Biography
Ron Richards ranks among the foremost producers of the British Invasion period, even though he never attained the worldwide acclaim enjoyed by peers such as George Martin and Shel Talmy. Although his longest partnership was with the Hollies and produced major pop successes like "He Ain't Heavy (He's My Brother)" and "The Air That I Breathe," he also guided the Beatles through their landmark first single, "Love Me Do." Born Ronald Richard Pratley in London on January 22, 1929, he entered the world as the illegitimate child of a hotel chambermaid and was placed for adoption; during his youth he took piano lessons, and while stationed with the Royal Air Force in the late 1940s he performed on saxophone with the RAF's Central Band. After leaving military service he secured a song-plugger role at music publisher Chappell in 1952, additionally handling management duties for performers that included singer Michael Holliday. In 1958 he moved to Parlophone's EMI imprint as promotions manager, advancing quickly to producer and functioning as an informal aide to label head George Martin. His initial chart successes arrived via protégé Jerry Lordan, who placed twice in 1960 with "I'll Stay Single" and "Who Could Be Bluer." He likewise captured early recordings by Shane Fenton, later known as Alvin Stardust, and by Paul Raven, who achieved later visibility as glam icon Gary Glitter. Fellow professionals and the artists themselves praised his exceptional skill at locating strong songs, an ability sharpened during his song-plugging years.
On June 6, 1962, when the Beatles entered EMI's London studios Abbey Road to tape an audition for the label, Martin placed Richards in command. Richards supervised four numbers for the group—the originals "Love Me Do," "P.S. I Love You," and "Ask Me Why," plus the standard "Besame Mucho"—while Martin appeared only near the session's end after engineer Norman Smith alerted him that the quartet showed real promise. Although EMI recognized the Beatles' promise, Martin judged their own songs insufficiently substantial, and Richards proposed replacing drummer Pete Best, a step that eventually brought Ringo Starr into the lineup. The band returned to Abbey Road on September 4 for its first official session, during which it recorded both "Love Me Do" and the Mitch Murray composition "How Do You Do It?"—a number Richards had championed even after singer Adam Faith rejected it. The Beatles disliked the track, and the version they cut, which remained unreleased for more than three decades until the 1995 appearance of Beatles Anthology, conveys little drive or commitment. Richards likewise found Starr's drumming unconvincing, so on September 11 the group revisited the studio to recut "Love Me Do," this time featuring session musician Andy White on drums while a discouraged Starr was limited to tambourine and maracas. Once "Love Me Do," backed by "P.S. I Love You," climbed to number 17 on the British pop charts, Martin took charge of all subsequent Beatles sessions, beginning the most influential artist-producer relationship in pop history.
Richards nevertheless retained faith in the hit prospects of "How Do You Do It?" and revived the song when asked to produce Parlophone's next signing, the Liverpool pop outfit Gerry & the Pacemakers. His judgment was validated when the single reached the top of the U.K. charts in late 1963; the number-one follow-ups "I Like It" and "You'll Never Walk Alone" arrived soon afterward. With Merseybeat sounds dominating airwaves on both sides of the Atlantic, the producer began scouting club venues for fresh talent and found the Manchester-based Hollies headlining at Liverpool's renowned Cavern Club. Over the next decade Richards produced the bulk of the Hollies' major releases, shaping their distinctive vocal blend on such enduring tracks as "I'm Alive," "Bus Stop," "Carrie Anne," "He Ain't Heavy," and "The Air That I Breathe." He also directed the P.J. Proby successes "Somewhere" and "Maria," the Spencer Davis Group chart entry "Time Seller," and sessions with an array of other acts that included Del Shannon, the Graham Bond Organisation, and the Paramounts, who later attained fame as Procol Harum. In 1965 Richards joined Martin, fellow EMI colleague John Burgess, and Decca producer Peter Sullivan to establish the independent production company AIR. Although record companies had traditionally relied exclusively on salaried in-house engineers, Martin's stature alone enabled a lasting shift in that arrangement, and AIR generated substantial profits for its founders. Richards strongly disagreed with his partners' choice to sell AIR to Chrysalis and departed the firm shortly after the transaction closed in 1974. He withdrew from active work after finishing the Hollies' 1979 album 5317704 and devoted his remaining years to photography and gardening until his death on April 30, 2009.
On June 6, 1962, when the Beatles entered EMI's London studios Abbey Road to tape an audition for the label, Martin placed Richards in command. Richards supervised four numbers for the group—the originals "Love Me Do," "P.S. I Love You," and "Ask Me Why," plus the standard "Besame Mucho"—while Martin appeared only near the session's end after engineer Norman Smith alerted him that the quartet showed real promise. Although EMI recognized the Beatles' promise, Martin judged their own songs insufficiently substantial, and Richards proposed replacing drummer Pete Best, a step that eventually brought Ringo Starr into the lineup. The band returned to Abbey Road on September 4 for its first official session, during which it recorded both "Love Me Do" and the Mitch Murray composition "How Do You Do It?"—a number Richards had championed even after singer Adam Faith rejected it. The Beatles disliked the track, and the version they cut, which remained unreleased for more than three decades until the 1995 appearance of Beatles Anthology, conveys little drive or commitment. Richards likewise found Starr's drumming unconvincing, so on September 11 the group revisited the studio to recut "Love Me Do," this time featuring session musician Andy White on drums while a discouraged Starr was limited to tambourine and maracas. Once "Love Me Do," backed by "P.S. I Love You," climbed to number 17 on the British pop charts, Martin took charge of all subsequent Beatles sessions, beginning the most influential artist-producer relationship in pop history.
Richards nevertheless retained faith in the hit prospects of "How Do You Do It?" and revived the song when asked to produce Parlophone's next signing, the Liverpool pop outfit Gerry & the Pacemakers. His judgment was validated when the single reached the top of the U.K. charts in late 1963; the number-one follow-ups "I Like It" and "You'll Never Walk Alone" arrived soon afterward. With Merseybeat sounds dominating airwaves on both sides of the Atlantic, the producer began scouting club venues for fresh talent and found the Manchester-based Hollies headlining at Liverpool's renowned Cavern Club. Over the next decade Richards produced the bulk of the Hollies' major releases, shaping their distinctive vocal blend on such enduring tracks as "I'm Alive," "Bus Stop," "Carrie Anne," "He Ain't Heavy," and "The Air That I Breathe." He also directed the P.J. Proby successes "Somewhere" and "Maria," the Spencer Davis Group chart entry "Time Seller," and sessions with an array of other acts that included Del Shannon, the Graham Bond Organisation, and the Paramounts, who later attained fame as Procol Harum. In 1965 Richards joined Martin, fellow EMI colleague John Burgess, and Decca producer Peter Sullivan to establish the independent production company AIR. Although record companies had traditionally relied exclusively on salaried in-house engineers, Martin's stature alone enabled a lasting shift in that arrangement, and AIR generated substantial profits for its founders. Richards strongly disagreed with his partners' choice to sell AIR to Chrysalis and departed the firm shortly after the transaction closed in 1974. He withdrew from active work after finishing the Hollies' 1979 album 5317704 and devoted his remaining years to photography and gardening until his death on April 30, 2009.