{"id":44228,"date":"2016-01-02T11:09:04","date_gmt":"2016-01-02T19:09:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bassic-sax.info\/blog\/?p=44228"},"modified":"2024-06-21T11:13:15","modified_gmt":"2024-06-21T18:13:15","slug":"r-i-p-dal-richards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bassic-sax.info\/blog\/2016\/r-i-p-dal-richards\/","title":{"rendered":"R.I.P. Dal Richards"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Photography by: Vancouver 125 – The City of Vancouver Source: Flickr<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On New Year’s Eve, at 11:41 pm, Vancouver lost a musical icon, and the Big Band era lost one of its last remaining original band leaders. Dal Richards, founder and leader of the Dal Richards Orchestra<\/a>, passed away at his home in Vancouver, BC at the age of 97.<\/p>\n

Dal Richards was a saxophone and clarinet player, who likely wouldn’t have started playing an instrument at all, had it not been for an unfortunate accident when he was a young boy. That old adage: it’s a lot of fun until you lose an eye, really was turned on its head, because losing an eye is exactly what caused Dal to pick up the clarinet at age nine.<\/p>\n

When an accident with a slingshot cost Dal Richards his eye, he was told to stay in a dark room for a while. To keep away the boredom, it was suggested that he learn to play an instrument. The rest is as they say… history…<\/p>\n

Richards went on to form a number of bands throughout his nearly eight decade-long career. The bands ranged in style from Big Bands, to German polka bands.<\/p>\n

In a career full of milestones, he is one of only a handful of musicians (are there any others?) who can say that he played 79 consecutive New Year’s Eve shows. As a matter of fact, he was booked to play his 80th on the evening he died. But in November, when Dal Richards became ill, he decided rather than take a chance and not do a show well, he would rather cancel it.<\/p>\n

That’s just the kind of musician he was: A consummate performer to the end. He even checked himself out of the hospital this past Christmas to play a gig at the Vancouver Club.<\/p>\n

The following interview aired yesterday on a provincial TV channel and features one of the Dal Richard Orchestra family members. Diane Lines is a piano player and vocalist for the band. She provides some insight into the band, and the musical life and times of Dal Richards.
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