I'm a guitarist, multi-instrumentalist and composer. My solo show has been touring for 20 years or so. I'm often billed as "The Guitar Whisperer". My gigging usually takes place in the UK but I have taken the show to Holland, Denmark, Belgium, France, Portugal and Switzerland. I have written concert music as well as music for TV and Film. I have had to forge my own path, trying to avoid the areas of the classical world which I know are a total pain in the arse whilst attempting to bring technical depth and musical honesty to the music I choose to play. I also work as record producer and have collaborated with many others from bassist Herbie Flowers to existential geometer Greg Bright.
I was born in Hollingbury just outside Brighton in 1962, the second youngest in a family of six children. From as far back as I can remember I was obsessed with the guitar and grew up listening to Segovia and Django on my Mum and Dad's radiogram.
I went to Carden School where I only really behaved myself in music lessons. The music teacher there was Janet Morgan. She was an inspiration.
I had my first guitar lessons at home from my Dad, and at the age of seven started attending the Brighton Guitar Studios which were in Waterloo Street, Hove and run by John Thackeray. My first teacher there was Merry Curd, later on John was brave enough to take over.
By my teens I was completely immersed in my guitar playing but had taken up the cello as my token orchestral instrument. Whilst at Dorothy Stringer High School I also had a go at double bass and trombone and had become very interested in early music and very disinterested in school.
I joined the Brighton Youth Orchestra and received further inspiration from a wonderful character called David Gray. I first performed the Aranjuez concerto with the BYO, conducted by David, at the Brighton Centre and during a tour of Portugal in 1979. I'd also started playing double bass in a Bluegrass band "The Jon Vickers Dog Rough String Band".
After two years at Varndean (taught by the great and infamous Dafydd Bullock) I spent five years at the Royal College of Music studying guitar (Prof Charles Ramirez), cello (Prof Michael Evans) and composition (Kenneth Jones). I gave my debut in 1986 at the Purcell Room and, in spite of everything, have worked in music ever since.
My current "Guitar Whisperer" solo shows are guitar led and feature the more exotic works from the classical repertoire as well as DADGAD arrangements and orginals played on the steel strung guitar. I perform amplified and make use of electronic gear such as samplers, Kaoss Pads etc - whatever I decide to sling in the gig van that day...I'll also usually play some works on other instruments (banjo, mandolin, electric guitar, cello and even unaccompanied Bach on the ukulele).
Click on the picture below to visit Richard's site
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Click on the picture below to visit Longman Records
Thanks so much for inviting me to play bass on the classical piece with you & Raf & the finale too 'miniature man'.
Probably the one thing I love most about music is a good venue, good audience & jumping up to play bass with people I've not worked with before on some music I've never heard before. I love it. Thanks.
May I play 'Westway' with you in May when I visit with Blueszoo?
Hi Richard! Wonderful music, full of passion and melodic feel, congratulations! And... I see you had Dafydd Bullock as a teacher too! What a fine teacher he is... Anyway, congratulations for your music, keep up the great work!
Hi Richard, Just wanted to say a big thank you for an outstanding evening on Friday ! It was great to meet you and Herbie and I thought the set you played together was fantastic. It was wonderful to see and hear a few of the old Sky pieces played again especially with Mr Flowers on such fine form !!
Hi Richard, I had a hard drive crash on my computer, I just got it fixed today! I have not been able to access Myspace for a while! Just want you to know I have not forgotten about you! Still hoping for a Sweden gig sometime! Your friend Pär
Thanks for last night. A great night and son Tom & I both thoroughly enjoyed yours and John's performance. You should do it again (and again). My wife Fiona wishes she hadn't missed it so looking forward to Glastonwick.
Hi Richard, I think and hope we soon have things rollin' in Sweden! I sure hope so because it would be wonderful to hear your music live and to meet you in person! Your big swedish supporter, fan and friend! Pär
A great suprise to meet you at BBC Southern Counties Radio. Thank you so much for your kind comments about Julie's music, hope you enjoyed the rest of the show.
