Plain and Fancy: 03/22/24

Richard Torrance is a gifted singer / guitarist with more than forty years of performing experience in the music business. Born in the Midwest, he relocated to Southern California soon after graduating from high school, to pursue his dream of becoming a recording artist. He signed his first recording contract with Shelter Records, Leon Russell’s label, in 1972. He recorded three albums for them before moving on to his second contract with Capitol Records in 1975. His first of four albums for Capitol, “Bareback”, produced his song, “Rio de Janeiro Blue”. “Rio” has achieved international acclaim and has been recorded by several other artists, as well.

Through the 1970s, he put together a band of Los Angles based musicians and did three national tours. Richard and his band opened for some of the most famous rock groups in the world, such as Little Feat, Kansas, Taj Mahal, Billy Joel, Fleetwood Mac, The Eagles, Linda Ronstadt, Bob Seger, Chicago, The Beach Boys, REO Speedwagon, Loggins andMessina, The Kinks, Average White Band, Pablo Cruise, and Aerosmith, to name a few. After leaving Capitol records in 1979, Richard moved north to Ojai, California and focused on building a home recording studio, producing local talent and continuing to write music. He stayed there for over ten years, raising a family and touring the west coast.

In 1990, he traveled to Las Vegas to do a corporate event and met several musicians who encouraged him to relocate. After giving this serious consideration, he moved his family to Las Vegas and began a fourteen year stay. Richard performed in two major production shows, as well as playing in nearly every casino lounge. During his time in Las Vegas, he released two more CDs. First, a compilation of his previously released music titled “The Record Years” and second, a tribute to the victims of September 11, titled “The Red, White and Blues”. He also got an opportunity to travel to the American Virgin Island of St. Croix for a one month stay at a club called Big Beards. He absolutely fell in love with the people and music of the islands. This led to his next adventure in 1998, working for Royal Caribbean International and touring the Caribbean Islands. Over the next two years he visited sixteen islands and was able to meet and jam with local bands, deepening his love for reggae, calypso, and high energy island music. After returning to Las Vegas, he was compelled to leave the desert and relocate back to his roots.

In 2004, he moved back to his home town of Bismarck, North Dakota, Richard performed as a solo act as well as toured with various artists throughout the U.S. such as Gary Lewis and the Playboys. Within the first year, he released his most recent CD “The Stories They Tell”. He is currently performing as a single entertainer, singing songs from his ten CDs as well as playing with bands for private parties and corporate events. Still having that gypsy blood in him, he travels the tri-state area performing on a full time basis. His goal now is to play fun loving places for people who enjoy singing along, letting their cares go, and just having a good time. When you hear Richard, this will be your experience, too.

It was around 2010 when Richard and Jennifer Lyn met and began playing music together and performing locally. They were both very deep into the blues realm and spent many hours listening to the blues greats comparing notes on guitar riffs and lyrics. As their friendship grew, they started collaborating and experimenting with recording which led to working on two projects together. Their first project released in 2021, "Nothing Holding Me Down", which features overdriven guitars with dueling lead harmonies and classic rock undertones.

Richard Torrance/official