Rick Storey Page

Rick with Anders

Rick with Kirk and Dennis

Interview With Rick Storey

By Jan Vincent, October 20, 2003

Rick Storey was born at a very early age, something his mother was very thankful for. He chose the vast wasteland that we call Southern California, because he thought it would be better to be near his mother.

He was 10 years old when he became fascinated with the unusual whistling skills of a fellow classmate in Manhattan Beach, California. When he inquired as to where his friend had learned those skills, he was informed “…from your dad.” Rick had always wondered what that annoying noise around the house was. Rick’s dad, a full-time T.W.A. employee and part time whistling virtuoso soon passed the talent onto his son.

Proud of his newly acquired skill and its ability to annoy teachers, Rick began to entertain his fellow classmates by whistling the only music he knew at the time….the melodies he heard on TV. Among his favorite songs were the Harlem Globetrotter’s theme, “Sweet Georgia Brown”, the theme from the “Old Spice” commercial, the famous whistling theme from “The Andy Griffith Show”, and his personal favorite, the theme from “The Lone Ranger Show”. It wasn’t until later in life that he learned that it was a classical composition entitled “The William Tell Overture”.

Realizing that their son was musically inclined, Rick began playing trombone in school because “…instruments you can spit into seemed the easiest to play.” He later moved on to the ukulele, a passion he shares with the late Beatle, George Harrison [whom he credits as one of his musical inspirations]. A baseball player, his favorite sport began to play 2^nd fiddle to his passion for music and whistling in particular.

As he progressed musically through his teen years, Rick, a shy teen-ager, began to search for an instrument that would “attract the chicks” and at the age of 16, he became convinced that the 5 string banjo was just the thing.

"I didn't want to surf, I wanted to pick," says Rick about his teenage years.

Still there was something missing in his life and it was than that he realized that “Whistling is his true passion.” [A direct quote] At the time, Rick attended Aviation High School in Redondo Beach, where his “grades were so high they had to raise the ceilings.” Eventually, the high school had to be closed entirely because later students failed to meet the academic standards he had set. He became so proficient at the banjo that he even won some local banjo contests.

Following graduation in the late 1970’s, he and his brothers decided to follow parental advice and “go somewhere else.” As a T.W.A. employee, airfare was not an issue for Mr. and Mrs. Storey, so the boys choose to go to Europe.

Rick spent 15 years in Sweden traveling with his two brothers who both played guitar. Being a backpacking banjo picking Californian, and trying to make a living playing on the streets of Stockholm and Hamburg was his 'school of hard knocks'. Teaming up with his brothers, he helped form 'The Dirty Storey Band', and they became a big part of the Northern European folk music scene. In Germany, they became popular as the only bluegrass band on the Reeperbahnen. [a night club and bar area in Hamburg that was frequented by the Beatles in the early 1960’s]. While in Hamburg, he even met singer, Tony Sheridan, who performed on the very first Beatle record; a recording of “My Bonnie”.

He started writing songs in 1986, "It seems like there's always a song in my head" says Rick, "It's almost like a curse!." He started playing guitar shortly thereafter, and during the 90's, toured Germany for 'Jack Daniel's.' He even released a couple of pop banjo singles with his brothers. "I love mixing different types of music. It's all about fusion."

In the late 1990’s, he returned to Southern California , where he found work as a gardener, a music teacher [giving private lessons], and a courier, but mostly spent his time playing the banjo and guitar professionally and writing songs.

He met fellow Billy Hill performer, Dennis Fetchet six years ago when he and his brothers required a fiddler for a CD they were working on and found Dennis by accident while looking in a phone book. [What Dennis was doing hiding in a phone book is another story]

Rick and Dennis met again after a 6 year absence just last year at a mutual friend’s jam session. They had both chosen strawberry. Rick expressed an interest in Disneyland, but Dennis thought he should try playing there before doing the rides, and he began rehearsing with both Kirk and Dennis before actually seeing his first Billy Hill Show at Disneyland on the Saturday of Memorial Week-end, 2003. It was during these rehearsals that Rick blew the guys away with his unique whistling skill. What song did he accidentally perform for Kirk and Dennis? The William Tell Overture.

Rick says he enjoys working at Disneyland and performing with the Billy Hill and the Hillbillies Show. “I can’t believe I get paid to have this much fun.” He beams a wide smile as he tells me that he looks forward to keeping the show fresh and hopefully contributing to the Blue Team’s new sound.

The facts in this story are true.

Thank you Rick, for allowing me to put a comedy spin on your real life’s story.