"Making It In America"
Close to the same age, Rick's dad took him on his first target practice with a twenty two rifle. That lead to another "Sears and Roebuck" Christmas gift, a Daisy BB Rifle. After proving himself to be responsible with a gun, around the age of nine, Rick, got a new 22 Remington bolt action rifle for Christmas. It wasn't long before he could match his dad in the skill of "pop bottle" marksmanship, thus, the love of the gun had become deeply instilled into Rick's life.
As a twelve year old, Rick made two important decisions. During an August revival at Henry Baptist Church, he gave his life to Jesus Christ and was baptized as a born again Christian. Rick's faith and belief in the Lord Jesus Christ is the corner stone of his life. The cause of Christ is evident in much of Rick's secular work today.
The second decision that he made, was to take playing the guitar seriously and join a band. The band was named Uncle Bill and the Hillbillies. As you might guess, it was mountain music string band with a strong leaning toward old time Country Music. Hee Haw was a hit television show at the time, so it had a strong influence on the brand of humor and style of singing Rick was exposed to every Saturday night for the next six years.
At nineteen years of age, Rick took a 1,200 mile trip on the Bicentennial Wagon Train in 1976. Riding horse back as an outrider and playing his guitar and singing around the campfire every night was a daily occurrence on that historical event. No wonder Rick Revel has been involved with patriotic events ever since that trip.
From the age of twenty forward, Rick's career was built on hard work as a jingle writer for the Tully Agency in Valley Forge, PA and as a songwriter at King Coal Publishing for Loretta Lynn.
A Thumbnail History of Rick Revel
Rick Revel, was born on October 19th, 1956 to Joe and Betty Revel and was raised on a farm near Henry, TN. The town is so named after Patrick Henry, a man whom Rick grew up to admire and has quoted in many of his own public speaking outings.
At the tender age of three years old, Rick took his first ride on a horse, when his uncle, Guy Revel, stopped by with his new mount. Uncle Guy reached down and placed Rick on the pommel of the saddle, straddling the horn. Mounted behind the toddler, Uncle Guy placed the reins into the tiny hands of Rick and said, "Take us for a ride cowboy". Rick has been riding the hair off of a horse ever since that day.
Also, during that same time period, little Rick began to construct "Tinker Toy" guitars so he could sing and play along with the TV commercials he heard on his Mom and Dad's new black-n-white television. He got his first real instrument at the age of five and it was a "Roy Roger's" toy guitar from the Sears and Roebuck, Christmas Catalog.
During his thirties he ran his own ad agency and marketing company, plus he designed and built a sixteen track studio on Music Row in Nashville, TN. During his time on "The Row", Rick made quite a name for himself as a songwriter and recording session producer.
By the time July 4th, 2000 rolled around, Rick had arrived at a moment, that life had prepared him for. At the First Baptist Church in Murphysboro, IL, he performed as General George Washington for the first time and thus The American Heritage Theatre was born.
Since his professional outing, some thirty plus years and over three thousand stage performances ago, Rick Revel is still going strong and seems to be gaining speed everyday.
When someone tells him, he was born in the wrong century, he simply replies, "No, I was born in the right century. I was born to tell the tales of yesteryear, to each and everyone that are willing to hear."
So for all of you, who have come to pay a visit to rickrevel.com, take your time to get to know the man who was born to ride...born to sing...born to shoot and born to tell America, "Before God can bless America again, we had better become a blessing to God.