On Christmas 2012, Ric, at a casual get-together with a group of friends in Brooklyn, was coaxed into singing a few songs. Mel pulled out his cellphone and recorded two of them. They remained on his phone until he was able to recently transfer them.

Ric chose to sing “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance,” a song sung by Gene Pitney that was based upon the eponymous movie’s plotline but not used in the film. The John Ford film was one of Ric’s favorite movies.

It was the last Christmases Ric would spend with his family and friends before his death in March of the following year.