17 Facts About Andy Richards

Andrew John Richards was born on 26 October 1952 and is an English pianist, composer, music producer and keyboardist.

Andy Richards worked on films including Bridget Jones's Diary, Touching the Void, The Last King of Scotland, Slumdog Millionaire, which gained two Academy Awards for the music, and 127 Hours.

Andy Richards took up the organ and by age 13, whilst at Rugby School, he dropped piano tuition to focus full-time on the classical organ.

Andy Richards studied with David Gatward in the school chapel which housed a cathedral-sized 4 manual Walker organ.

Andy Richards left Rugby School at the age of 17 and moved to London where he played with various artists and bands, including the singer Maggie Nicols at her experimental voice and jazz workshops at the Oval House Theatre.

At that time, Andy Richards took jazz piano lessons with jazz pianist Howard Riley.

At 19, Andy Richards returned to the Midlands and studied piano, organ and composition under Dr Leon Forrester in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

In October 1977, Andy Richards auditioned for the folk-rock band, Strawbs.

Pete Solley, the producer and keyboard player in the band Paladin spotted Andy Richards playing in the band 'Rock Workshop' in Stoke-on-Trent and recommended him to Dave Cousins at a time when Strawbs were looking for a full-time keyboardist.

Andy Richards toured and recorded with Strawbs, his first gig being at the Hammersmith Odeon in London, but the first album that he made with them in 1978 had its release stalled due to management and record company problems.

In mid-1980, Strawbs split up and Andy Richards became a musician for hire, working and recording with Maddy Prior and Denny Laine touring both Europe and Scandinavia.

Andy Richards played on sessions for Junior Campbell at Startling Studios and in Manchester at Pluto Studios with Keith Hopwood where he played keyboards and wrote a number of jingles.

Andy Richards auditioned for Yes but immediately began work as Horn's keyboard player in October 1983; the first track they recorded together being Frankie Goes to Hollywood's "Ferry 'Cross the Mersey", written by Gerry Marsden, and the second was "Relax".

Horn left the studio late one night asking for Lipson to erase the multitrack due to lack of progress, but came back into the studio some time later to hear Andy Richards playing a variety of modal chords based around the key of E minor with Lipson playing guitar along to the unerased multitrack.

In 2005, Andy Richards began a partnership with acclaimed film music editor and producer Mike Higham which has endured as Higham-Andy Richards.

Andy Richards continues to run his own digital studio, Out of Eden, in West London where he has mixed a number of film scores, including the surround scores for Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire and 127 Hours, State of Play and Tim Burton's Frankenweenie and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

Andy Richards worked on his solo project entitled This Time.