Chad Richard can vocalize the soul in an Otis Redding song or pick a guitar tune like a Hill Country Texan. But his best comes out in original lyrics and music that go back to the tradition of the singing storyteller. He’s put everything together in an album that has roots in Orange County, his long-time home. The album is called “Veteran’s Grocery” after the neighborhood institution in the Cove area of Orange.
KOGT has been playing the song and it has gained popularity with listeners. Thursday morning, Gary Stelly, the host of The Morning Show, had Richard as a guest to talk about his art and sing a few songs live. The singer and songwriter grew up in Vinton and his last name is pronounced in the Cajun way, Ree-SHARD.
His father played in a band so he was around music. He started singing when he was 4 and eventually played the drums. Then he switched to guitar. Making an album was part of his “bucket list.” Plus, he wanted to do it for his son.
Richard works at Exxon Mobile in Beaumont and lives in Mauriceville. Music is his sideline. He attracted the attention of Todd Purifoy, an Orange County native who became a photographer specializing in Texas musicians. Then he started producing the syndicated show “Texas Music Scene” hosted by Ray Benson. Purifoy got Texas musician Walt Wilkins interested and Wilkins produced the album that was recorded in Austin.
The title song of the album is “Veteran’s Grocery.” The family store was started by World War II veteran Tony Caillier after the war ended. The Caillier family continues to run the store today at the same location on DuPont Drive. Richard said he loves the story of the store and put it to music. He tells how Tony “fought for General MacArthur” and settled in Texas with three sons and a daughter. “Buy milk and eggs and leave with so much more,” say the lyrics about the store. The chorus includes the words “Love and God and Country.”
Richard said he was ready to go with the song and album title. Then he thought he should ask the family. “I just love that family to death.” They liked the song and they went through collections of old photographs that were used for the cover art. Of course the CD is being sold at the store. After KOGT played the song the first time, the store sold out. The album can also be downloaded on Amazon and is on iTunes. Wednesday afternoon Amazon listed the CD as “temporarily out of stock” but it can be ordered.
“Table Song” is a personal story about Richard, his son, and their kitchen table. He told Stelly that in 2005, he and his son were building “our place.” They had been eating off stereo speakers and the coffee table. The night before Thanksgiving, Richard realized they didn’t have a table to use for their holiday dinner. “We robbed some wood from the cabinets and made a table,” he said. The song begins “built with Number 2 cypress by a man and his son” and tells the life of the table. “I was a fort and I was a spaceship” when the boy was a kid. “I’ve had milk and gravy slung in my crack,” the song goes on. The table says “I’ve got four legs but I can’t walk.”
He’s even written a song about hurricanes. “Ike’s Letter” was started by one of his friends in the Hill Country, who, Richard pointed out, has never been through a hurricane. The idea was a sibling rivalry between Rita and Ike. His friend wrote a chorus. The chorus was so good that Richard joined in with the songwriting. They texted lyrics back and forth.
During the morning show, Richard played live versions of the song and did “Ain’t No Sunshine” on a request from David Claybar. Stelly arranged a trade-off with a meal for Richard at Claybar’s Old Orange Cafe. Stelly said Richard will be invited back to The Morning Show.
-Margaret Toal, KOGT-
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