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Harrison musician Todd Richard gearing up for album release party in Chilliwack

Todd Richard’s third album, Live Your Life, features all ‘true-story’ songs
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Harrison country musician Todd Richard just released his newest album Live Your Life. (Jenna Hauck/ The Progress)

Country music artist Todd Richard of Harrison is definitely living up to the title of his newly released album.

Live Your Life is Richard’s third album, and unbeknownst to him at the time, the album actually began 20 years ago.

Back when he had his Chilliwack plumbing business, Todd’s Service and Repair Plumbing, an original song chorus popped into his head out of the blue. He never wrote it down, never recorded it. It would reappear in his mind, again and again, over the 10 years he owned the business.

But although that chorus first came to him two decades ago, it was just last year when he sang it to his producer, and another writer.

“The one writer, David Borys, as soon as I finished said ‘I love that. And you know what, I think you have the chorus for the song right there.’”

No change was needed for the chorus, which is rare. It was the first time one of his choruses remained as he originally wrote it.

“They usually end up getting stripped to almost nothing similar to what they were originally,” says Richard.

But this one was perfect. They created the song around it — built the intro verse, the second verse and the bridge — all around the chorus.

“To me it says so much, because the song is about not being afraid to take that chance, climb that mountain, dance in the rain, fall in love. It’s about living life,” says Richard. “We realize as we get older, you have to live your life because we only get one of them. It was meant to be the title track of the album.”

And Richard has lived his life.

He’s pumped out dozens of original songs, won awards, and has done fundraisers with his music including writing ‘Follow Your Heart,’ a song benefiting Variety - The Children’s Charity.

READ MORE: Todd Richard writes song for Variety charity

READ MORE: Harrison country singer teaches kids to ‘follow your heart’

“That song (Live Your Life) tells me I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing. It obviously came into my head for a reason,” says Richard.

He’s now getting ready for his CD release party on Saturday, April 6.

The nine-song album Live Your Life was produced by Fiddler Productions. Co-writers include Todd Richard, Anthony Fiddler, Doug Folkins and David Borys. It comes after Richard’s first two CDs, Journey On (2012) and Longneck Breakdown (2016).

“My writing has changed. I’m now becoming known as the true-story songs, which people can relate to.”

A lot of the time people write songs off the idea of a hook, he says.

Like ‘Stick on the Ice,’ a song written from a quote that Richard’s father used to say to him when he was a kid. Even though Richard didn’t play much hockey growing up, his producer did.

Together, Fiddler and Richard created a “really cool and powerful song” about the sacrifice parents make to put their kids in hockey — being at the rink at 5 a.m. with a Thermos full of coffee.

“It’s a song that anybody who’s ever played hockey in their life is going to relate to.”

Another song, ‘King of Crown,’ is the party anthem on the album, talking about Richard’s love of Crown Royal whiskey.

“It’s a true story song but in a comical, kind of fun, party way,” he laughs.

Richard and his five-piece TR Band will be debuting the entire album on April 6 at Corky’s Irish Pub and he’s inviting everyone, including his former customers, to join him.

“I had so many great customers here in Chilliwack and all over the Fraser Valley, and I’m hoping a lot of them will come out and say ‘hey this was our plumber, let’s go see what he’s up to,’” he says.

B.C. country music artist Trevor Murray will be opening the show acoustically. Co-writer Doug Folkins will do short acoustic set with producer Anthony Fiddler as well.

Richard says he’s where he is now “all because I decided to live my life and live my dream.”

Todd Richard’s Live Your Life CD release party is at 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 6 at Corky’s Irish Pub. Tickets are $15 and available at Corky’s, The Town Butcher, or online at toddrichard.net. Call the ticket info line at 604-793-8824 for more. CDs will be available for $15.

Watch The Progress’s Facebook page for your chance to win one of two pairs of tickets to the event.


 

@PhotoJennalism
jenna.hauck@theprogress.com

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Harrison country musician Todd Richard just released his newest album Live Your Life. (Jenna Hauck/ The Progress)
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Harrison country musician Todd Richard just released his newest album Live Your Life. (Jenna Hauck/ The Progress)
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Harrison country musician Todd Richard just released his newest album Live Your Life. (Jenna Hauck/ The Progress)


Jenna Hauck

About the Author: Jenna Hauck

I started my career at The Chilliwack Progress in 2000 as a photojournalist.
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