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Dal (Dallas Murray) Richards. Clarinetist, saxophonist, arranger, conductor, b Vancouver 5 Jan 1918; hon DTech (BC Institute of Technology) 1999, hon doctorate (BC Open University) 2001. Dal Richards was a member of the Kitsilano Boys' Band in his youth and began his professional career in the late 1930s as a clarinetist and saxophonist in the Vancouver dance bands of Sandy DeSantis and Stan Patton (b St. Boniface, Man 29 Jan 1915, d Richmond Hill, Ont 20 Oct 2006). In 1940 he succeeded Mart Kenney as music director and bandleader at the Hotel Vancouver's Panorama Roof. He remained there until 1965, during which time his orchestra, described as 'the band at the top of the town,' was heard nationally on CBC radio. The 11-piece orchestra featured, in turn, the singers Juliette, Beryl Boden, and Richards' wife, Lorraine McAllister, and over the years included the trumpeters Chuck Barber and Gordon Delamont and the saxophonists Stan Patton and Lance Harrison. The orchestra also appeared elsewhere on the west coast and made the LP Dance Date with Dal (1964, Lon EB-12). Its theme was 'The Hour of Parting.'
Richards concurrently was music director of CBC and CTV shows and, 1954-86, producer of half-time presentations at British Columbia Lions football games. In this latter capacity, he made the LP Canadian Football Songs (1968, CTL CTLS-5104/RCA CTLS-1104). After leaving the Hotel Vancouver, he studied hotel management at the BC Institute of Technology and then took managerial posts at several establishments. In the 1980s he again began performing regularly in the Vancouver area with his orchestra. Through the 1990s and 2000s, Dal Richards continued to be one of BC's most popular and enduring entertainers. He continued to perform locally with his 14-piece big band or a smaller combo as a staple at the Pacific National Exhibition, CFL games, other events, and dances (he had played 72 consecutive New Year's gigs as of 2006). His radio show "Dal's Place" began in 1992. Richards has been recognized with membership in the BC Entertainment Hall of Fame (1992), the Order of Canada (1995), and the Order of British Columbia (2003), and holds the Queen's Jubilee Medal (2002) and several local awards including Vancouver's Civic Award of Merit (1994). The TV documentaries Dal Richards: What Legends Are Made Of and Big Band Boom! chronicle his life.
Recordings
His albums Swing Is In...Let's Dance (1982, Aragon AR-82-203) and Swing Is In...Let's Dance, Vol 2 (1983, Aragon AR-83-204), each featuring arrangements of hits from the 'swing era,' eg, Opus One, enjoyed sales comparable to those of LPs by many Canadian rock bands of the day.
Writings
"River Cruising in Russia," Westworld (BC Automobile Association), Spring 2000
Author
Jeani Read
Discography
Together - Again, Juliette and Dal. 1997. Capcan Music SA94120 Dal Richards and Juliette - Swingin' and Singin'. 2000. Pacific Music PM 10172 The Swinging Years. 2005. Pacific Music PM 13972 Tribute to the Crooners. 2006. Pacific Music PM 10922
Bibliography
Andrews, Marke. 'Swing's still the thing,' Vancouver Sun, 22 Nov 1982 Miller, Mark. 'Second go-round for "stone-age" saxophonist,' Toronto Globe and Mail , 29 Dec 1983
Links to Other Sites
JazzStreet Vancouver
Search or browse this multimedia history of Vancouver's lively jazz scene for profiles of your favourite jazz personalities, vintage music clips, online interviews, and more. From the Coastal Jazz and Blues Society.
Dal Richards and his Orchestra
Listen to some great big band sounds at the website for Dal Richards and his Orchestra.
BC Entertainment Hall of Fame
The B.C. Entertainment Hall of Fame honours BC residents who have made an outstanding contribution to entertainment in British Columbia, across Canada, and around the world.
Vancouver Radio Museum
Take a nostalgic trip down memory lane at the website for the Vancouver Radio Museum.
Canadian Big Bands Database
A comprehensive historical database of Canadian big bands, bandleaders, and other musicians. From the “Big Bands Database Plus” website.
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Browse the rich visual resources of The Canadian Encyclopedia through thematic galleries of Canadian Art, History, Nature, People, and Science and Technology.
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