A sampling of newspapers shortly after Dick's passing


In the weeks following November 8, 1995, an outpouring from fans and the press was evident. Below is a small sampling of what people had to say.

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Province article on Dick Montana's death
Reprinted with permission.
Special thanks to
Neil Graham, Managing Editor, The Province, Vancouver for that permission, and to Leon Davidoff for bringing the article to my attention, and contacting the paper.

The Province
Nov 10, 1995
John Colebourn, Staff Reporter
Whistler
Country Dick Montana lived to create mayhem on stage.
All that rowdiness came to a sad end when the outlandish singer collapsed while performing to a sellout crowd at Whistler's Longhorn Saloon Wednesday night.
The frontman for the San Diego-based Beat Farmers was rushed to the hospital and died a short time later of a heart attack. He was 40 years old.
Montana delighted crowds of young people across North America with his raw brand of satirical, off-color songs.
He often sprayed fans with beer, left his drum kit to another band member and dove into the mosh pit to join the frenzy.
"He was a complete character on stage, a great drummer, and had an unbelievable personality," said his booking agent, Garth Redmond.
"He was a wild man -- no angel, that's for sure. He died on stage doing what he loved in front of a sold-out crowd."
Redmond said Country Dick and his band had a loyal following in Vancouver and many of Canada's ski towns.
"He truly loved what he did," said Redmond.
Guitarist-singer Joey Harris said his late colleague was "an inspiration to me, because he was such a character."
Country Dick fan Ryan Brown was at the show and said the crowd was shocked.
"It was really sad to see him collapse. Everyone was stunned. The town loved his brand of music."
Montana joined the California garage-rock band the Crawdaddies and later the Penetrators before forming the Beat Farmers in 1983.
The Beat Farmers have had several critically acclaimed albums. The band was on tour in support of its fifth CD, Manifold, when Montana died. Reprinted with permission. Copyright 1995 the Province.
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