Richard Barrett Died Yesterday

[Guest TONY ROUNCE]

Anyone with even a vague interest in the history of American Black music will want to join me today in morning the passing of Richard Barrett, from prostate cancer, a couple of days ago. He had been ill for some time so his death was not a total surprise.

From the mid 50s onwards, Richard was instrumental in the discovery and development of so many major groups, from Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, Little Anthony and the Imperials and the Chantels through to the likes of the Three Degrees. He also wrote and produced stacks of significant songs and records, and also sung quite a few classics along the way (let's hear it for "Some Other Guy", to name but one)...

If you know the name but don't necessarily know from where, check out your soul singles on Swan, there's a fair chance that Richard either wrote or produced the best ones.

He won't get the same level of tribute in the rock press as Arthur Lee will (and deserves to),. but I'm sure that other Sourcers besides myself will be sorry to have to chalk yet another one up for the Grim Reaper...

TONE

[soulsalmon]

Anyone with even a vague interest in the history of American Black music will want to join me today in morning the passing of Richard Barrett, from prostate cancer, a couple of days ago. He had been ill for some time so his death was not a total surprise.

From the mid 50s onwards, Richard was instrumental in the discovery and development of so many major groups, from Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, Little Anthony and the Imperials and the Chantels through to the likes of the Three Degrees. He also wrote and produced stacks of significant songs and records, and also sung quite a few classics along the way (let's hear it for "Some Other Guy", to name but one)...

If you know the name but don't necessarily know from where, check out your soul singles on Swan, there's a fair chance that Richard either wrote or produced the best ones.

He won't get the same level of tribute in the rock press as Arthur Lee will (and deserves to),. but I'm sure that other Sourcers besides myself will be sorry to have to chalk yet another one up for the Grim Reaper...

TONE

a sad loss, a true philly legend.RIP

[45cellar]

Anyone with even a vague interest in the history of American Black music will want to join me today in morning the passing of Richard Barrett, from prostate cancer, a couple of days ago. He had been ill for some time so his death was not a total surprise.

From the mid 50s onwards, Richard was instrumental in the discovery and development of so many major groups, from Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, Little Anthony and the Imperials and the Chantels through to the likes of the Three Degrees. He also wrote and produced stacks of significant songs and records, and also sung quite a few classics along the way (let's hear it for "Some Other Guy", to name but one)...

If you know the name but don't necessarily know from where, check out your soul singles on Swan, there's a fair chance that Richard either wrote or produced the best ones.

He won't get the same level of tribute in the rock press as Arthur Lee will (and deserves to),. but I'm sure that other Sourcers besides myself will be sorry to have to chalk yet another one up for the Grim Reaper...

TONE

Sad news indeed

You are right when you said, " If you know the name but don't necessarily know from where" - Although not 100% sure, my thoughts immediatalely drifted to Swan Records when I heard the name, I knew I had seen it somewhere, I read on and it was of course confirmed.

Edited August 4, 2006 by 45cellar

[Tony Smith]

Just seen this!

"Some Other Guy" fantastic groove, The Beatles chose it to play on their very first tv appearance for good reason, it became a staple of the beat/ r'n'b scene and deserves it place along with "Louie, Louie","Do You Love Me", "Fortune Teller" at the table of exciting sounds that exploded out of the USA between 1960-62 leading on one hand to the group boom and on the other to those who wouldn't settle for nothing but the original. Sadly Richie never topped this Atlantic release, but,what a fabulous one shot! If you've got it, play it loud, I'm digging out a much abused but, still playable London-American copy that survived my Dad's musical journey through the 60's weathering the ebb and flow of taste, fad & fashion, re-emerging amidst the '79 revival of all things Mod, opening a door for me as it had for others 17 years earlier.

R.I.P.