Richard Swift (musician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Richard Swift
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Swift at the mac in Birmingham, England, in 2007
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| Background information | |
| Born | March 16, 1977 California, U.S. |
| Died | July 3, 2018 (aged 41) Tacoma, Washington, U.S. |
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| Years active | 2000–2018 |
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Richard Swift (born Ricardo Ochoa; March 16, 1977 – July 3, 2018) was an American musician. He was a talented singer, songwriter, and played many instruments. Richard was also a producer, helping other artists make their music. He even made short films!
Swift started his own recording studio in Oregon called National Freedom. He worked with many famous musicians. Some of these include The Shins, The Black Keys, and Fleet Foxes. He was also a member of bands like Starflyer 59, The Shins, and The Arcs. For a while, he played bass guitar and sang backup for The Black Keys on their tours.
Contents
Early life
Richard Swift was born Ricardo Ochoa in California on March 16, 1977. He grew up in a musical family who were Quakers. From a young age, he began singing and performing in churches.
His family moved around a lot when he was young. They lived in different rural places like Minnesota, Utah, and Oregon. As a teenager, Richard worked on a farm near International Falls, Minnesota.
Music career
Solo music
Richard Swift first released music under the name Dicky Ochoa in 2000. In 2001, he moved to Southern California to focus on his solo music. He recorded many of his early songs using a simple four-track cassette recorder.
From 2002 to 2005, he released several small 7-inch vinyl singles. These were special records that played only one song on each side. He also released the albums The Novelist in 2003 and Walking Without Effort in 2005. These two albums were later combined into a double-disc set.
In 2005, Richard signed with a record label called Secretly Canadian. They re-released his music to a wider audience. In 2007, he released his next album, Dressed Up For the Letdown. Later that year, he met Wilco's lead singer, Jeff Tweedy. Tweedy invited Richard to open for Wilco on their US tour.
Richard recorded his fourth album at Wilco's studios in Chicago. In 2008, he released a double EP called Richard Swift As Onasis. An EP is like a mini-album with fewer songs. In 2009, he released The Atlantic Ocean, which featured other musicians like Sean Lennon.
Producing and playing with bands
Besides his solo music, Richard Swift also played in other bands. He was a keyboard player for Starflyer 59 in 2002 and 2003. He also had his own electronic music project called Instruments of Science and Technology.
Richard was known for his unique way of recording music. He once said he learned techniques by looking at old photos of bands like Sly and the Family Stone and The Beatles. He would see where they placed microphones and try it himself! He often played many instruments on the albums he produced for others.
Starting in 2009, Richard spent more time producing music for other artists. He worked with Damien Jurado and The Mynabirds. In 2011, he joined the band The Shins. Then, in 2014, he started touring with The Black Keys as their bassist. He also produced the self-titled album for Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats in 2015.
Personal life and death
Richard Swift lived in Cottage Grove, Oregon. He was married to Shealynn and they had three children together.
In June 2018, news came out that Richard was in the hospital in Tacoma, Washington. He was recovering from a serious health problem. Sadly, he passed away on July 3, 2018, in Tacoma. His death was caused by complications from hepatitis, which affected his liver and kidneys.
Discography
As a solo artist
Albums
- The Novelist – US (2003)
- Walking Without Effort – US (recorded in 2001, released 2005)
- Dressed Up for the Letdown – US & UK (Secretly Canadian and Polydor, 2007)
- Music From the Films of R/Swift – Released under the name Instruments of Science & Technology – US (Secretly Canadian, 2008)
- Richard Swift As Onasis – US (Secretly Canadian, 2008)
- The Atlantic Ocean (Secretly Canadian, 2009)
- Library Catalog Music Series, Vol. 7: Music for Paradise Armor – Released under the name Instruments of Science & Technology (Asthmatic Kitty, 2010)
- The Hex (Secretly Canadian, 2018)
EPs and singles
- Buildings in America (2004)
- You're Lying (2004)
- P.S. It All Falls Down (2005)
- Nothing to Do with Foxy Boxing (2005)
- Beautifulheart (2006)
- Kisses for the Misses (single, 2007)
- The Songs of National Freedom (single, 2007)
- Ground Trouble Jaw (2008)
- Lady Luck (single, 2009)
- The Atlantic Ocean (2009)
- Walt Wolfman (2011)
- Kensington (2014)
Box-sets
- The Richard Swift Collection, Volume 1: The Novelist / Walking Without Effort – US (2005)
As producer
- The Mynabirds – What We Lose in the Fire We Gain in the Flood (2010), Generals (album) (2012)
- Foxygen – We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic (2013)
- Pure Bathing Culture – Moon Tides (2013)
- Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats – Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats (2015), Tearing at the Seams (2018)
- Damien Jurado – Saint Bartlett (2010), Maraqopa (2012), Brothers and Sisters of the Eternal Son (2014), Visions of Us on the Land (2016)
- Guster – Evermotion (2015)
- David Bazan – Care (2017)
- Born Ruffians – Uncle, Duke & The Chief (2018)
- Matt Hopper – Jersey Finger (2010)
- Kevin Morby - City Music (2017)
See also
In Spanish: Richard Swift (cantante y compositor) para niños
