What would you do if, when the time came to sell your beloved tour bus after 22 years of faithful service, an angel steps forward, buys “The Mighty Pickle” and donates her to Marty Stuart’s Congress of Country Music Museum in Philadelphia, Mississippi? You write a heartfelt tribute song, record a new album dedicated to “The Mighty Pickle” and share this amazing story with the world. That’s what you do! And that’s exactly what Rick Norcross did after Dave and Boots Wright from Ocala, Florida, purchased the Rick & The All-Star Ramblers Western Swing Band’s tour bus, “The Mighty Pickle” in October.
The fact that Marty Stuart is one of Rick’s most beloved country music artists of all, makes the story even more poignant. The title track, “God Bless The Mighty Pickle,” tells the history of this extremly rare 1957 raised-roof Flxible Strainer, chapter and verse. Many Country Music stars of the 40s, 50s and 60s bought Flxible coaches with which they toured extensively, including Bob Wills & The Texas Playboys, Hank Snow, Flatt & Scruggs, Roy Acuff, Buck Owens, Johnny Cash, Doc & Chickie Williams and many other popular artists of the day. As a young performer and band member, Marty Stuart spent untold hours touring America in Flxible coaches and has enthusiastically welcomed “The Mighty Pickle” into his family. These days, Country Music stars don’t own their multi-million dollar tour buses, they are all leased, unlike the days of “The Mighty Pickle.” This song documents the 22 years this bus traveled through the hills of old Vermont, never failing to reach a show on time. You can even hear the air horns from The Mighty Pickle a couple of times featured within the song.
In addition, there are three new songs by Rick Norcross, “Out In The Cold,” a Vermont Winter weather report, “They Go Faster,” a song about speeders on the Interstate, and “Help Us Find Our Song,” recounting a romantic search for the perfect song for a couple in love.
Rambler songbird Taryn Noelle delivers a stunning vocal performance on the Western Swing smash hit, “Shame On You,” written and recorded by Spade Cooley & His Orchestra. “Shame On You,” was released nationally on Okeh Records on January 15, 1945, and quickly rose to Number One, spent 31 weeks on the Billboard charts and became Spade Cooley’s signature song. Taryn Noelle, accompanied vocally by The Blue Gardenias, breathes new life into this classic song with a terrific instrumental arrangement by Rambler Charlie MacFadyen.
Special guest vocalists, The Blue Gardenias, an acclaimed Vermont jazz trio consisting of Amber deLaurentis, Juliet McVicker and our own Taryn Noelle, make a triumphant and harmonious return visit delivering masterful backup vocals to “Shame On You,” “Out In The Cold” and the title track, “God Bless The Mighty Pickle.” The Blue Gardenias last joined the All-Star Ramblers in the studio on sessions for the “I Rode The Ti” CD, released in 2008.
The decision was made to release the first five songs in February in EP format as a taste to whet Rambler fan’s appetites in anticipation of the upcoming full length album which will be released at the end of May. Rick is heading to Tampa for a month to write the rest of the songs for “God Bless The Mighty Pickle” and upon his return, The Ramblers will finish the CD.