This is the music related bio for Christopher Richards:
Overview:
Harmonica player for 39 years (as of 2010), retired at 50 from a lifelong tech career. I hand fabricate fine custom microphones for harmonica players and am the inventor of the exclusive 'Twin Tone' harp mic circuit. Very active in the Colorado and national blues communities through performing, promoting a major blues festival, mentoring several talented young players, and working with music related charities such as the Starfish on Broadway Project and the Blue Star Connection.
The Details:
- The harmonica, especially within the framework of the blues has been a lifelong passion. More a hobby until I approached my retirement date, when it finally came to the front. First live performance I saw was James Montgomery playing a dance at my High School in Brockton MA. I was already listening to blues harmonica stuff & was really pulled in by the sound that night. Had a Hohner Marine Band in my pocket within a week & started the journey... Thanks James! Have become more serious about it since shedding the 9 to 5 and now perform on a semi-regular basis. I have partnered up with Johnny Johnston, a great fingerpicker/slide player, we do our best to keep the Delta/Piedmont/Country Blues traditions intact through live performance + hosting an acoustic blues jam.
- I've been building custom mic's & restoring classic stage microphones for myself & friends for around three decades, took that to the next level after retiring in 2005. A lifetime career of related tech and fabrication work, along with all those years playing the harmonica has left me with a truly unique skill set. I've pioneered several innovations within the craft of custom microphone fabrication and have mentored several other in this trade. Click on the "Harp Mic's" & "Store" tabs for more about my hand crafted microphones.
- The Greeley Blues Jam (GBJ) now consumes a significant portion of my energy's. It is an annual two day blues festival (June) that has been named a top 10 blues festival in the nation! (2008 Blues Festival Guide Magazine). I am on the core committee and am the Main Stage Manager. I'm also the coordinator for the Blues 101 Stage and Youth Showcase, as well as the co-coordinator for the giant Friday downtown crawl... coolest thing north of Beale St! We work at this year-round and nobody takes a dime, it's a true non-profit... & a true labor of love. Click the GBJ tab for more info.
- Most of my music related activities are pro bono, the small bits I occasionally earn via performance or microphone work go directly into covering a portion of the expense of promoting the GBJ, working with the Starfish on Broadway Project (benefits musicians with mental illnesses), assisting the Blue Star Connection (gives instruments to kids with cancer), mentoring young musicians and other associated activities. Give me a heads up if you know a sick or disadvantaged kid who needs an instrument or a mic, I'll do what I can to help. Also, if you have instruments/amps/microphones to donate PLEASE let me know!
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