Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephen Richard.
Hi Stephen, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I grew up in a house where both my parents were fans of music, all types of music. My parents would have friends their friends over and music was always the backdrop of those get togethers. At the age of 5 my parents enrolled me in piano lessons and I took them for 5 years, until I made it to 6th grade. When I made it to 6th grade which was the beginning of middle school my school had a concert band which started with introductory band. Everyone enrolled in band selected the instrument they wanted and began the painful process of learning how to play. I had no say in the instrument selected for me, my dad unbeknownst to me purchased a saxophone from a guy he worked with. When it was instrument selection time my dad handed me the case and told me “this is what you’re going to play”. A saxophone? If anything I wanted to play the violin however my school didn’t have stringed ensembles so the saxophone it was. I didn’t enjoy playing the saxophone and many of my classmates excelled around me. I made little progress in grades 7th-8th, I often think back why that was. My parents paid to get me a private lessons instructor who was a phenomenal saxophonist however the horn and the instructor didn’t connect with me for some reason. I think about the music teacher I had in middle school, I don’t think she had the time to pour into each student not to mention she had a room full of kids trying to blow instruments that don’t know what they’re doing. My classmates were excelling on their instruments, by the time I made it to 9th grade I watched my classmates on TV on New Years day be the first high school band to ever lead the Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena California. The world famous Willowridge High School Marching band was moving on without me. I didn’t make the band my freshman year in high school, I had to watch my peers from afar. The summer going to 10th grade changed my trajectory, every summer my mother would require me to do enrichment assignments, write short stories, write poetry, something. I didn’t feel like doing anything that particular summer. She told me “you’re going to do something, why don’t you write a letter”. A letter to who? “To your favorite artist, write a letter to Grover Washington Jr. he’s your favorite saxophonist”. I thought this was the most ridiculous thing and I fought against doing this…So after a paragraph into the letter I begin to name each album my dad had of his and I explained to him he was my favorite saxophonist. I told him I was a beginner saxophonist and out of all the Jazz saxophonist I listened to his music connected with me. I put the letter in the mail and three days later Mr. Washington called my house, he told me how much he appreciated my letter and that he wanted to meet me as we leaving that week to go on tour. He invited me and my parents and sister to his soundcheck at the arena theater, he also told me to invite my high school jazz band…the band I still wasn’t a member of yet. I went to the band director Ronald Thornton and told him about the letter and that Mr. Washington invited the high school jazz band to the sound check. I’ll never forget the look on his face, he looked like a deer in headlights with a smirk. He said “how did you do this you’re not in the band”. I shrugged my shoulders and said it was the letter. The day came, we met with Mr. Washington and his band at the sound check. He was extremely gracious, he gave us a 2 hour concert and talked to us for another hour afterwards. He then asked me “Did you bring your horn”? I said yes, he told me he wanted to play a song with me on stage. I was still very very very green and with that being said I started to put my horn together in front of my classmates while he’s on stage telling his band to start arguably one of his most famous songs Mr. Magic. After putting my horn together I walked on stage and held on for dear life. He played, I played and when I opened my eyes the stage was rotating and in that moment with all that going on I had a feeling, a thought I never had before. This is what I’m supposed to be, this is what I’m supposed to be doing. After the song, we took pictures and said our goodbyes. Me, my parents and sister came back to the concert that evening and after the show Mr. Washington told me “the next time I come in concert you’re going to play with me”. You hear things sometimes and as a young person you don’t know how to process them, but I remembered that conversation. When 10th grade started I never saw my school’s cafeteria, EVERY DAY of my 10th grade year I would go to the band hall and practice. Sometimes I was joined by a classmate who’s a great Trumpeter today James Williams III. I had a lot of catching up to do, I began to enjoy practicing because I saw the results of what happens when you do something consistently and relentlessly. My band director would come in the band room when I was practicing every day, he never said anything but he understood I had dedicated myself to being the best I could be. I ended my high school career marching 3 years in the marching band and received several outstanding soloist awards when we participated in Jazz competitions throughout the state. I received a full music scholarship to Southern University A&M College in Baton Rouge LA. My high school band years prepared me well for the challenges of being in the USA Today #1 ranked marching band in the nation. I was surrounded by great musicians, instructors and a rich musical heritage in Louisiana. I was exposed to all types of music and spent a lot of time in New Orleans soaking up the culture of the city. In college I found other musicians who had similar interest and we decided to form a band. We called ourselves S.P.P. (Some People Playing), it was my first time being part of a band that operated independently from a school band. We made the decisions on when we would rehearse, what we would play, what we would wear etc. We played a lot of University functions and I began to slowly learn the art of being a musician vs being an entertainer. After graduating I moved back to Houston and began integrating myself into the scene in the city which wasn’t easy because I didn’t really know anyone on the scene. One of my former instructors the great bassist Al Campbell began to call me for work, I learned so much from playing with his band from songs to professionalism. I was running around the city going to every jam session I could to network and play, I just wanted to play. In the midst of moving around I met the great Blues Lady Tweed Smith (who just received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame as a member of the group WAR). She asked me to be her music director for her band. I didn’t even know what a music director was, however I soon learned after accepting the role. The music director rehearses the band and leads it ensuring the music is played correctly, if something happens and a musician cancels the Music Director is responsible for filling that spot. Those are a few responsibilities of the MD, needless to say I had to learn a lot in a short time and I’m grateful for the opportunity to have seasoned performers believe in me and give me an opportunity. After a couple years of being Ms. Tweed’s MD I wanted to move on and record my own music. I put a band together, we rehearsed every week, we started to get booked for various shows around town, in the meantime I was able to incorporate original music in the shows we performed and in 2006 I started my music company Southern Dialect Music. I took my band to a studio in New Orleans I booked, we recorded the whole album in 8 hours. I entitled my first album Because of You. I dedicated it to Grover Washington Jr. It was because of him I had made it to that point. When he told me I would play with him the next time he came in concert he meant it, 5 years later while I was in college he called me and said “Steve I have a concert in Houston can you make it I want you to play with me”. It was a full circle moment, I played with him at the concert and one month later he passed away from a heart attack just after performing a segment for The Saturday Early Show on CBS. I felt it was only right to dedicate my first project to his memory. After releasing that body of work I began to perform more and meet new musicians and gain new experiences. I formed a new band and 2010 I released 2 projects simultaneously (on the same day). I released 2 more projects 2 years later simultaneously again and did it again for a third time 2 years later releasing 2 projects simultaneously. I thought about it after I completed those releases, it’s pretty prolific I don’t know if another artist ever released 2 projects at a time every two years totaling 6 albums in 6 years, not to mention one of those project was a double album which makes it 7 albums in 6 years. I’m really proud of that time period because when I was releasing that music streaming wasn’t here, which means as an independent artist I had to pay studio time to record my albums, pay engineers to mix, pay engineers to master and pay companies to manufacture my product in the form of CD’s. It was challenging but I wanted to be the best and I wanted my CD to look and sound just like a CD from an artist on a major label, I did that. I don’t believe in excuses, I don’t use the word can’t. I can’t be outworked, I believe that’s my true gift, I’m not the most talented musician but I will do the extra things others won’t do to get the job done. Those days in the band room in 10th grade practicing while everyone else was eating lunch and having fun taught me hard work will eventually pay off however most people will never see your hard work, they usually just see the pretty finished product. A few years ago me and my wife visited Rome, I was fascinated by the sculptures of the great artist of that time but in particular Michelangelo really intrigued me. The way he was able to take a giant piece of marble cut from a quarry and create a masterpiece with a hammer and chisel amazed me. I came home and created a triple album and released it called The Quarry pt.1 pt.2 and pt.3 inspired from the works of Michelangelo. The wonderful Producer and friend Jazzgroupiez was very instrumental in that trilogy and has continued to be with many collaborations under our belt. It’s been very interesting to navigate as an artist who makes music, I’ve seen and been part of the CD movement, the vinyl resurgence and the streaming movement. Nothing stays the same, the one constant is change. I definitely feel streaming is a good thing but artist who make the music that’s being streamed don’t see the proper pay for their work. What’s been “deemed” the payout for our music that’s streamed is disrespectful to say the least. I don’t get caught up in that because I’m going to create and make music regardless, as of today I checked my streaming analytics and it showed me the top 5 countries my music is being streamed. 1. U.S. 2. South Africa 3. U.K. 4. Brazil 5. Japan The beauty of streaming is more people have access to your music, I take advantage and cater to the markets who support me. I also believe you need to bring more than just music to the table, merch, brand recognition is essential. I love to invest in things I believe in, my wife’s a baker and has a business called Everything’s Harvest Cupcakery, we partnered together and created a business called Jazz & Cupcakes. We successfully completed our 3rd and final event of the year. The concept is my band playing great live music with the best cupcakes you’ve ever had of course with a glass of wine. Every show is different from the music to the cupcake flavors, did I forget to mention the setting is a beautiful quaint glasshouse. I’m really excited about the goals I’ve set for myself and the challenge it’s going to take to reach them, next year I plan to release a documentary, and multiple albums amongst other things. Wherever the wings of inspiration take me, I’m along for the ride.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No it hasn’t been a smooth road, I’ve never expected anything. I guess that kept me from being disappointed. I’ve experienced the typical things other musicians, being told no “we already have someone who plays here”. A lot of people don’t see in you what you do. Most people don’t see potential, most people hear with their eyes not their ears. I went broke making music, paying for all the cost necessary to make the final product is no joke when you’re funding your own dreams. I made a song about that experience called Goin Broke, I made my money back and then some after putting that song out. Where there’s a struggle, there’s progress if you don’t quit.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a Saxophonist, I’m a Writer and Producer. I specialize in making ones around me better because I see the potential in others they don’t see in themselves and I push them to be great which in turn makes be great. That sets me apart from others. I believe in telling other people I appreciate them and how special they are. Professionally I’m most proud of my 14 albums I’ve released. I did it my way and didn’t sacrifice my integrity along the way and I’m 100% independent which means I own everything I’ve ever made.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
the Bible is my favorite book, it’s living so it always fits any circumstance I’m in. I’m a book collector so I love books on travel, history and culture and lots of black history books are prevalent in my collection. I also enjoy books about financial literacy and investing. I travel a lot, my favorite travel app is TripIt. TripIt allows me to store all my reservations in one place and it creates an itinerary for me. I love a good interview, there is an art to interviewing someone and knowing the right questions to ask. Some podcast I enjoy where the host really knows how to do this is and the content is great is my friend here in Houston “The Donnie Houston Podcast” Ben Sidran “Sidran on Record” “R&B Money Podcast” “The Iced Coffee Hour” Dave Ramsey “The Ramsey Show”
Contact Info:
- Website: https://StephenRichardMusic.com
- Instagram: SRichardJazz
- Facebook: Stephen Richard
- Youtube: StephenRichard9401
Image Credits
Joshua Alexander
Troya
Glen Gibson
