Gold mining may not be easy, but it can provide a substantial income source. This is why Rick Ness left his music career behind to start digging. He joined the cast of the Discovery Channel’s reality show, Gold Rush. As a gold miner and TV personality, Rick Ness has an estimated net worth of $3 million in 2022.
Early Life
Richard “Rick” Ness was born on March 5, 1981, with his twin brother Randy. He is originally from Michigan, Escanaba. His father owned a construction company, so he grew up working with large machinery.
He graduated from Escanaba Area High School in 1999. In his teens, he had several interests, but he chose to play football in college. However, an injury broke his hopes of becoming a professional sportsman.
In 2003, he moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with his mother. He decided to start a career in music by forming a group called the .357 String Band. They went on to produce three albums and made world tours.
Joining Gold Rush
Ness was first introduced to gold mining by the Gold Rush fan-favorite Parker Schnabel. Despite having no prior mining experience, he quickly became a trusted crew member of Parker.
He first appeared on Gold Rush in the show’s third season. Fans know him for his hatred of sleeves. He used his construction knowledge to operate a loader, a grader, and a dozer.
Rick eventually became Parker’s right-hand man and was promoted to the position of foreman. Parker assigned him to his second operation, which was situated on the Indian River.
Leaving Parker’s Crew
Rick Ness’ role as Schnabel’s foreman was to keep his employer informed about their operations at all times. However, this wasn’t accomplished at the Panama Canal site operation.
He acted on his own accord, hiring four workers. This cost Parker around $50,000, so he called out Rick and suggested that he should run his own gold mine. After this, Ness decided to establish his own mining crew in the ninth season of Gold Rush.
Fortunately, it became a success, and Rick held the show’s record for the most gold mined by a mine boss in his first year. Furthermore, he and Parker have remained friends.
Net Worth and Earnings
His main source of wealth is his per-episode compensation as a member of the cast of Gold Rush. It is reported that Rick Ness makes $25,000 per episode on the show. This figure is only expected to grow as the show continues to continues to grow.
Of course, there are his earnings as a gold mine operator. Aside from his reality television and mining success, Rick previously made a living as a musician and vocalist. All of his ventures result in a net worth of $3 million.
Personal Life
Rick Ness is currently dating a woman named Leese Marie. They announced their relationship in 2020. A year later, they starred together in Gold Rush. Leese, as well as their dog Ruby, is helping Ness prepare for the show’s upcoming season 12. Before that, they may visit Rick’s house in Milwaukee.
