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Rick Cua - Koo'-ah (CD) 2022 Girder Records, Legends of Rock, Remastered, w/ Collectors Trading Card, FIRST TIME ON CD
- FIRST TIME ON CD!!!!!
- High-Quality Expanded 8 Page Booklet with photos and lyrics
- Jewel Case CD
- Includes LTD Collectors Trading Card #74
- 2022 Girder Records, GR1120
- Originally Release in 1982
- Legends of Rock™ Edition
- Release Date: March 11, 2022
- UPC: 763416070028
ABOUT THE RELEASES
Rick Cua was a force to be reckoned with in the world of contemporary Christian music recording 11 solo albums. An Italian American sporting a cool leather jacket, Cua was the bass player for the successful southern rock band The Outlaws. Rick Cua's first 4 albums were and still are among the top classic AOR albums to come out of the widely successful Christian Rock scene however the first 3 have never been on CD until NOW.
Koo'-ah (1982), No Mystery (1983), You're My Road (1985) and Wear Your Colors (1986), have been completely remastered in these officially licensed, limited edition Legends of Rock™ CD pressings with expanded 8 page booklets, collectors trading cards (in 2 of them) and restored original covers. Rick was also heavily involved in the process and was kind enough to provide insights and reflections on each release.
Koo'-ah
Just in case you did not know how to pronounce Rick’s last name, he made it incredibly easy on us by entitling his debut album with the phonetics of his family name. Rick was in The Outlaws when Joe English introduced Rick to the workings of the Christian music industry. At that time Joe was riding the CCM charts at number one with his Refuge Records debut. Refuge was a label created for general market artists to share their faith-inspired music. Cua wrote his first Christian song You Can Still Rock & Roll, which caught the attention of Refuge, hence a record contract. Koo-ah, released in 1983, created a solid buzz in the CCM market. The supporting cast of musicians on the album include Joe English, Jimmy Hall and Mike Duke of southern rock band Wet Willie, four band members from The Outlaws, and Robbie Dupree, who made the charts in 1980 with his hit Steal Away. The rollicking You Can Still Rock & Roll reached number one on the Christian music charts.
Tracks like Fly Me To Heaven, The Rock Was Rolled Away, and Crossfire feature hook-laden guitar, solid drumming, vibrant keys, and female backing vocals, all prime ingredients conducive for Southern-flavored rock. Eternity is a memorable mid-tempo rock ballad with a textured interplay between the key arrangement and the soaring guitars soloing. On Crossfire, there is a lyrical mention of Rosasco’s Roadside Bar which may well be tongue-in-cheek since John Rosasco was Cua’s manager.
Another steady rocker, I Wanna Be Like You, divvies out some fun guitar lick exchanges between Muscle Schoals player Will McFarlane and Freddie Salem of The Outlaws. There is also that signature drum sound of Joe English. The closing track, Melt My Heart, is a swinging honky-tonk tune with Cua laying down funky bass, Mike Duke of Wet Willie plunkering out bar room piano, and Robbie Dupree wailing on his harmonica.
Koo-ah is a classic well-loved album that showed up at a pivotal time for Christian rockers. –Doug Peterson, Down The Line zine
- FLY ME TO HEAVEN 3:38
- SPIRIT 3:53
- THE ROCK WAS ROLLED AWAY 3:14
- ETERNITY 407
- HEAVEN WAS MADE FOR EVERYBODY 3:34
- YOU CAN STILL ROCK 'N ROLL 3:01
- CROSSFIRE 3:19
- JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE 3:56
- I WANNA BE LIKE YOU 446
- MELT MY HEART 2:53
Rick reflects on Koo-Ah
Koo-ah was my first contemporary Christian album. I was doing double duty when I recorded it because I was still in the Arista group The Outlaws. The first record I made with The Outlaws put me on the big stage and went gold in the US and Canada very quickly. It was a fun time for sure and with great people that became lifelong friends. As amazing as that experience was I knew God had other plans for me as well.
The thought that propelled me into a new season was this; if I had 90 minutes with an audience I wanted to use that time not just to entertain them but give them hope in Jesus for the rest of their lives. I stayed with the outlaws for 3 1/2 years but then left the band and took a big risk that I remain grateful for to this day.
Koo-ah started it all and the making and touring of that record brings back memories that still put a huge smile on my face.
CREDITS
Engineered by Jeff Levine
Assistant Engineers: Jim Baird & Haran Hunter
Recorded at Glaser Recording Studio, Nashville, TN. &
Lower Level Studio, Nashville, TN.
Album Cover Design: Bill Brunt, Private Eye Studio
Fly Me to Heaven
Lead vocals & bass: Rick Cua; Guitars: Freddie Salem;
Keyboards: John Rosasco; Organ: Jeff Levine; Drums: David Dix; Percussion: Matt Greeley; Background vocals: Robbie Dupree, Gary Pigg, Marty McCall, John Rosasco
Spirit
Drums: David Dix; Background vocals: Diane Tidwell,
Lisa Silver, Donna McElroy
The Rock Was Rolled Away
Lead vocals & bass: Rick Cua; Guitars: Freddie Salem; Guitar solo: Billy Jones; Piano: Mike Duke; Drums: David Dix; Percussion: Matt Greeley; Background vocals: Diane Tidwell, Lisa Silver, Donna McElroy
Eternity
Lead vocals & bass: Rick Cua; Guitars: Freddie Salem; Acoustic guitar: Hughie Thomasson; First guitar solo:
Ron DeRollo; Second guitar solo: Freddie Salem; Piano: John Rosasco; Fender Rhodes: Larry Arlotta; Synthesizer
& chimes: Alan Steinberger; Drums: Joe English;
Background vocals: Diane Tidwell, Lisa Silver, Donna McElroy
Heaven Was Made for Everybody
Lead vocals & bass: Rick Cua; Guitars: Will McFarlane; Piano: Larry Arlotta; Organ: John Rosasco;
Drums: Joe English; Percussion: Matt Greeley;
Background vocals: Diane Tidwell, Lisa Silver, Donna McElroy
You Can Still Rock ‘n Roll
Lead vocals & bass: Rick Cua; Guitars: Freddie Salem; Piano: Mike Duke; Sax solo: Dennis Solee; Drums: David Dix; Percussion: Matt Greeley; Background vocals: Jimmy Hall, Matt Greeley
Crossfire
Lead vocals & bass: Rick Cua; Guitars: Freddie Salem,
Billy Jones, Will McFarlane; Piano: Mike Duke; Synthesizer: Alan Steinberger; Drums: David Dix; Background vocals: Diane Tidwell, Lisa Silver, Donna McElroy
Just a Little Bit More
Lead vocals & bass: Rick Cua; Guitars: Will McFarlane,
Ron DeRollo; Keyboards: John Rosasco; Vibes: Alan Steinberger; Sax solo: Dennis Solee; Drums: Joe English; Percussion: Terry McMillan; Background vocals: Diane Tidwell, Lisa Silver, Donna McElroy
I Wanna Be Like You
Lead vocals & bass: Rick Cua; Guitars: Freddie Salem,
Will McFarlane; Guitar solo: Freddie Salem;
Piano: John Rosasco; Fender Rhodes: Larry Arlotta;
Drums: Joe English; Percussion: Matt Greeley;
Background vocals: Diane Tidwell, Lisa Silver, Donna McElroy
Melt My Heart
Lead vocals & bass: Rick Cua; Guitars: Will McFarlane; Piano: Mike Duke; Harmonica solo: Robbie Dupree;
Drums: David Dix; Background vocals: Diane Tidwell,
Lisa Silver, Donna McElroy
ABOUT RICK CUA
Rick Cua is a force to be reckoned with in the world of contemporary Christian music. He’s an Italian American and sports a cool leather jacket. Cua became a believer in 1977 and played in local bands in the mainstream market. A couple years later he landed the opportunity to become the bass player for the successful Southern rock band The Outlaws. For several years he toured extensively with The Outlaws and helped them reach three million albums in sales.
Another widely-known musician, Joe English, former drummer for Paul McCartney & Wings, introduced Cua to the Christian music industry. While still in The Outlaws, Rick followed his heart and wrote gritty rock and adult contemporary songs as a vehicle to share the love of God. His songs have tackled issues current amongst young adults. He also brings in seasoned musicians from known bands. With over three decades in and twelve albums, six #1 songs, nine top 5 hits, and a Dove Award nominee, Cua remains passionate to record and perform, inspiring people to live in the fullness of Jesus. On occasions, he continues to play in Blues Counsel, a band made up of members who have been jamming together from twenty to forty years.