Richard Benson (musician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Richard Benson
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Benson in 2014 during a show in Ciampino, Italy
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Richard Philip Henry John Benson |
| Born | 10 March 1955 Woking, Surrey, England |
| Died | 10 May 2022 (aged 67) Rome, Italy |
| Genres | Progressive rock, blues rock, hard rock, heavy metal |
| Occupation(s) | Guitarist, singer-songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar |
| Years active | 1970–2022 |
| Labels | Playgame Music, INRI |
Richard Philip Henry John Benson (born March 10, 1955 – died May 10, 2022) was a British-Italian guitarist, singer, and TV star. He was known for his unique style and strong personality.
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About Richard Benson
Richard Benson was born in Woking, England. His mother was Belgian with Italian roots, and his father was British. He moved to Italy when he was young and started playing music as a teenager.
In 2000, Richard had a serious accident where he fell from a bridge. This caused a bad leg injury. He also had arthritis, which is a condition that can make joints painful and stiff. These health issues made it hard for him to play the guitar like he used to. He needed a lot of therapy to learn to walk well again.
Later in his life, Richard faced more health challenges, including heart problems. He passed away in Rome on May 10, 2022, when he was 67 years old.
His Music Career
Richard Benson was a musician for many years.
Early Music and First Songs
In 1971, he recorded an album with a progressive rock band called Buon Vecchio Charlie. This album was not released until 1990. Richard sang and played a 12-string guitar on it.
In 1972, he played at the Villa Pamphili music festival.
His first solo song, "Animal Zoo," came out in 1983. It was an Italo disco song. The next year, he released "Renegade," which had an electro-rock sound.
Movies and Other Albums
In 1984, Richard wrote music for a movie called The Incinerator. He also had a small part in the film as a street gang member.
He helped produce a music collection called Metal Attack in 1987. He sang on one of the songs, "Exotic Escape," which he also helped write.
In 1999, Richard released his own album called Madre Tortura. It featured hard-rock songs with a progressive style. Later, in 2015, he released L'inferno dei vivi. This album was like a rock opera with electronic music. He also released a song from it called "I Nani."
In 2016, he put out Duello madre, which was a collection of songs from his earlier works that you could download.
In 2019, Richard started sharing videos on YouTube. In these videos, he played new blues and pop songs on his classical guitar. He wrote the music, and the lyrics were written by Cinzia Colibazzi.
TV and Movies
Richard Benson was also a familiar face on TV.
TV Host and Actor
In the 1970s and 1980s, he hosted many TV and radio shows. These shows were about different kinds of modern music.
In 1992, he played himself as a TV host in a popular Italian movie. The movie was called Maledetto il giorno che t'ho incontrato and was directed by Carlo Verdone.
Guest Appearances
In the 1990s and 2000s, Richard often appeared as a guest on RAI, which is a big Italian TV channel. He would often judge musicians. His appearances were usually very lively and sometimes funny.
Discography
Albums
- 1999: Madre Tortura
- 2015: L'inferno dei vivi – a rock-opera produced by Federico Zampaglione
- 2016: Duello madre (collection of digital songs)
Singles
- 1983: "Animal Zoo"
- 1984: "Renegade"
Albums with others
- 1990: Buon Vecchio Charlie by Buon Vecchio Charlie (recorded in 1971)
Live Recordings
- 2003: Bootleg Infernale
- 2004: Il Natale del Male
See also
In Spanish: Richard Benson para niños
