Part 2 Mariann Carroll's Interview with Rick Henry Christopher

This interview is my second interview with Rick Henry Christopher. Since then, many changes have occurred. He has two Vocal achievements, over 40 Top Stories, and has written over 330 stories.

He has published 14 books and is now dedicating his free time to creating music albums.

Fun Facts: Rick have 60,000 reads on Vocal.

Rick: Hi Mariann, I noticed you are doing interviews again. I would be interested in doing one with you. To give you some information: I have eight published books with sales of over 15,000 copies. I have two different YouTube shows and a YouTube channel for my music. Plus, I just recently released a new album, which is doing very well.

Oh, and my Gloria series on Vocal is catching on!!!

Mariann: Who inspired you to start making music?

Rick:  My inspiration came early in life. My dad used to play guitar and banjo, but he did not sing. However, he had a trio of singers with my sister, brother (Chris), and me. I was six years old when I started singing. I knew all the words to the most popular folk songs of the late 1950s into the 1960s. Music is in my blood - it is deeply ingrained.

Mariann: Who were your biggest musical influencers?

Rick: My earliest influence was the Carpenters. Their musical and vocal arrangements were fascinating - crisp, clear, and tight yet unassumingly complex. However, as I grew, my influences developed, and Pink Floyd has been my most significant influence overall. Their pre-Dark Side of the Moon era captures me the most - their albums Meddle (1971) and Obscured by Clouds (1972). Other significant influences include David Bowie, Stevie Wonder, Led Zeppelin, Parliament, War, and The Cars.

Fun Fact: Rick Henry Christopher 's Favorite Interview Vlog on YouTube is with Tori Holub in 2024. She’s a young up and coming singer with a lot of talent and a huge fan base.

Mariann: How do you approach songwriting?

Rick: I have always started with lyrics and a melody. Back in the day, I used to carry a portable cassette recorder in my car - because ideas always came to me while I was driving. Nowadays we have our handy dandy do everything smart phones.

Mariann: What is the best advice you have ever received?

Rick: Best advice would be to love myself no matter what. That advice came from Isabel, also known as my mom.

Fun Fact: Rick's mom is 88 years old and he has been taking care of her since 2013

Mariann: What do you want your fans to know about you or your music?

Rick: I want to be upfront that my current music is created using AI tools. However, it is still very original and in-depth. I use the tools to accomplish what I want. I could go into detail on what I do, but it would take too much time to put it into words. To put it simply, I do not just input a prompt or two and let AI do all the work. It is more like AI supplies the vocalists and instruments, and I create the songs, much like an engineer would in a studio.

Fun Fact: The book below is Rick Henry's Best-Selling book on Amazon

Mariann: What are your goals for your future?

Rick: My immediate future is to eat breakfast in the next 20 minutes. In the long term, my goal is to stay healthy and strong, and to keep my mom (Isabel) as comfortable and happy as I possibly can.

Mariann: How do you measure success in your music?

Rick: Whether or not the end result is what I was intending to create. If everything I was looking to do with a song is in place and it sounds good to me, then that is a success! Case in point, the song “Mr. Henry Wears My Face” is one of my biggest successes - it turned out exactly as I envisioned.

Mariann: What song this year, 2025, did you create that you are most proud of?

Rick: There are a few. However, if I had to narrow it down to one, it would be “Keep Gently Building..” The song serves as an introduction to the character, Mr. Henry. I created this song in four movements with a focus on balanced phrasing and clear contrast between sections. The song features a few tempo changes and incorporates a variety of instruments not typically found in a rock song. The lyrics to the songs are heavily influenced by Syd Barrett (Early Pink Floyd). The psychedelic lyrics, featuring British-influenced terms like “plasticine hourglasses” and “soft and silky fleece,” along with mysterious characters (Mr. Henry), are very Barrett-esque. I am very proud of this song.

Here is Rick Henry Christopher Project Album on YouTube:

I hope you enjoy my interview with Rick Henry Christopher a very talented artist and a music lover.