Our Story
Our story begins in the late 70s when, individually, Rick and Val try their luck at making it big by competing in the local talent show scene. After winning some competitions, but not breaking into stardom, they decide to combine their talents to form The Rick and Val Show. The newly formed duet performs multiple shows in small venues across the Ottawa Valley. The year is 1984 when the couple get their first big break. A talent show competition hosted by CKBY Radio. All the best local talent were competing for the prize of recording two singles, but Rick and Val won. The next two singles were recorded with the Gordon Lightfoot Band in a Toronto studio in 1985.
In 1986 Rick and Val sent three original songs to Nashville and were invited to perform those songs at the famed Blue Bird Café.
Upon their return to Ottawa, they formed a well-rounded band that included Louis Schryer on fiddle, Pat McLaughin on guitar, Rob MacLeod on drums, and Lionel Turpin on bass guitar and set out to record their first full length album, One Step at a Time.
From the late 1980s into the early1990s, the Rick and Val Show were invited to play some of the biggest venues in the Ottawa area such as; Soup Kitchen Live on Rideau Street, the Gatineau Clog, Ompah Stomp, and Pinhey’s Point. All of which hosted over 100,000 country music fans.
With these opportunities, their popularity continued to grow. This opened doors to performances with Marty Stewart, Chrystal Gail, Asleep at the Wheel, Ronnie Hawkins, Prairie Oyster and more, with TV appearances on the Family Brown Show, and the CHEO Telethon.
By the late 80s the group got a manager and set out on an 8-week tour out in Western Canada. Once back in Ontario, they were contact by a famous local TV show, Regional Contact, which gave a platform for growing artists in the area. In the summer of 1993, with great support from family and friends Rick and Val debuted their first album, One Step At A Time.
By the mid-2000s Rick and Val took a break from pursuing their music career in favor of raising a family and focusing on their growing personal careers of professional cleaner and hair stylist. In 2014 Rick’s father was diagnosed with dementia, and this motivated him to get the band back together and record some of his father’s favorite songs. This collection became the second studio album, All In Good Time. Given the circumstances, everyone willingly participated to complete the project in a timely manner and Rick’s father was able to enjoy the album before he passed.
Now with their children grown up and personal careers slowing down, Rick and Val are back in the studio working on a new album of original songs. Look out for the album’s first single, They’ll Stand in Your Way, and future songs coming soon!
