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Originally from Oregon, Richard started out on piano about age 5 moving to the violin at 9, upright bass at 12, tuba and electric bass at 13. Leaving the violin behind, he went on to study music and began playing in the Portland area from the late 1970s to the mid 80’s.

“In college, I was fortunate to have had teachers that were also working musicians, so they taught from both academic and practical experience—in other words, what you need to know to play your instrument, and what you need to know to make music as a group. They introduced to work opportunities, which turned the bandstand into an advanced course classroom where I could confirm and put to use what I learned in the daytime, gain valuable real-world playing experience, and learn further under some of the best musicians in the Northwest."

Those opportunities led to working with artists such as Rosemary Clooney, Helen O’Connell, Diane Schurr, Debbie Reynolds, Rose Marie, Nancy King, Frankie Laine, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Pat Boone, and more.

Moving to Japan in 1986, Richard stayed active playing, writing, and arranging with his own groups, and also playing with artists such as Martha Miyake, Hara Nobuo, Teramasa Hino, Chika Ohashi, Sera Yuzuru and more.