Larry Richards Group

Larry Richards Group
Winter & Spring 1972

The new lineup, which included Larry (drums), Mike (piano, organ, trumpet & vocals) and me (bass, guitar & vocals) spent Jaunary 1972 at The Islands in Phoenix literally rehearsing on stage, then a nasty winter working Holiday Inns in Duluth and Milwaukee. It was cold (sub-zero temperatures at night) and very monotonous. All we could do was rehearse because we were snowed in the majority of the time. I was the musical director, and went by the stage name Paul Richards so that I could play the foil to Larry very like Tommy Smothers did with Dick. Around March, we returned to Phoenix and added Sally Michaels on vocals, then after 3 weeks of on-stage rehearsal at The Islands, turned around and went back to the Milwaukee Holiday Inn followed by a Holiday Inn in Dubuque and finally a disasterous booking at The Polynesia Club in Wapaca, Wisconsin.

Larry, John & Karen, Milwaukee

After the Wapaca experience, I knew it was time for a change. We returned to Phoenix and I made the decision to leave Larry's band. This meant I was out of a job. Unemployment is common in the music business but it didn't last long.