BIOGRAPHY
Emil Richards, born Emilio Joseph Radocchia on September 2, 1932 in Hartford, Connecticut, was an American percussionist and vibraphonist, best known for extensive resume as a first-call LA session musician.
Richards, who started playing the xylophone at age six, was an avid musical instrument collector with over 350 percussion instruments in his collection.
Emil Richards began his professional music career by the time he was a sophomore in high school, performing with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra. He went on to study percussion with Alexander Lepak at the Hartt School of Music (1949-1952) and was later drafted — playing in the Army military band in Japan where he also worked with pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi.
fter his time in the Army, Richards moved to New York City (1954) where he played with Charles Mingus Jr, Ed Shaughnessy and Ed Thigpen on recording sessions for Mitchell Ayers, The Ray Charles Singers, and Perry Como. For the next three years he was a member of George Shearings group, then in 1959 moved to Los Angeles to work with Don Ellis and Paul Horn. Richards went to lead his own group, the Microtonal Blues Band, spent time with the iconic composer/inventor, Harry Partch, and worked as a sideman, touring and/or recording with the likes of Louie Bellson, Doris Day, Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Nelson Riddle, Sarah Vaughan, George Harrison, Quincy Jones, Stan Kenton, Irene Kral, Peggy Lee, Julie Londin, Shorty Rogers, Shadowfax, Subramaniam, Nancy Wilson, Steely Dan and Frank Zappa.
As a studio musician, Emil extensively for motion picture films and for television. Some notable television performance highlights include the bongos on the theme for Mission Impossible, the finger snaps on the Addams Family theme, and xylophone on The Simpsons opening theme. Additional television work included music for Falcon Crest, Cagney and Lacey, Dynasty, and lots of cartoons such as the the original Flintstones. You can also hear Emil's work on numerous movie soundtracks — such films as Star Trek, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Ghostbusters and the collection of Planet of the Apes films.
Richards died on December 13, 2019; he was 87.
ALBUMS
MEMOIR
Wonderful World of Percussion: My Life Behind Bars
During a span of 55 years, Emil Richards has been a renowned presence in Hollywood soundstages, recording studios, jazz clubs and international touring venues. Considered a supreme artist on the vibraphone, marimba and xylophone, as well as a master of his world-famous collection of percussion instruments, Richards is renowned throughout the world for his versatility. This book’s lifetime of insightful and hilarious experiences include years with Frank Sinatra and George Harrison, as well as many anecdotes involving Burt Bacharach, Elvis Presley and Ravi Shankar, as well as most major recording artists. Richards’ chronology roughly categories the book’s chapters into decades, with the 1960s mainly involving album recording, television shows in the ‘70s and films in the ‘80s and ‘90s. A parallel career means stories emanating through playing with George Shearing, Paul Horn, Stan Kenton and Roger Kellaway, as well as Igor Stravinsky and Richards’ own group Calamari. There are warm recollections of the great film composers, including Henry Mancini, Alex North, Jerry Goldsmith and John Williams, who all collaborated at finding a unique sound at Richards’ warehouse before composing. Salad bowls used in “Planet Of The Apes,” gongs lowered into fluid for space movies and many other unusual sonic effects will flash readers back to decades of favorite movies. From an astonishing family history and grim days growing up in Hartford, Connecticut, through wild tours with Sinatra to Europe, Japan and Egypt, and visits to the Maharishi in India, Richards’ entertaining, direct style perfectly complements this wealth of inside experiences.