Rick Holmes

Richard Arthur Holmes, Jr. (aka Rick), born in Knoxville, Tennessee on April 21, 1936 to Clara Sams-Holmes and Richard Arthur Holmes, Sr, died in Knoxville, Tennessee on August 21, 2015. Rick Holmes was a radio personality. He began his career at the radio station KBCA-FM where he enjoyed his job from 1967 until 1976. He had the privilege of working with amazing personalities such as Jamin Jai Rich, Tolly Strode, Jim Gosa, Dennis Smith, Chuck Niles, Sam Fields, Rod McGrew, Stevo and many others. He was a mentor to James Janice and many young DJs in the 70s. On his show "Rick's Affair," he soothed our souls in the prime time evening slot with the captivating jazz music of current and historical greats such as Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Dexter Gordon, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, Herbie Hancock, Oliver Nelson, Les McCann, Dave Brubeck, Grover Washington, Jr., Nancy Wilson, and Gerald Wilson. The list of jazz musicians he exhibited and interviewed on the air are too numerous to mention. He played Latin Jazz, Afro Cuban Jazz and African influence by Hugh Masekela and Miriam Makeba. Each night Rick ended his show with a word-to-the wise: "Red, yellow, black or white, you decide which is right, or which is an illusion." An avid amateur Astrologer of the times, he could pinpoint an exact Zodiac sign under any given situation. Intuitive about music, he could pick a hit after listening to a couple of bars. Rick was passionate about life, was a true psychic who could see beyond the obvious. As an actor, Rick appeared in a cameo shot on the highly acclaimed television show, " I Spy" with Robert M Culp on the back of a motorcycle. He also performed a segment with Bill Cosby. As a Master of Ceremonies he entertained at venues around Los Angeles such as The Lighthouse, Hermosa Beach, Concerts By The Sea, Marla Gibbs Memory Lane, Freddie Jett's Pied Piper Club, Los Angeles, The Troubadour, and wowed crowds at Jazz Festivals around Southern California. Rick recorded three albums with the great Cannonball Adderley. The first (ahead of its time) he wrote and narrated called "Soul Zodiac" for which he was honored with a Grammy nomination for best Spoken Word Album. The second was Love, Sex and the Zodiac, a steamy discourse about the intimate nature of each astrological sign. The third album in 1972, "Soul of the Bible" was produced by Cannonball and David Axelrod, with the Nat Adderley Sextet. This work underscored their growing spiritual faith. It also included Olga James, George Duke, Walter Booker and other artists. Rick wrote and narrated an album with Roy Ayers in 1981 on Gold Mink Records. It is an anthology to the great men and women past and current speaking of their contributions to humanity. The title "Remember to Remember" reminds us of the struggle and sacrifices our ancestors made for the freedoms we share today. In 1981, Rick recorded a very compassionate spoken word rendition for his daughter Amber, entitled "The Unknowledgeable Ones." Roy Ayers re-recorded Rick's timeless recording, "Remember to Remember" on his album, " Uno Melodic Story – A Roy Ayers Production." Performing as Master of Ceremonies and/or artist of the Spoken Word, in 1968 Rick enjoyed the pleasure of touring with various Jazz groups travelling to Dubrovnik and London, England; Ghana and Ethiopia 1971, and to Tele Aviv Israel in the early 70s. He especially enjoyed his musicalness in Africa with the award winning vocalist, Roberta Flack. One of his favorite quotes was "Procrastination is a Thief of Time." Rick was a renaissance man, an enigmatic man who believed in loving humankind and living Life to the fullest.