Richard Dobson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Richard Dobson
Background information
Birth name	Richard James Joseph Dobson II
Born	March 19, 1942 Tyler, Texas, U.S.
Died	December 16, 2017(2017-12-16) (aged 75) Diessenhofen, Switzerland
Genres	Country, folk
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter, musician
Instruments	Guitar, vocals
Years active	1970s – 2017
Labels	Buttermilk, Rinconada, RJD, Brambus, Sundown
Associated acts	State of the Heart, Dick & the Dirt, Earthmover

Richard Dobson (born March 19, 1942 – died December 16, 2017) was an American singer, songwriter, and author. He was known for his country and folk music. Richard Dobson was part of the "outlaw country" music scene in the 1970s. This was a style of country music that broke away from the traditional Nashville sound. He spent time with other famous musicians like Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark.

Richard Dobson's Life and Music

Richard Dobson was born in Tyler, Texas, in the United States. He grew up in other Texas cities like Houston and Corpus Christi. He went to high school in Houston and then in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

His Early Journey and Education

Dobson briefly studied international relations at Georgetown University. There, he became very interested in folk music and bluegrass. He took a break from school and traveled to Colombia. Later, he returned to Houston and earned a degree in Spanish from the University of St. Thomas in 1966.

After college, he joined the Peace Corps and worked in Chile for about a year and a half. He also taught in Michigan and tried being a writer in New York City. During these years, he became much better at playing the guitar.

Starting His Music Career in Nashville

In 1971, Richard Dobson moved to Nashville with only a few songs he had written. He was inspired by the success of other college-educated musicians. In Nashville, he lived with fellow musicians Rodney Crowell and "Skinny" Dennis Sanchez. He met many other songwriters, including Guy Clark and Townes Van Zandt.

Guy Clark helped Dobson by recording a demo of his song "Baby Ride Easy." Later, Dobson helped write the song "Old Friends" with Guy Clark and Susanna Clark. Richard Dobson also toured with Van Zandt and other friends. He appeared in Heartworn Highways, a documentary film about the Texas music scene.

Balancing Music and Work

Richard Dobson often moved between Texas and Tennessee. When he needed money or a break from music, he worked on shrimp boats in Galveston. He also worked on oil rigs in the Gulf with his friend Rex Bell. Even while working on the ocean, he continued to write and play music. He wrote his famous song "Baby Ride Easy" on a drilling rig off the coast of Louisiana.

Performing His Music

When Dobson was in Houston, he often played at places like Anderson Fair and the Old Quarter. He also appeared on a TV show called The Lil Ol’ Show That Comes on After Monty Python in 1977. In Tennessee, he performed at the Bluebird Cafe in 1982. In 1995, he and Townes Van Zandt were guests on KUT radio, where they talked about their music and played songs.

Releasing His Albums

Richard Dobson released his first album, In Texas Last December, in 1977. He also produced four albums himself, including Save the World (1983) and True West (1986). From 1977 until 2016, he released 23 albums. His last album, I Hear Singing, was finished and released after he passed away in 2018.

In the late 1980s, Dobson formed a group called State of the Heart. They released albums like Live at the Station Inn (1988) and Hearts and Rivers (1990). They toured Europe for about six weeks each year. Dobson continued these tours even after the group stopped performing together.

Songs Written by Richard Dobson

Richard Dobson wrote many songs with his friends and other songwriters. Some of his co-written songs include:

• "Blue Collar Blues" with Ron Davies
• "Hole in my Heart" with Steve Earle
• "Old Friends" with Guy and Susanna Clark
• "Uncertain Texas" with Rodney Crowell
• Many songs with Susie Monick
• The album Plenty Good People with W.C. Jameson

Famous Artists Who Recorded His Songs

Many well-known artists recorded songs written by Richard Dobson.

• David Allan Coe recorded "Piece of Wood and Steel."
• Guy Clark recorded "Forever, for Always, for Certain" and "Old Friends."
• Lacy J. Dalton also recorded "Old Friends."
• Nanci Griffith recorded "Ballad of Robin Winter-Smith."
• Kelly Willis recorded "Hole in My Heart."

His song "Baby Ride Easy" was recorded as a duet by several artists. These included Carlene Carter and Dave Edmunds, and Billie Jo Spears and Del Reeves. Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash also performed it as a duet for a TV show in 1984. Their version was released on an album in 2014.

Richard Dobson as an Author

Besides music, Richard Dobson also wrote books. He wrote The Gulf Coast Boys, which was published in 1990. This book shared stories from his years with Townes Van Zandt and other musicians. His second book, Pleasures of the High Rhine — A Texas Singer in Exile, came out in 2012.

He also published a newsletter for his fans and friends over the years. A collection of these newsletters from 1978 to 2012 was released as a book called The Years the Wind Blew Away: Don Ricardo's Life and Times in 2013.

Later Life in Switzerland

In 1999, Richard Dobson moved to Switzerland and lived there until he passed away. He continued to make music in Europe. In 2002, he released an album with Thomm Jutz, a musician he often played with. He also recorded albums back in Houston, Texas, at the same studio where he made his first two albums.

Richard Dobson passed away in Diessenhofen, Switzerland, on December 16, 2017, at the age of 75. He died from cancer.

Discography

Singles

Albums