Hi John, Here's the truth as I remember it. It doesn't mean anything! As I mentioned before, I did not like the cover but was voted down on it. The photographer had the idea of putting six people together who were not us. He did this on his own. People said, "Oh..it's like their alter-egos there", but really it was not planned out in any way that I'm aware of. I think the effect was confusing. Thanks for your sentiments.

Hi, Thanks you. It was not hard to learn their songs. It was fun and I was honored to have the opportunity to play such great music. I won't comment about who was or was not using medication or whatever. It was none of my business. Stevie was ALWAYS great to work with. Let's just let the music speak for itself.

Hi Jamie, Sorry, I don't know of any such song. I'm glad you like "Desiree". There's a lot of Stevie in the words of that song. Thanks for your nice compliments.

Hi, This has been fun. I'm doing a lot of work at the computer at present and it's nice to see these emails coming in. England was fun each time we went there. I think Hammer and Milli came to one of our shows there! It's possible that I might tour with Seger since I just recorded with him on his newest album. If so, I'll ask the Penguin to post it and I'll announce it on my website. I made up the entire solo on "Like A Rock" and it was done on the first take! Pure luck here. I think Chevrolet ought to give me a new truck for coming up with half their commercial, don't you? Let's all write them at GM and demand a truck for the guitar player!!!!! Thanks.

Photo provided by Rick Vito.

Hi, You're welcome, thank you too. Red guitar's out in guitar ether--gone forever. I thought Kirwan was really good. When I saw him he looked like a high school kid and he could really play well! I really liked that instrumental of his called "Jigsaw Puzzle Blues". Later I realized that he was influenced by Django Reinhardt the amazing gypsy guitarist. You can hear Django's feel in that song and in Danny's guitar style. Good vibrato technique. I'm not as familiar with his later stuff with the band but the few things I did hear were very good. I hope he's ok.

Hello, Christine used to throw the Halloween parties. The one I went to was really fun as I recall. My wife was the Bride of Frankenstein and I was an obnoxious music agent. Couldn't tell me apart from the real ones who were there.

Hi, Nice to know there are more female (Megan is female, right?) guitarists out there. Bonnie needs the competition! It's really nice to hear that my playing has touched you in some way--thanks. Besides my own personally designed guitars I am currently also using:

a Reverend ( There's an ad running in Guitar Player and Vintage Guitar with me and this guitar), a Tacoma "Papoose", a Fender Telecaster, an Epiphone Sorrento, a Gibson Les Paul and various others, vintage and new. With Bonnie I used a new 100-watt Peavey Vintage Series Amp. I also have a Dumble amp and some vintage Fenders and Supros. I use Fishman acoustic pickups and Seymour Duncan electric pickups. The new "Elixer" strings are great. Keep rockin', Megan!

Hi, Your first gig was my last one with the whole band playing together. I remember that Mick was sort of building up the suspense about his book before it came out. When it did come out I don't think anyone was angry. Maybe more relieved than anything.

I don't know how Billy felt. Mac fans would naturally be thrilled that the "Rumours Era" band reunite for a tour. I'd guess that Billy realized that too.

Hi, I did not really keep close account of when things were recorded. Part of that is due, as you infer, to the fact that today more work is done in pieces than back in the days of live recording. Most of it was done in 1997. With FM we recorded in a variety of ways, live and in sections. Mick likes to play with just a rhythm guitar on some songs then overdub. I try not to get into too much overdubbing but often I'll try and do a better solo. Sometimes the original is better. I'd like to do more live recording because if you get a good take, it sometimes has more energy or truth. Yeah I even re-bought Hard Road as a CD, and I love "The Supernatural". Hard to get that cool feedback every time. Never played Honeydripper. Thanks for your interest.

Hello, I'm sorry but I don't really remember how many songs from BTM we actually played during the show. We added or dropped songs if they were sounding good or, on the other hand, not going over well. I can't imagine us ever doing a show without a showpiece song like Rhiannon in it, and I don't remember it ever being dropped. Thanks for your enthusiastic comments.

Hi, Thank you. The only live video that I know of that was shot was on the "Tango" tour. The other rock videos were filmed on soundstages. Actually one of the videos had some live shots from the Redrocks show in Colorado. Staged videos are often tedious and not at all a "natural" thing to do for most musicians. I do like the "Tango" video though. The energy on that tour was just the best. It felt like the Mac was being reborn and I assure you, everybody loved it! I think Mick or Chris thought it was a nice idea to invite Lindsey to play on a cut. Though I was not there that day, I had no problem with it.

Hi Bluesman, I've been jamming, as you say, with Bonnie since the late 70's off and on. On my first tour with her our opening act was none other than Muddy Waters! Got to watch he and his band every night. Sippie Wallace the great blues lady from the 30's was traveling with us also. Toward the end of that tour Bonnie's opening act was John Lee Hooker. So, yeah, I got to meet and sometimes play with a lot of the classics. Back in the 70's I played in a club band in LA called the Juke Rhythm Band and every Tuesday night at the Topanga Corral club was Blues night. We used to back up Albert Collins, Lowell Fulson, Big Joe Turner, George "Harmonica" Smith, and many others on a regular basis. One big regret. I was playing at the Montreaux Jazz fest with Jackson Browne in 1982 and went back to my hotel for an early night. Bob Glaub, the bassist, kept calling my room to come back to the bar and jam with this guy who kept asking for me. Bob said he played blues really well and sounded a little like Hendrix. When I heard that I said "No way, I don't care for Hendrix imitators". So even after three phone calls I didn't go back. The guitar player he was talking about was a completely unknown guy named Stevie Ray Vaughan! 

Hi, Hope everybody makes it through ok. I can't imagine that there are many more questions that could be asked about Rick Vito and his career in its' various stages. I appreciate the interest but I think this Q&A should do it. I'm getting sick of myself!

"Desiree" was my one and only single. I'm trying to get some copies that I can offer through my website, so keep checking at http://www.rickvito.com/ Thanks again. 

Hi, It's possible. Thanks.

Hi Josh, Sorry. I remember rehearsing the song early on for the Tango tour but don't really remember playing it on that show. It was not an easy song for her to perform as I recall. 

Hi Shebeast, I've been spoiled and lucky enough to have been able to acquire just about any guitar I've ever fancied. May not have been the cleanest or the best, but I've gone through a lot of them. My problem is that I fall out of love with them and trade or sell them. Then two years later I'm kicking myself for doing that. All my life I wanted a Broadcaster, then I got one, then later I sold it and I'm still mad at myself for doing that. Recently I got a custom made resonator guitar called a McGill. I visualized finding this guitar (very rare) for five months and somehow it came to me. This is the sweetest sounding guitar I've ever owned and I'm taking a solemn oath that I will never get rid of it! I wish the Shebeast many, many guitars to make beautiful music with.

It was one of the greatest musical experiences of my life. It allowed me to play great music with an incredible band, travel the world, and meet many wonderful people. Thanks.

Hi Chris, I write in a variety of ways. Sometimes I just sit and think up titles, thats all. Then I'll come back to that later and see if any of them spark a little idea. Sometimes I try and think back to how a song was written and I can't remember. It's like they just come through you sometimes. They come in dreams sometimes. I also co-write with other songwriters that I know in the Nashville area and LA. We either start from scratch or I'll come to them with an idea that I think would be good for their style, as I did with Stevie and Billy. Then you work together or even apart to finish it. A good friend of mine passed away two years ago and I feel like he sent me a song, because it was very emotional to write and play . One never really knows. Maybe spirits whisper these ideas to us!

I like a song I wrote called "Walk Another Mile" on my first solo album. It talks about moving forward through difficult times in your life (or "lives", if reincarnation does actually happen). The song from my friend Greg is called "I'll Be With You Endlessly" and I love that one for the obvious spiritual connection. Also I should tell you, I have written many, many horrible songs that I would be embarrased to play. I think you often have to write a lot of songs to get one really good one. Thanks

Hi, I think I did extend a congratulations already but will be happy to again. Susan and Steve, may your days together be good and long upon the earth! Congratulations! Best wishes, Rick

Hi, There was a lot more that we performed and recorded for the live "Tango" video. I was doing a version of "Rattlesnake Shake" that I felt was not quite up to par. We dropped that from the end product, and there were others from our live show that wound up on the cutting room floor also. I mentioned before that we spent a few days on a song of mine called "Walk Another Mile" that got nixed on the "Mask" sessions. There were probably others too but generally we dropped things because they did not sound good enough, which is probably why you won't find them in compilations. Those two songs from the "Greatest Hits" were not ever performed live that I can remember. Thank you!

Behind The Mask - Fleetwood Mac

Hi, You are lucky to live in such a beautiful country. I got to Barcelona last year and loved it. I did play on that record you mention, and yes, there are lots more that I've lost track of. It's usually because the records get lost in the shuffle and you lose touch with the artists after you do the recording date. Have you ever heard of "Rabindra"? "The Brownings"? Ever heard a record by Wolfman Jack or Soul Kitchen? Thoses are just a few that come to mind. "Blues Town" was the first incarnation of "Pink & Black" with a couple of song changes. No big mystery. Thanks.

Hi Virgil, No, none that I know of. Thanks for your interest but the only thing I did that was released was the "Raw Velvet" album by Whitlock. I'll never surrender so don't you.

Hi, Thanks very much. There are no plans to work with Bekka for now, but I love her voice and would love her to sing on a record with me sometime. She was three when I first met her!

Hi, No I did not see it yet but a friend told me that he thought the show was great. I should have said that "Sara" was hard for us to perform, not Stevie specifically. I don't know why but I think it had to do with the fact that it's the kind of song that has the same chord changes throughout the entire tune. These songs often work better as recorded pieces than they do on a consistent basis live. Sometimes it was magic, other times not. I will inform the Penguin if the Desiree single CDs turn up. Thanks.

Hi, No, no connection.

Hi, Thank you! I hear bits and pieces of things that I sometimes like. I like "Mule Variations" by Tom Waits, but I guess he's not new. Keb Mo', the Mavericks, BR-549. I liked some of the Swing-type groups but I think the record companies have decided to squash them by now. The Squirrel Nut Zippers are fun. I guess that I don't hear much these days that dives very deep towards the blues roots. Rock & roll has metamorphosized into something that seems alien to someone who believed that the Rolling Stones were the epitome of the genre. So, I guess I'm happier listening to more of the early blues, jazz, and instrumental artists and groups that I've missed so far than in what's out there now. Obviously there's still a lot of talent too but I don't keep up with much of it. Just call me geezer! I really appreciate you getting my CD though. My son buys a lot of modern rock and I do hear things that sound good every so often.

Hi Todd, Thanks so much for letting me in on "FM 99" and all the positive feedback. I hope to be out playing before the end of the year and I'll post whatever that is on my website and with the Penguin. See you then!

Hello, Man, you're reading way too much into this thing. "Crying over the loss of Lindsey?......I think not. These people were just folks the photogrpher knew--non-professionals from somewhere in Mississippi that he assembled without any of the Mac knowing anything about it. The girl was a high school student I think, and was not crying. You were thinking, maybe.... Heather Locklear? Thanks for your interest anyway.

Er.... what can I say? Thank you both.

Hi, That's a lot of questions, so I'll be brief on each one (if I remember them all). Of course the audience noticed the change. We did press conferences on TV and MTV announcing the new lineup. It was not mentioned onstage, nor did any Mac fan in ALL of the shows throughout the whole Tango tour, show any disrespect to myself or Billy Burnette. There was no turmoil when the women in the group announced that they were leaving, more of a "wait and see" attitude. The fellows did talk about returning to the bluesier sound if the women did leave, and we did do a couple gigs that way (as the Zoo). The Zoo was Mick's thing and had an informal air to it. I left in October 1991, not 1993 and did not speculate on what they would do from then on. I never worked with Bekka in FM. Your guess would be as good as mine regarding future recordings. It's been eight years since I was in the band so we don't consult each other any more. Thanks very much for your interest.

Closing Statement from Rick Vito:

Photo provided by Rick Vito.Thanks to all the Mac fans who took the time to participate in the Penguin Q&A. I was touched on many occassions by the sincerity of those who wrote in who have followed my career, bought my records, and expressed themselves to me in such a warm-hearted manner. I wish them all the very best and hope to have the opportunity to see them all out on the road somewhere in the future!

Thanks again,
Rick