Story and pix by Mary Jane Farmer
Dickey Rice with the Bill Rice Band
The Bill Rice Band returned to his family’s hometown Saturday night, Colbert, bringing with him the band that travels and performs with him over several states. Bill has had several Texas Music Chart hits and is now on radio tour promoting his newest release “Long Hard Ride,” a song he told the audience Saturday night he’d written for his grandfather, who died when he was 12 years old. It’s a good coming-of-age song in tribute to the wisdom of his grandfather, and to the wisdom of Bill for listening to the advice given.
The event was a combination of fundraiser, with the proceeds to be given to research for a disease that affects Bill Rice’s father’s cousin, Dickey Rice. “Multiple system atrophy is a rare condition afflicting so few people, about eight people in every 100,000, years, with symptoms that closely resemble those of Parkinson’s Disease, but with more widespread damage to the part of the nervous system that controls organ functions such as the heart rate, blood pressure, digestive system muscles, and sweat glands. It also makes it difficult to walk and maintain a balance and to coordinate voluntary movements most people take for granted. Its three varieties of systems were once thought to be unrelated as a single disorder, and this made it harder to diagnose, according to information found on the Internet.
Dickey was there as the guest of honor. And it appears that the disease has been taking its toll on Dickey, but the one part of him that has always illuminated the former Loose Wheels Texas “yellow shirt” staffer — his smile — remains intact. Relatives surrounded him, and kept him busy catching up on old times with them.
One group of teenage girls, not shy about sitting on the front row of the Colbert school auditorium, created their own dance floor on several songs, especially moving from right to left in front of the stage in a line-dance unique to their high school friends.
Dancers
Bill Rice Sr., the singer-songwriter’s dad, welcomed the crowd and, at intermission, gave out dozens of doors prizes. In the entrance area, tables were lined with silent auction items, and others with fresh-baked goodies, with all the income being given for research.
Scene In Town will keep you informed of other nearby gigs of the Bill Rice Band.