DAVE RICHMOND EPISODE ONE

Recorded 28th September 2026
Location, London

Dave Richmond (born David Henry Richmond, 28 March 1938) is a British bass guitarist and double bassist whose career has encompassed some of the most important strands of British popular music, from early-1960s beat and R&B through to film, television and session recording. Born in Brighton, Sussex, Richmond developed an interest in music as a teenager, initially learning ukulele before becoming fascinated by the sound of the double bass after hearing Bob Haggart and Ray Bauduc’s celebrated recording “Big Noise from Winnetka.”

After serving as a musician in the Royal Air Force, Richmond moved into professional music. In 1963 he became a founder member of Manfred Mann, initially playing double bass before moving to electric bass. He played on “5-4-3-2-1”, the group’s first major hit and the theme associated with Ready, Steady, Go!

In 1964, Richmond joined the John Barry Seven, replacing bassist Ray Styles. The group had recently been reconstructed with drummer Bobby Graham effectively leading the working band, and its personnel included guitarist Ray Russell, keyboard player Ron Edgeworth, saxophonists Terry Childs and Bob Downes, and trumpeter Alan Bown. Richmond’s period with the Seven was relatively brief, but placed him within one of Britain’s leading instrumental and R&B groups of the period.

Following his departure from the John Barry Seven, Richmond established himself as a highly versatile session musician. His credits include recordings with Elton John, Dusty Springfield, Cilla Black, Olivia Newton-John, the Shadows, Labi Siffre and Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin, including the internationally successful “Je t’aime… moi non plus.” He also contributed to Elton John recordings including “Your Song.”

Richmond later worked extensively in television and library music, including Steve Gray’s WASP ensemble for KPM. He also returned to jazz and big-band performance, working with the Bert Kaempfert Orchestra and String of Pearls Orchestra. His career demonstrates the often-overlooked importance of British session bass players in shaping the sound of popular music from the 1960s onwards.