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Richard Allan McGhie, also known as Rick, is an independent Canadian musician best known for his performances at the University of Western Ontario, in London, Ontario. McGhie has been a member of the Western community since 1970 and his performances are now considered tradition.

Life and Career
McGhie has been singing and playing the guitar since he was young. He had vocal lessons as a child and learned the guitar at age 11-12. He first started performing at age 16 when he played in the band Buckwheat which would go on tour during the summer months.

In 1970, McGhie came to Western University to study Science. He played in the band Every One of Us (which would eventually be changed to the name Home Spun). Every One of Us would play Friday and Saturday night at The Spoke, then located in the basement of Sommerville House and at The Elbow Room, a former pub located in the basement of Western’s University Community Centre. The band would also play other shows in London, Toronto, the Niagara Falls area, and at other universities. At this time, McGhie also did audio contract work.

In 1975, after extensive touring, McGhie decided to cut back to spend time with his family. Back at Western, he launched his career as a solo artist and in 1975 McGhie played his first solo performance on campus during orientation week. During this orientation week performance, McGhie sang a cover of Sweet Caroline. When deciding how to portray himself as a solo artist, McGhie’s manager told him that he wasn’t exciting like a band and would have to do something that would get the crowd into the palm of his hand.

Now, McGhie has been performing cover versions of songs for the Western community for over 30 years and Western students describe McGhie’s performances as an essential part of the student experience. He has played at The Spoke, The Elbow Room, The Grad Club, and The Wave. During his performances at The Elbow Room there would be lineups out the door and in 2009 Western’s Alumni Association took McGhie on tour to Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, and Sarnia. In 2014, McGhie sang and played guitar at Western's Founders Day, an annual celebration where Western celebrates its founders, alumni, staff, and students. In the same year, McGhie also performed at a Western University fundraiser for the United Way of London and Middlesex. At this fundraiser it was announced that Western had made the largest donation to the United Way of London and Middlesex. In 2018, McGhie performed at Western’s homecoming and has regular shows at The Spoke on Wednesdays and The Grad Club on Thursdays.

McGhie has a wife named Kathy, whom he met at Loyalist College, and whom he has children with.

Covers
McGhie describes his covers as a combination of pop and folk. He has a set playlist for his performances at The Spoke. At Western, a favourite cover is American Pie and Sweet Caroline. Other songs that McGhie has covered are: Tiny Dancer, The Sound of Silence, Blackbird, Heart of Gold, Free Fallin', Piano Man, Imagine, With A Little Help From My Friends, I Can See Clearly Now, Leaving On A Jetplane, Hey Jude, Circle of Life, Take Me Home, Country Roads, Margaritaville, Summer of '69, Hotel California, Lean on Me, and My Girl.