"Texas" Rick Butler

Lead Vocals, Guitar & Mandolin

Rick began his music career at age 12 playing Clarinet. He quickly moved onto saxophone in High school marching Band. At age 15 he picked Guitar. Age 16 he was playing in his 1st Band. Age 18, Rick moved to Reno,Nv. Where he worked & learned more skills from his cousin, Danny Butler who fronted his own Band "ONYX".

Rick relocated to Orange County,Ca. in 1984. He bounced around in cover bands for a several years trying to find his place in music. One day he saw a band called "The Fenians" play at a park. They were playing Irish folk songs. The music was infectious & different. Rick was so taken by this music that he purchased a Mandolin soon after & learned how to play it. Rick joined Van Diemen’s Band in 1994 under the direction of Gillman Carver, former back up guitarist for Dick Dale. In 1996 Rick joined Malcolm & Brother Duncan to form "THE McGRATH BROTHERS". The band played a new style of Irish music, mixing traditional pub songs with a Rock beat. In 1997 while playing a short tour with a country Band, Rick met Matt Brislawn, a fiddle player. Matt joined the Band at the end of the tour. Joining the lead of fellow local Celt Rockers "The Fenians" & "The Young Dubliners", Celtic Rock took off. The Band played Irish Festivals, Street Festivals, Pubs & Parks for 4 years until Duncan McGrath left the band in 2000.

Rick reformed the group in 2001. "THE LIMERICKS" enjoyed another good run until disbanding with one last show at "THE HARP INN" on St.Patrick’s Day 2007. In the past 14 years, Rick has enjoyed playing bouncy pub songs for pint yielding patrons all over California.

Rick & his wife Melanie moved to Salt Lake City in Feb. 2006. It was time to move on & live near the mountains where he could continue his passion for Fly Fishing. Meanwhile, Rick decided to look for local musicians that may find interest in Celtic music. Swagger was born.