Digby 'Dig' Richards (12 September 1941 in Dunedoo, New South Wales – 16 February 1983) was a rock and roll singer, mostly active during the late 1950s and 1960s as lead singer with The R'Jays (previously called the 'Red Jeans', and later becoming the 'Rajahs').
The band played their first dance in August 1958 and auditioned with Festival Records in 1959. They were one of the first three acts to receive a recording contract by the label; the others were Johnny O'Keefe and Col Joye and The Joy Boys. Dig Richards and the R'Jays' first single was 'I Wanna Love You' which was written by Richards' 15 year-old brother and which peaked at No. 8 on the Sydney record charts.
Dig Richards and the R'Jays were the first group to play live on Brian Henderson's Bandstand.They were also regulars on Six O'Clock Rock with O'Keefe. From August 1959 they were the house band on music television show Teen Time, which ran on Sydney's ATN-7 until about 1962.
Richards was seriously injured in a car accident in October 1959 on the approaches to Sydney Harbour Bridge. After 1962 he became a solo performer and taught himself to play the guitar. In 1964 he compered a children's TV quiz show, the Ampol Stamp Quiz, with co-host Little Pattie. He continued performing and recording into the 1970s, as Digby Richards with a mainly Country style. In 1979 Richards toured Europe as the support act for Dolly Parton. He died of pancreatic cancer in 1983.
This generous 69 track compilation contains his early rock and roll recordings plus his later more popular styled tracks.
CD1
1 I Wanna Love You
2 Jive After Jive
3 Raincoat In The River
4 Bad Boy
5 Lotta Lovin'
6 I'm Through
7 Blue Room
8 Johnny B. Goode
9 Carol
10 Hush A Bye
11 Young Love
12 Kansas City
13 I'll Try
14 Too Young
15 You Are My Sunshine
16 Teenager In Love
17 (Real Gone) Annie Laurie
18 South Of The Border (Original Version Concept)
19 Comin' Down
20 Ain't She Sweet
21 Sweet Sue, Just You
22 What Do You Want To Make Those Eyes At Me For
23 Love Is Just Around The Corner
24 Hey Good Looking
25 My Blue Heaven
26 Love Struck
27 A Different Kind Of Love
28 The Story Of My Love
29 Quarrels (Are A Sad Sad Thing)
30 His And Hers
31 No Peace Of Mind
32 You Gotta Love Me
33 My Baby's Not A Baby Anymore
35 My Babe
34 Bony Moronie
36 Please Don't Tease
CD2
37 My Little Lover
38 Livin' Lovin' Wreck
39 Come On And Dance With Me
40 Dee Dee Darling
41 Watcha' Gonna Do
42 Comin' Down With Love
43 Love Express
44 Dear Lady Twist
45 Do Re Mi
46 Alice (In Wonderland)
47 I'm In The Mood For Love
48 Mary From The Dairy
49 Puff (The Tragic Wagon)
50 Ricketty Ticketty Tin
51 Sixteen Tons
52 John Henry
53 Frankie & Johnny
54 Miss Blues
55 A Long Way From Home
56 The Whole Wide World
57 Sally's Leaving In The Morning
58 La Bamba
59 A Little Piece Of Peace
60 (Real Gone) Annie Laurie (Unreleased Version)
61 Goose On The Loose (Dig Live At Dig's Place)
62 Alexander's Ragtime Band
63 Brazil
64 Midnight Stage
65 Dark Eyes (Live on Teen Time)
66 Harlem Nocturne (Live on Teen Time)
67 Little Boxes (on Sing, Sing, Sing)
68 Move Baby Move
69 Dig Deep (South Of The Border) [Previously Released Stuff Up]
to se Great e another Aussie music blog up and running - good work Marty!
ReplyDeletethank you
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