Herbie Rich facts for kids

Herbie Rich (born February 23, 1944 – died May 12, 2004) was an American musician who could play many instruments. He was from Omaha, Nebraska. Herbie was a member of several famous bands like The New Breed, The Electric Flag, and the Buddy Miles Express. He also played music with legendary artists such as Jimi Hendrix and Mike Bloomfield.

Herbie Rich's Music Career

Herbie Rich started his music journey in the 1950s. He was part of a group called The 7-Wonders, which included members of his own family. Around 1964, he started a new band in Omaha called The New Breed. This group had talented musicians like Stemsy Hunter, Hoshal Wright, Jerry Bennett, Hank Redd, and Curly Martin.

Joining The Electric Flag

Herbie Rich joined the band The Electric Flag in 1967. The band's leader, Mike Bloomfield, was very impressed with Herbie's skills. He once said that Herbie played the keyboard like Jimi Hendrix played the guitar! Another band member, Peter Strazza, called Herbie an "unbelievable musician" who could play almost any instrument.

Herbie joined The Electric Flag as a saxophone player. He was part of the band's horn section, which is a group of musicians who play brass and woodwind instruments like saxophones and trumpets. This section also included Marcus Doubleday and Peter Strazza.

Later, when the band's organ player left, Herbie took over the organ. This meant he played both the saxophone and the organ! Mike Bloomfield was amazed by how good Herbie was on the organ. Herbie loved jazz music and had a soulful sound, which influenced the band's overall style.

In March 1968, The Electric Flag released their album A Long Time Comin'. On this album, Herbie played both baritone and tenor saxophones. He also sang some songs and played a bit of guitar.

Later in 1968, the band released another album called An American Music Band. Mike Bloomfield had left the band by then, but Herbie Rich played a big part in this album. You can hear his organ solos on songs like "Hey, Little Girl" and their version of "Sunny". Herbie also played the sax solo and sang the main vocals on a song called "Qualified." He even created the music for the horn section on the song "Mystery."

Playing with The Buddy Miles Express

After The Electric Flag broke up, the drummer, Buddy Miles, started a new band called The Buddy Miles Express. Herbie Rich was one of four musicians from The Electric Flag who joined Buddy Miles's new group.

Herbie played the organ on their first album, Expressway to Your Skull, which came out in 1968. He also played some saxophone and helped write two songs: "Spot On The Wall" and "Train." These two songs were highlighted by Billboard as reasons the album quickly became popular. "Train" was also released as a single, which means it was a song released on its own.

Collaborating with Jimi Hendrix

Herbie Rich had the amazing chance to play with the legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix. On March 17, 1968, Herbie played the organ when Hendrix joined a jam session (an informal music session) at the Café Au Go Go in New York.

Herbie also played with the Jimi Hendrix Experience at a live show in San Francisco on October 11, 1968. He joined the band when they played their version of Bob Dylan's famous song "Like a Rolling Stone." People who saw the show said that Herbie's playing pushed Hendrix to explore new musical ideas. Herbie also played on other well-known songs like "Lover Man," "Hey Joe," "Fire," and "Foxy Lady." His organ playing on "Fire" added a new and exciting sound to the song.

Later Life

In his later years, Herbie Rich became involved in religious work with his wife, Hilda, whom he married in 1989. They shared their message in many places, including large shopping malls, schools, and nursing homes. They also visited homeless shelters and places that help people get back on their feet.

Herbie Rich passed away in Mableton, Georgia, on May 12, 2004. He was 60 years old.