Country singer-songwriter Rick Duff is already busy preparing the follow-up to his excellent debut album, Forever Reckless, released in October of 2025. We spoke with him in January of 2026, as he was on his way to the airport to travel to Nashville with close collaborators, including his guitarist, Adrian Harvey. “I come from nothing. I started with a big dream,” says the man whose moustache would make Sam Elliott proud.
No point in asking for his real name. No, it’s not a diminutive form of, for example, Richard Dufresne. “I’d rather keep it a mystery,” is all he’ll say on the subject.
“We’re heading out to make connections, build relationships with record labels, visit recording studios, and take the pulse of the city,” says Duff. “We’re exporting ourselves! I feel very proud of carving my own path.”
It’s clear the man has big ambitions. While he still hosts open mic nights every Wednesday at Jack Flat BBQ in Lava (a suburb of Montréal), his performance at the most recent Lasso festival convinced many of his stage presence, his confidence, and his ability to bring people together. “That’s when I really caught the bug,” he says. “It made me realize there are people out there who are interested in me and my music.”
Following his two appearances in the blind auditions on La Voix (the Québec franchise of TV singing competition The Voice) in 2019, and more recently his participation in Canadian Country Music Week, Duff – a mason by trade who moved out west to Alberta after a breakup several years ago – picked up the basics of country music in his adopted Canadian stronghold.
Songs Inspired by His Life
Forever Reckless was released by Rosemarie Records, also home to country singer-songwriter Léa Jarry, who similarly made a pilgrimage to Nashville a few years ago, and who’s just released her latest album, Foraine. And as with Jarry, Duff is also managed by the label boss, Alex Artun.
Now based in Mascouche, QC, Duff has delivered 10 songs of modern country music, clocking in at a mere 34 minutes. Influenced by artists like Morgan Wallen and Luke Combs, the project is, as he puts it, a big musical road trip. “It showed us we were capable of pulling it off,” he says. “The country scene has grown a lot in Québec over the past three years – it’s a thriving industry that keeps attracting more and more young fans.”
As someone who’s gathered his fair share of tales while working far from home, storytelling is where Duff truly shines, and plays his strongest hand. With songs like “Backyard Honky Tonk,” “The Way We All Grew Up,” and “Second Thoughts,” he digs deep, writing with an inspired and emotionally resonant touch.
Select the image to access the Rick Duff video “Ford Ranger”
The song “Ford Ranger” got the star treatment with a striking music video, featuring Duff driving a six-wheel model in a remote corner of Minnesota. “It looks so much like Saint-Lin,” he says with a grin. For the video, Duff teamed up with the content creators and YouTubers CBoys (5 million subscribers), who were hooked after seeing one of his clips on TikTok. He made the trip to the Land of 10,000 Lakes at their invitation.
My Ford Ranger
Got everything I need
No I ain’t talking ’bout that speed
Oh baby, she’s getting drunk on that gasoline
Forever Reckless is dedicated to a friend who passed away too soon. Mental health, addiction, suicide prevention – no subject is off-limits for Duff, and he brings them into the light with the raw honesty of someone who’s lived through it. His vulnerability hits where it matters. “This album helped me grieve and turn the page,” he says. “I had some darkness I needed to get out. The next one will probably be a lot lighter.”
Duff is ready for the next step: a major tour, featuring a stage production directed by none other than Marie-Mai, whom he met while filming the show Quel Talent! on the Noovo network.
“I want to stand out from other Canadian new country singers,” says Duff. “My train’s moving full steam ahead, and I want to help make the world a little kinder with my songs.”