Richard Barrett (musician)

Richard Barrett ( b. 1936 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; † August 4, 2006, also known as Ritchie Barrett ) was an American rhythm and blues producer, songwriter and conductor. He was one of the most important figures in the early years of rock and roll, one of the first successful independent black record producer and pioneer of the black Broadway producer.

Career as a singer and songwriter

Born and raised in Philadelphia, Barrett began singing in the R & B group Angels in the early 1950s. In addition to his charismatic presence as a singer with an elegant voice, he was a misted-up dancer and choreographer, and revealed an early talent for imaginative arrangements of songs. 1952 or 1953 Barrett went to New York where he got by as a day laborer, always looking for a paid gig as a musician. When he heard her sing the quartet The Dreamers, he offered them the song Summer's Love in the event that he could go into the band. The musicians accepted. After a quick name change to The Valentines, the quintet quickly became known. Raoul Cita of the Harptones brought them together with Monte Bruce, who wanted to lift the label Bruce Records of baptism. A demo tape of Summer's Love was his only power producers, but this was played by the legendary Harlem DJ Willie Bryant on the radio. In November 1954, the Valentines, a new version of Summer's Love played as a single on Old Town Records in Harlem. The B-side Tonight Kathleen boosted the popularity of Valentines. And made the Valentines Stars in Harlem - At George Goldner's Rama Records Group 1955 Lily Maebelle, which became a regional hit by DJ Alan Freed published. In parallel, Barrett worked hard at Rama (later Gee Records) of the girl- for - all into a veritable producer and talent scout. He discovered Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers, who received little later, the rock and roll classic Why Do Fools Fall in Love. 1956 succeeded Barrett and the valentines with Woo Woo Train another hit, but Barrett's dwindling interest in an active musical career ended the project after two further, less successful publications.

Career as a producer

Barrett devoted himself entirely to his production work and his new protégés The Cleftones, whose vocal arrangements and stage choreography, he was responsible. 1957 Barrett discovered the New York quintet The Chantels, which is considered as the first girl group in rock and roll history. He became their manager and producer. Maybe your second publication was a Millionenhit, and another rock and roll classics. In the same year produced and arranged Barrett the debut single by The Channels. He made another big discovery with Little Anthony & the Imperials, now at Roulette Records, a successor company of Rama, Gee, End and Gone Records, which was led by Goldner partner Morris Levy. In 1960, Barrett own label: Princeton Records, whose stars The veneers were. Barrett also produced early recordings of the Isley Brothers by Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, and met Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, before any of this had become known. Upon his return to Philadelphia in 1963 he produced The Three Degrees, with whom he celebrated a few hits in the 1970s, including the # 1 single TSOP ( The Sound of Philadelphia ) ( Phillysound ) in 1974.

• Music producer
• Americans
• Born in 1936
• Died in 2006
• Man
• Phillysound