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Arts & Entertainment

59 Years Later, Dick Richards Still Rocks Around the Clock

The 88-year-old Ocean City resident will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Saturday, April 14.

In 1953, Ocean City resident Dick Richards got himself into a small band that he never thought would be so big.

Bill Haley and the Comets would become known worldwide for their hit singles “Rock Around the Clock” and “Shake Rattle and Roll.” And on Saturday (April 14), at 88 years old, Richards will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as part of the Comets. The Lansdowne, PA, native is heading to Cleveland, OH, for the honor.

Richards will be traveling to the ceremony with his grandson , a 19-year-old Ocean City High School graudate and young musician. One of Richards' daughters is Betsy Young, a beloved Ocean City Intermediate School music teacher who after a battle with cancer.

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Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian presented Richards on Tuesday with a key to the city a piece of the Boardwalk.

"It's an amazing honor to have your hometown thank you," Richards said.

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Patch: So how did it all start with you and Bill Haley?

Richards: I had a little duo called Richards & Lee working three days a week at a club. And the owners, John and Jimmy, were approached by Bill Haley’s manager and he worked out a deal to play one night a week in different clubs. At that time, Bill Haley had a group called The Saddle Men. Richards & Lee were playing in between the Saddle Men sets. They weren’t sure if our type was good. We were more into the pop music, and he was more a western swing band at that time. 

One night when we were ready to leave, he offered me the job of playing drums. He had only a temporary drummer at that time. I said, “Well, I’m booked in Wildwood, so I can’t.” And he told me, “We’re going to record ‘Crazy Man Crazy.’ It’s sure to be a hit.” I told him if I found a drummer, I would let him know.

Patch: Did you know at the time that “Crazy Man Crazy” was going to do well?

Richards : No idea. I was No. 34 on the charts and eventually we got booked in the same club. The whole summer in Wildwood I would play in the afternoon with Richards & Lee, and then I would emcee at night for Bill’s show and for all the shows.

Around Labor Day 1953, Bill asked me again to be his drummer. And I took it, 'cause you know, the band was starting to make some noise, and he liked my singing and playing. That was that.

Patch: Who else was added to the Comets to make up the group?

Richards: There was no saxophone at the time. We were doing record hops, and one night while in a ballroom on North Broad Street in Philadelpia, Bill asked the owner if he knew a sax player. He recommended Joey D'Ambrosio, who went by a stage name of Joey Ambrose. So we got him on it.

Patch: Did having someone so young help the Comets?

Richards : Joey is great. Every Sunday, we would go down to see Buddy Dean in Baltimore, and one day were were down there blowing up a storm with a number called “Straight Jacket” and all of a sudden Joey jumps off the stage into the audience, with Marshall Lytle behind him, and the kids went crazy. Bill Haley was so impressed that he said, “You know what? I’m gonna keep the sax.” When we got into Essex Records, Joey brought a lot of modern stuff to the table.

Patch: Tell me about “Rock Around the Clock.” You are recognized as the original drummer for this song, how did you come across playing it?

Richards: Well, it was a song from a few years before we recorded it, and it never did much. In exchange for a better recording contract, we would play the song on the B Side of our record and give publishing rights to James Myers. When the Essex contract ran out, Haley gave the notice and we went to Decca records. We had the arrangement for “Rock Around the Clock” and we were ready to go when Milt Gabler, the vice president of Decca came in. He said, “I want you to play this song called "Thirteen Women (and Only One Man in Town).’ ” We only had the studio for three hours! We had no arrangement for that song, but he said do it anyway. So we spent a little over 2 hours and 40 minutes getting the arrangement and we had 20 minutes to go.

Danny Cedrone was on the guitar, and Bill told him to play the same thing that he played for “Rock the Joint.” He also wanted Joey to do a sax solo. Well, it was a little hard to do what Bill had asked, so Joey just started up a beat like (hums “Rock Around the Clock” opening). This thing just drove home. The thing was published with “Thirteen Women” on the A Side and “Rock” on the B side.

Patch: And what was the success of both of those songs?

Richards : Well, “Thirteen Women (and One Man in Town)” dropped dead. It was a flop. But “Rock Around the Clock” was a huge success. Once the sales started going down, we hit the studio to record “Shake, Rattle, and Roll.”

It was the first million record seller of rock. People didn’t even know what it was! They were calling it a Fox Trot! Unfortunately, Danny passed away and he never knew it would be the biggest selling record of history.

Patch: But this wasn’t the end of your success. How did Bill Haley and the Comets get into the movie business with “Rock Around the Clock” as a movie theme song?

Richards : We had nothing to do with that. By fate, we heard that they were going to use the song as a theme song in a movie with Glen Ford. Blackboard Jungle from 1955. What had happened was Peter Ford was in his room at just 9 years old listening to our songs, while Glen was downstairs meeting with the director of the movie. The director says "Well I’m gonna use that in the theme song of your movie."

When this movie came out about a year and half later, the kids went crazy. They started dancing in the aisle and everything else. That became the No. 1 hit for eight or nine weeks and No. 1 in the world — which never happened before.

Patch: So you really made it to the top. What came next?

Richards: Well, we were doing TV shows, performances and movies. It really put us in the limelight. In 1955, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Elvis Presley opened for us. He was just getting started. You could hear all those girls screaming.

In 1956, he just knocked us right out of place. Haley is remembered as the guy that started rock and roll.

Patch: Did you ever have any idea or indication that Bill Haley and the Comets would be as big as it was?

Richards: I had no idea that it would ever happen. I mean you have an idea you might have a hit, but not like this spectacular thing that happened. It must have been someone upstairs because we had nothing to do with promoting that record in that movie. Thank goodness Peter Ford was playing it at the right time.

Patch: Did you ever get to thank him?

Richards: It’s funny, it was just about 10 years ago. We met him and his family out in California, and we had a drink with him, and it was nice to finally meet someone who did the job for us.

Patch: What did you do after you left Bill Haley and the Comets?

Richards: Well, I acted on Broadway and off Broadway. I did movies for 20 years in New York. I did character parts in 40 movies, many, many years on soap operas like “One Life to Live.” I got lucky, and I was 50 years old when I did my acting career.

Patch: When did you decide to get the Comets back together?

Richards: My wife passed away in 1986, and I came down right before that with throat cancer, and thank God I beat it. After she passed on, I went out to see my old buddy Joey and we were talking about getting back together for a reunion. 

Bill died in 1981. There was a big show in 1987 at the American Academy of Music where Dick Clark was being inducted into the Hall of Fame in Philly.

The show was on a Monday, and we all came in on Friday night so we had some days in the studio. We didn’t see some of these guys in years; we barely recognized them. I thought we were gonna do two numbers and end the reunion, but by the time we were done my arms were like rocks. I was holding on for dear life. 

Two years later, we knew some people in England, and he wanted us to come over. It was an opportunity! It was in Breen, Wales, and they had these holiday camps with entertainment in 1989. So we went over there and they were excited the Comets were back. There was actually a band of Haley fans called The Stargazers that were there who played line were for line our exact song! We had to ask them a few times about our own music!

Patch: And after this tour you began touring more frequently, right?

Richards: At the beginning of the '90s, everyone was retiring so we could go in full blast. We had a promoter come over from Germany and he was booking us two and three times a year in Europe. We were back in business and still are working today.

Patch: The Comets play in Branson, MO, now. What’s that like?

Richards: We play six nights a week! We have another few months then and we go on tour of Europe again this year!

Patch: What were you going to do before you decided to get into music?

Richards: Well, my dad was a great singer and concert artist. The music was just in the family. My uncles were all entertainers and musicians, so it was there.

I was a starter for West Chester football. I made it into the football hall of fame. We lost two games in three years. I was 5’ 11”, 215 pounds, I worked hard physically and I enjoyed it. I was going to teach physical education! My dad helped me make my choice and I flipped a coin to see what I would do. I am glad I made the choice I did.

Patch: Naturally, you passed music down through your family?

Richards: Oh yes. From my grandfather down to my grandchildren the music is there. My daughters Beverly, Denise and Betsy were around music growing up. Their children were all musical as well. Locally I have two granddaughters in the area with one graduating from West Chester this year. And I have two grandsons. Gordon, 19, has a band of his own and will be coming with me to the induction ceremony.

Patch: Does he play the drums?

Richards: He does, and he does one heck of a job. I mean he is just amazing.

Patch: So over all you have had a great career.

Richards: I have. I just got a piece of the boardwalk and a key to the city yesterday. I honestly cannot thank Ocean City enough for their support now and through the past years. It was so nice of them to give me these items and I really appreciate it. But there are many years to come.

I’m gonna rock till I drop.

 

 

 

 


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