He might’ve stepped back from the spotlight, but make no mistake—Rick Hughes still carries the flame.
Sitting down with Press Play Radio Conversation’s Hosts The Don and Tina, the Canadian rock vocalist offered up a conversation that was equal parts grit, gratitude, and unapologetic truth. Known for fronting Saints & Sinners and Sword in the ‘80s and ‘90s, Hughes isn’t trying to relive the past—he’s here to honor it, build on it, and rip open a few chords while he’s at it.
“I never left music,” Rick says early in the interview, voice weathered but passionate. “I just stopped doing it for the business. I play because I love it. I play because I have to.”
That hunger is what defines Hughes—not just as a musician, but as a soul who refuses to fade quietly. During the chat, he reflects on Montreal’s metal scene, early shows that were bare-knuckle survival, and how the music business, even at its best, chews up the honest ones. “Back then,” he laughs, “you didn’t have Pro Tools or Auto-Tune to hide behind. You had to deliver. Every damn night.”
Deliver he did. Whether tearing through the melodic metal of Sword or the sleazier, blues-tinged rock of Saints & Sinners, Hughes had a voice that could both caress and kill. “Rick’s voice was one of those that just cut through,” Don offers, recalling seeing him live. “You couldn’t ignore it. It wasn’t just big—it was believable.”
But Rick doesn’t live in nostalgia. The interview is peppered with talk of new material, spiritual shifts, and what it means to create in a world that barely stops to listen. “I’m not trying to compete,” he says plainly. “I’m trying to connect.”
That theme—connection over competition—is woven into every story he tells. About fan letters that arrived decades after the records dropped. About new generations discovering Sword through streaming. About the energy that still fills his chest when he steps onstage—even if the crowd is smaller, the amps louder, and the world a little more cynical.
Tina calls it out perfectly: “You’ve got this quiet resilience. It’s not about proving anything—it’s about living it.”
Rick nods. “Music was never a career to me. It was a calling. It still is.”
For fans of classic rock, melodic metal, or just voices that have lived through the storm and still sing about the sky, Rick Hughes is not to be missed. His story isn't about fading out—it's about staying lit, no matter how dark the room gets.
Catch the full interview on Home - Press Play Radio at 5:00pm Eastern Monday March 16th, 2026. You can watch at your leisure.
For more on Rick Hughes, including exclusive music, photos, and his full artist profile, visit: https://mosaic.pressplay.me/profiles/rick-hughes
Write a Letter To Rick!