Rick Marshall crosses plenty of borders with his Latin-tinged country number Viva México — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
Marshall grew up in Newfoundland, but he has salsa coursing through his blood. That’s evident after a single listen to Viva México, one of four musical calling cards the singer-songwriter is dropping to introduce himself as an artist — and a happy convert to life south of the border. “I came for the sun, I came for the sand / But what you gave me, México, you can’t understand,” he sings, in homage to his wife and the exotic yet calming locale that’s captured his heart. “The ocean’s right there, and the waves say ‘Come and play.’ ” The swoony chorus returns that invitation with a heartfelt vow:
“Oh, oh, México
She’s got my heart and you got my soul
No place I’d rather go
Than my México.”
Mariachi-approved horn blasts and marimba tinkles mesh perfectly with the loping country backing track, making us believe this is one transcontinental love affair that’s going to last forever. And for Marshall, that isn’t just a good idea for a song: It’s a story he’s actually lived. “I came down here many times in my life, to drink a few beers and try to unwind and part of me always said I’d like to stay.”
A citizen of the Americas, Marshall has lived everywhere from Kelligrews to Kitchener to California. But wherever he was kicking the dust off his boots, he could not resist the allure of Mexico. And after decades of traveling down South and longing to stay, it all came to pass after he met his future wife, a Mexican beauty, in an Irish pub in Toronto. “I never was somebody to believe in fate, but something surely sent her my way, we’re married now and we live in México.”
If Viva México’s mariachi horns and deep vocals remind you a little of Johnny Cash’s Ring of Fire, no wonder. It was Cash who sealed Marshall’s professional fate as surely as those trips to Mexico determined his personal one. Seeing The Man In Black in Chicago in 1964 was a life-changing experience, he says: “The songs, the stories, the persona, the whole vibe hit me. ‘This is what I want to do.’ Johnny Cash was a hero of mine. I was lucky enough to meet him and shake his hand at that show.”
For years thereafter, Marshall fronted the tribute band Covered In Cash. All the while, though, he was amassing a storehouse of his own original songs. So when he finally received a phone call from producer Dean Miller (son of the legendary Roger Miller) beckoning him to come to Nashville to record… well, let’s just say he wasn’t strapped for material.
Viva México is merely the first hint of the country magic they whipped up at Sound Emporium Studios, supported ably by an all-star cast of session players who are known for backing up some of the giants of the genre: Keyboardist Billy Nobel and drummer Shawn Fichter (both of whom do double duty with Tim McGraw and Faith Hill), plus bassist Sam Hunter (Willie Nelson, George Strait) and guitarist Troy Lancaster, a past nominee for The Academy of Country Music’s Guitarist of the Year. Also appearing are Tim Galloway (ACM’s 2023 Acoustic Guitar Player of the Year), steel guitarist Steve Hinson (Trace Adkins, Dolly Parton) and guitarist Pat McGrath (a 25-year Nashville veteran). Backing vocals come from Tania Hancheroff.
“It was almost surreal,” Marshall says. “The opportunity to meet all of these famed studio musicians, who were all so very kind and talented — as well as having a chance to chat and trade stories with them — made the dream come alive.” As for Miller’s contributions from behind the desk, Marshall can’t sing the man’s praises highly enough. “Watching him in action was like taking a master class in production,” he says. “My songs are my life story, and Dean got it so it shows in these tracks. I am thrilled and honored to be able to release them to share with my friends and future fans.”
Watch the lyric video for Viva México above, listen to all four of the EP tracks below, and visit Rick Marshall on Facebook.
