Clearly, he was a man of many sides. Performing is a profession. It is difficult to distinguish when performers are being genuine and when they are being--well, good at their jobs. What traits did Richard consistently display when he was off stage? What motivated him? What made him tick?
What was the real Richard Wayne Mullins really like?
The answers provided by graphology, the study of handwriting, may help clarify some of the mysteries surrounding a man who had so much to offer, yet displayed such a changeable nature.
This sample of Richard's handwriting was kindly volunteered by a good friend of Richard's since his freshman year at Bible College, Debbie Blackwell Buckley. Debbie and I occupied "next-door" rooms on the third floor of Alumni Hall that year. One day in January 1975, she approached Richard and asked him to write out the lyrics of her favorite of his songs at the time, one called "Lake Between the Hills." Although Richard probably performed this song a little differently every time he sang it, he sat down and wrote these lyrics out for Debbie on the spot. In my next blog entry, I'll be posting an analysis which will describe the traits of the man who wrote this sample. I'll show both pages of this sample and give you a few close-up views of his writing, too. Here's one close-up: