of the Mighty Pickle, now The Chief. We love you, Ramblers.”
In my latest newsletter, I attached a number of the playlists and notices that came in over the summer, the most recent on Labor Day. Whenever I get a notice of airplay, I always take a moment to write a thank-you note to the DJ, telling them how much I appreciate the spin.
‘A Moment With Rick’ remains on WDEV’s ‘Music to go to the Dump By’
As gratifying as it is to hear about Rambler airplay in faraway places, like Lyon, France, and Glasgow, Scotland, it really means the most when local and regional radio stations play our music to friends and fans who already know us. Local airplay always gave us a great boost in attendance at our shows.
Barb Heller, host of “String Fever” over on North Country Public Radio in Canton, New York, is a longtime pal who plays us quite often on her excellent Thursday afternoon bluegrass show. “By the way, I think you are the most danceable band in my entire String Fever library!!” she wrote.
WOKO in Burlington has sponsored our tours for over 35 years and, like clockwork, they invited me to visit the “Morning Roundup” to debut our last 12 album releases. And WLVB in Morrisville played our “Welcome Back to Hardwick” on the recent morning I wrote this.
But the little radio station that has played our music constantly since the mid-70s is WDEV in Waterbury, Vermont, thanks to now-retired but still-beloved, former Program Director Jack Donovan. Thanks to Jack, beginning with his “Vermont Live” show over 50 years ago, WDEV morphed into the radio station that played more Vermont music by Vermont artists than any other radio station in the North Country.
Former longtime WDEV Radio Vermont owner Kenley Dean Squier. Photo courtesy of Rick Norcross
Under the auspices of second-generation station owner Kenley Dean Squier, who encouraged and supported local broadcasting, there were no fewer than six shows broadcasting each week that featured a host of fine Vermont artists. They were “Once Around The Clock” with Lee Kittell; “The Getaway” with Greg Hooker; “Dinner Jazz” with George Thomas; “Music To Go To The Dump By” with Farmer Dave & Joel Najman; “Outlaw Saturday Morning” with Jack Donovan and “The Great American Music Hall” with Joel Najman.
With the passing of Kenley Dean Squier in 2023, WDEV has been sold, and the unthinkable has come to pass. The new owners have eliminated all of the above music programming and have gone to an all-news and all-sports format these days.
All except for one show, hanging on by its one lonely musical tooth: “Music To Go To The Dump By,” hosted by Farmer Dave & Joel Najman. The brainstorm of Kenley Dean Squier with sidekick Jack Donovan, this show features wacky songs and began airing over 40 years ago. “The Best Hour on the Radio,” claims Farmer Dave. It is still broadcast at 9 a.m. every Saturday morning, and is still the most popular show on WDEV.
I am honored to report that Farmer Dave started a weekly segment about four months ago called “A Moment With Rick,” during which he and Joel play a Ramblers song. I wrote and thanked Farmer Dave and told him that “A Moment With Rick” reminds me of my first ex-wife’s review of our honeymoon. Play on, Farmer Dave!
I do want to say that I am deeply saddened by the new WDEV management’s decision to shut down the music. The Vermont music community is blessed with so many wonderfully talented artists that it is very hard not to hear them on WDEV as usual. I for one, sincerely miss listening to my musical brothers and sisters on the air.
Vt. Historical Society acquires Norcross career archive
(An anecdote with many Steves)
Vermont Historical Society Director of Collections & Access, Amanda Gustin, and VHS Librarian Steve Picazio visit Rambler Ranch to collect memorabilia. Photo courtesy of Rick Norcross
Several months ago, noted Vermont author Stephen Russell Payne, who wrote “Riding My Guitar – The Rick Norcross Story,” rang up Steve Perkins, executive director of the Vermont Historical Society in Barre to ask if they were aware of Rick Norcross (hey – that’s me!) and his longtime career making Vermont music. “We certainly are,” replied Steve. “We have several of his albums in our archives already.”
Within two weeks, Steve and Director of Collections & Access, Amanda Gustin, made an exploratory visit to Rambler Ranch for a look-see. A month later, Amanda and Vermont Historical Society Librarian Steve Picazio were lugging box after box of “Rambler artifacts” down the “Staircase of Doom” and headed back to the mothership in Barre.
I have saved every poster, newspaper and magazine article and print reference since 1961. They were particularly pleased with the treasure trove of posters listing many other Vermont musicians and events.
I want to thank them profusely for their interest and enthusiasm and for documenting and preserving relics from my 60 years of playing music at over 1,000 shows. I am honored indeed.
Hardwick Academy/Hazen Union’s Distinguished Alumni Award
Norcross’ high school alma mater honored him in June.
Speaking of honors, I was pleasantly shocked and humbled to be named the 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient by the Hardwick Academy/Hazen Union Alumni Association in June.
Three generations of my family attended Hardwick Academy. I graduated in the Class of ’63, my father Deane Norcross graduated in the Class of ’36, and my grandfather Ray Norcross almost graduated in the Class of 1916. He left school early in his senior year to work on the family farm in Walden. He was a star baseball pitcher on the Hardwick Academy team and on the Woodbury Granite Company baseball team.
My Hardwick Academy years, 1961-63, pointed me down the road to all the career opportunities I blindly pursued for my entire lifetime: Music, journalism, photography and event production. The first event I produced was “Hootenanny in Hardwick” as part of the 1963 Hardwick Tulip Festival. I was encouraged and mentored by the Hardwick Academy music program, and I hold them responsible for any success I have achieved over my 60 years as a band leader, songwriter and vocalist.
The Hardwick Academy high school marching band was Rick Norcross' first band. He's fourth in line in the far left band row, holding the large bass drum. Courtesy photo
So I spent a very special and emotional June 21st afternoon at the Hardwick Academy/Hazen Union Alumni Reunion held at the Brochu family pavilion way up on West Hill in Hardwick on a perfect sunny summer day with over 160 alums in attendance. Though I have been very fortunate to receive a number of awards over the years, this HA/HU 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award is the one that really touched my heart.
Recognition by your peers surely hits home, and I deeply appreciate this honor that reaches down deep into my family roots. It was an afternoon I will never forget, especially the moment when emcee Pat Hussey asked the audience how many had heard my song “You Can’t Make It Up” and 90% of them rose and cheered. You CAN’T make that up. Thank you to the alums and the hard-working Alumni Committee who staged this magnificent event.
Postscripts
For an update on “The Chief” bus, formerly The Mighty Pickle, Google this title on YouTube and be amused & impressed: Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives - Space Junk (Official Visualizer).
Finally, know that the website for Rick & The All-Star Ramblers is still running at rickandtheallstarramblers.com. See more about the band, including a gallery with photos covering 60 years of rambling, along with band recordings in the store to support your local Rambler.
Rick Norcross, the face of Vermont Western Swing music for decades, retired from live performances earlier this year. From his Ramble Ranch home base in Burlington, he continues to write his newsletter several times a year with updates on his ongoing musical pursuits. This is his most recent dispatch, lightly edited into column format.