Bill Ricky puts the commune in community
The Halifax supergroup sits down with the Dalhousie Gazette
On Friday, Jan. 16, Bill Ricky brought their signature eclectic and high-energy presence to the Marquee Ballroom’s audience at the Customer Service EP release show.
The band’s musicians overflow with talent, with members dividing their time among several bands in the Halifax music scene. Bill Ricky is a harmonious tapestry shaped by each member’s distinct musical background.
Leigh Wills, the lead singer, has performed at festivals across Nova Scotia since 2023. Bassist Nick Adams also plays in alternative band Customer Service, electric guitarist George Boyd comes from rock band Harbour Authority, and Fiddler Olivia Hivon has a background in Celtic music.
The band’s six members agree their sound is a melting pot.
“Folk country is actually a good way to describe it,” said Boyd. “We dabble, we don’t stick to one thing. Everybody writes their own parts. It ends up as a blend.”
The creation of a Bill Ricky song is often a group effort.
“There are a lot of old demos of songs that I started with a little guitar and maybe just a chorus,” says Wills.
But how a song is initially written is rarely how it sounds on stage. “From that to the finished product, everybody contributes and gives their cents, it really changes,” said Wills.
Boyd describes their songs as “living.” Some songs are “still changing” because the band will decide, “Why don’t we just start doing it differently?” he said.
Since its formation, Bill Ricky has released two EPs, including Shoot the Moon, released in November 2025.
Both EPs were recorded at the Deanery Project, a community space on the Eastern Shore.
Wills discovered the space through a friend.
“We were taken aback by this commune-like space where people offer you tea and biscuits when you walk through the door,” said Wills.
Since then, the space has been a consistent source of support.
“That was where I played my first solo show ever,” Wills said. “It was super sweet they gave me that opportunity.”
The band recently spent three days at the Deanery Project, recording non-stop to produce their newest EP.
“Some people take their time recording,” Hivon said. “But we opted for the whirlwind where we have intensive Bill Ricky sleepovers. We’re all in bunk beds. We’re cooking for each other.”
The recording schedule was intense, with long hours on top of playing a festival that same weekend. But the band left the Eastern Shore with their second EP recorded.
“Every day, different parts of the band would be in the studio from like 9 a.m. to 3 a.m.,” Hivon said.
The band says camaraderie is key.
“Bill Ricky survives as long as all six of us are having a great time,” said Hivon. “If we weren’t friends, we probably wouldn’t want to put as much of our passion and time and energy into the project.”
Friendship fuels the band’s creativity, according to Adams.
“With anything creative, it’s really important to feel comfortable around the people you’re working with,” he said. “A lot of creative stuff comes from silly ideas or experimenting.”
