Friend “Banjo-Jim” Foerch wrote, “Rickey Novak passed away suddenly on April 29. He started attending the Festival, Wheatland Jamborees and Traditional Arts (TAW) in 1993. He was a walking library of the songs of the 50s – 60s folk rebellion and could be heard leading them with his guitar in jams at the Blue Water Rambler camp into the wee hours. Rick was also a writer of autobiographical, topical and humorous songs. For example, when heavy rains washed a coal ash dump away in 2008 in Tennessee, he wrote a hard-hitting song about our responsibility for the environment. When a friend shared her story of divorce involving a shotgun, he wrote the funny ‘New Skylight Tonight’. Songwriters looked forward to Rick’s ‘Song Writing Challenge’ at every Festival and TAW. We miss you, my friend. Hear his music with his best friend since 1962 on YouTube: ‘Banjo-Jim and Rickey’.”