By each and every single account, Tampa Bay music scene champion Rick Manners epitomized “nicest guy in the world.” The 57-year-old was friends with countless members of the community who are all mourning his death today.
Details about the cause of death are scant, but friends say that Manners suffered a stroke or heart attack on the afternoon of December 5. Liam Madden, who plays guitar in St. Pete hardcore outfit The Scurvy, told Creative Loafing Tampa that he was hosting Manners at his home where they were talking about projects like Nostradamus, a musical Manners was working on. Manners recorded his own music, and considered himself a better songwriter than singer, but still released an album The United States of $camerica, which celebrated the working class. Madden says he left to get a drink and then turned around to find Manners gasping for air. Madden said he called 911 and administered CPR before paramedics arrived and took Manners to St. Anthony’s Hospital.
DO THIS: MIND YOUR MANNERS — A MEMORIAL FOR RICK MANNERS 12.18.16
St. Anthony’s officials have not yet been able to confirm or deny that Manners was taken there, but another friend, Stephanie Hay (who also met Manners at a concert) says that St. Anthony’s told her yesterday that Manners was pronounced dead at the hospital. She had called to check on him and left her name as a point of contact until family could be reached.
“They were very kind, and with respect to HIPAA and privacy, I only inquired as to whether they had a definite next of kin or if I needed to privately reach out to assist with locating family, which is what I did,” Hay told CL in a message. She has been in touch with Manners’ sister and said he left very specific memorial plans.
Those plans likely included a show, which is confirmed for December 18 at The Local 662 on downtown St. Pete’s 600 Block. Nick Marcisin, who runs the venue, says he remembers first meeting Manners two or three years ago.
“He probably saw me and I was probably super stressing or something, and he asked what he could do to help,” Marcisin, 30, told CL in a phone call. He says Manners ended up helping with all kinds of day-to-day tasks like fulfilling artist riders and running errands. Manners would never ask for any compensation outside of what he spent buying the various items touring bands request when they come to town. “No matter how stressed I got, he would always take time to tell you you that you were doing a good job.”
Marcisin is working with Manners’ family on the memorial show and says that plans will be shared as acts are confirmed. He’s encouraged bands interested in playing to reach out on Facebook. The social network was where Manners, whom friends say was retired and living in Holiday, shared news of local music and concerts.
Those who knew him say he did more offline networking, though, than Facebook would ever facilitate.
“I met strangers and other musicians who knew me because Rick told them about my band,” Christopher Joel Pack told CL. Pack, 37, first met Manners after his own band, Twisty Chris and the Puddin’ Packs, played a show at The Zone Art Lounge in Tarpon Springs. Pack, who served as a KC-135 crew chief from 2001-2007, said Manners somehow knew he was in the Air Force. They didn’t talk about the service together, but Manners did share some details about his life with other musicians.
Manners told Mark Etherington — who would often meet up with Manners to discuss music over a drink or lunch — that he drove school buses for nine years. He even offered to drive one of Etherington’s bands, Redfeather, around on tour.
“Gave up my CDL,” Manners told Etherington is a recent text message, “but it wouldn’t be a problem getting another if needed.” Etherington, 29, said Manners loved helping Redfeather load gear. In another text message, Manners dubbed himself Redfeather’s “packer of the drums.” Etherington says Manners would talk incessantly about unity within the scene and how he wanted to help make that happen.
“I was trying to think [about his passing] last night, and I kind of realized that through getting to know him that he represented all of the really positive things about the Tampa Bay music community,” Etherington said. That memory of a man who would do anything to help your band and never ask for anything in return is a common thread among those who would talk to CL about Manners.
It was Redfeather that led Manners to Robyn Alleman. She sings in Clermont funk and soul outfit Holey Miss Moley and is the volunteer coordinator at The Blueberry Patch. Manners went to the Patch’s Burning Blueberry event to see Etherington play with Redfeather, and immediately reached out to Alleman, 42, to help out at the venue. In a message to Alleman, Manners said he’d had early life issues that caused permanent back and shoulder damage. Still, Alleman says, Manners managed to do a myriad of tasks including the clearing of limbs from a century-old bougainvillea on Blueberry Patch property which needed some TLC after being crushed under its own weight after Tropical Storm Colin.
“He helped save that tree,” Alleman told CL, “he always did more than he said he was going to.”
That tree is still alive today and looks to be doing well — Alleman says it’s one of the biggest bougainvilleas that she’s ever seen. In many ways, it seems like that is exactly how Manners would want things to play out in the wake of his passing. He was a person who would do anything to lend a hand or lift somebody up in the name of watching them grow even taller afterwards. He did not see genres and could be seen at multiple venues on a single night watching bands play hardcore, hip-hop, rock, folk and every single sound in between. All he wanted to do was make sure that Bay area musicians flourished, and he felt it was his job to connect all the dots.
Brandon Fergus sings in The Scurvy. His bandmate Madden — the guitarist who was the last person to talk to Manners — called to tell him the news while he was driving in from Sarasota. Fergus says Manners helped promote unity within the hardcore scene, adding that the community will miss Manners’ “smiling face, input, love and support.” Madden, looking for a silver lining, said that he was glad Manners was with a friend when it all happened.
“He was talking about music, talking about unity,” Madden said, “so at least he had that.”
The outpouring of love for Manners has been overwhelming. We've posted some tributes from social media below. If you'd really like to see what it looks like when you reach an entire community, then scroll Manners' Facebook page.
More information on the memorial show is available via local.cltampa.com. We will update this post as more details about the story become available.
Feeling really heavy today. Rick Manners, you were one of the most enthusiastic and genuine supporters of music in this area. You've instilled hope in me that there are people that still care about the music scene. A lot of times I thought, " is this guy seriously this supportive and motivated to care about the scene this much?" because it was so wild and out of the ordinary for me to witness. Thank you for leaving your beautiful print on this life. I will miss your input as I will miss your genuine and sincere spirit. Thank you for being my friend, Rick. Love you and you will live on through the love you've invested in so many musicians and people you've interacted with. This world can be dark and cold, but you made it a little brighter. — Kerry Courtney (Goodnight, Neverland)
I met Rick Manners a few years ago at a local show and as a lot of us local musicians know he supported us and contributed to the wealth of talent. His enthusiasm, drive, and critical outspoken attitude toward the political establishment are things we should all learn from and further keep us humble. As we all play our weekend warrior gigs this weekend let's remember this kind and genuine person who would have been right at the front. — Michael Barrow (DAWNS)
It is with heavy heart that I write this message. Rick was many things to many people. To me, he was a kind man with enthusiasm for our local music/art scene (many genres). Several times, he came to the Blueberry Patch to help with projects on volunteer day. That really meant a lot to me. He truly cared about community and it was shown time and time again through his actions.
Rick struggled with some health issues, but that didn't stop him from getting out and supporting those he believed in. He was the zany uncle with eccentric ideas who wanted nothing more than to make our world a better place. I hope we can all take the positive contributions he's left behind and apply it to our own lives. It's never too late to be a good person and it's never too late to invest in future generations.
This is the album Rick was very proud of. He was working on this project, along with other local musicians, during what he called his "FUNtirement" and was able to release it earlier this year.
Thank you for being kind to me when others weren't. You will be missed. — Robyn Alleman (Holey Miss Moley)
This is ridiculous, I just saw Rick Manners and talked to him Saturday night. He was one of the biggest supporters in the Bay area when it came to coming out to live music, and supported every local artist he could. Even if u didn't know he was there, he would be somewhere in the building giving 100% attention to whoever was on stage. He had plans to come up to ATL and kick it with the Samurai's next month, smh.RIP Mr.Manners, one love — Mateo Henly (Samurai Shotgun)
This article appears in Dec 1-8, 2016.