The Intercoastal Pirates are:

CHRIS FAULK: Vocals, Guitars
RICK PARK: Vocals, Guitars
STEVE VONDERHEIDE: Vocals, Keyboards
RONNIE CHURCHILL: Bass
BRYAN ARMSTRONG: Vocals, Drums






The Intercoastal Pirates use low wattage LED stage lighting to conserve energy. We encourage everyone to do their part in maintaining our environment.

The Intercoastal Pirates hope you will join us in the fight against breast cancer. Click here to find out how YOU can be a part of the cure!


Ports of Call

April
*Dido's, Brazoria, 7-11pm A one day return for Rick!
My photo
Yo Ho, me Hearties... This is a tale of the adventures of a group of modern day Intercoastal Pirates. Not the marauding or pillaging kind, mind you, but a band of musical skaliwags that go from town to town along the Gulf Coast looking for fun and adventure. I came to be in the company of this motley crew when I was bewitched by the First Mate's serenading some years ago. He began to keep company with these Intercoastal Pirates some time after that, and before I knew it, he was a full-fledged Pirate himself. Not that I mind it... a little swashbuckling never hurt anyone! It will be my duty to chronicle their adventures, journeys to distant waters, and all the fun along the way.

Sunday, August 11, 2013

The End is Near; or, Rick goes to Davey Jones' Locker; or, maybe he'll just be at home!

It's been six years, hundreds of gigs, and literally thousands of on stage hours since first filling in for missing Pirates back in 2007. Rick stepped onto the Musical Ship o' The South full time in very early 2008 and has shared the main deck with Captain Chris ever since. In that time the band has played with bands as wide ranging as Pat Green and Randy Rogers to the Beach Boys in venues from Galveston to Austin and all points in between! It's been an awesome run.

Times change and there are only 24 hours in a day, even for Pirates! It's a mighty blessing to have so many good things happening that you actually have to pick the most important ones and give up something that is also truly good to be fair to all involved. Such is the story of this blog entry. Draw up a stool and lend me your ear...

Rick's wife has been one of the biggest fans of the band... yep, this is my blog! He was a musician when I met him so I have only ever known him to be going from stage to stage. When Rick said he was going to leave the Intercoastal Pirates, I couldn't believe it. He loves playing and singing, and equally loves this band. These guys are brothers to him. Why would he do this?

The other thing Rick was when I met him was a cop. A patrol guy back then, and later a patrol sergeant who also loved his job. This is what he does to pay the bills, as Pirating is for fun and doesn't make one as rich as some movies might have you believe! Rick's moved up through the ranks, and the job has taken more and more time to do well. At the same time, the band has taken more and more time. Running all the time!

The third thing Rick loves is being with his family, which he considers to be God's greatest gift to him in this long and wonderful life. Now, it has gotten to the place where all three cannot be done, and done properly. Therein, as they say, lies the rub.

My Pirate has decided that he must focus on faith and family, then on professional responsibility, and cannot give less than his best to the Pirates, so he will step away and let someone else step in rather than compromise the band. While I'm glad he puts his Lord and me in front, and while I also completely understand his needing to do his job well, I am nonetheless saddened to think of him leaving the stage behind for a time. He assures me he will not stop playing or singing and will see stage lights again. I choose not to question the decision, and stand by him as we move forward. Thank you all for such long and strong support for Rick and his band of Pirates. Please continue to support them!

Until Pirate Rick climbs the stage stairs again, this is the Pirate's Wench and Chronicler signing off, wishing you all strong winds, full sails, and a clear horizon! Ahoy!