Rick Shorter facts for kids

Rick Shorter (born May 1, 1934 – died September 1, 2017) was a talented songwriter, music producer, and author. He was very active in the 1960s, helping many artists create their music. He worked with famous musicians like Ciska Peters and Galt MacDermot.

Rick also wrote songs that were sung by popular artists such as Gene Pitney and Burl Ives. One of his songs, "If I Call You By Some Name", became a hit for the band The Paupers. Later in the 1970s, Rick returned to his religious faith. He and his wife, Gwen, became very involved with the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

About Rick Shorter

Rick Shorter grew up in a religious family. His father was a clergyman and also a jazz guitarist. By the time Rick was ten years old, he was already singing professionally at gospel camps. He even had his own radio show when he was in junior high school!

Rick's cousin is the famous jazz saxophonist Wayne Shorter. Wayne was a founding member of the popular music group Weather Report.

Rick's Family Life

Rick met his wife, Gwen, in a New York night club. Gwen was a singer, actress, and model. Rick became her manager, helping her with her career. They got engaged in July 1972.

Rick's Early Music Career

Rick and Lance Duo

In the early 1960s, Rick was part of a music duo called Rick & Lance. His partner was Lance Lehmberg. They often performed in Greenwich Village, a famous music area in New York City.

Their first song, "Where The Four Winds Blow," was released in 1962. It was a big hit in Japan!

Rick Shorter's Music Journey

From the 1960s to the 1990s

Rick Shorter signed a special writing contract with Edward B. Marks Music Corp. in 1965. He was also working with Columbia Records at the time.

In 1966, Rick performed some of his own songs in New York. He also promoted his new song, "Last Thoughts Of A Young Man." That same year, a song called "Backstage" by Gene Pitney was popular in the UK. Rick's song "Blue Color" was the B-side of that record.

Rick also wrote and produced "Love Hides A Multitude of Sins" for a band called The Esquires. He released two more songs, "Funky Butt Hall" and "The Hard Road Back," in December 1966.

By 1973, Rick decided to leave his career in popular music. He chose to focus on his faith and the Seventh-day Adventist church.

Music in the 2000s

Even after stepping away from mainstream music, Rick released some songs in the 2000s. In 2002, he released "9/11 Memorial Song (Should'a Been Home By Now)." His daughter, Hope, sang on the song, and his son, Christian Shorter, played guitar. In 2009, he released "They Called Me G I Joe."

Rick's Work as a Producer and Manager

Rick Shorter was not just a songwriter; he also helped many other artists create their music as a producer and manager.

Working with The Paupers

Rick wrote a calm, folk-style song called "If I Call You By Some Name" for the band The Paupers. He also produced and arranged another song for them called "Copper Penny".

Both songs were released in late 1966. "Copper Penny" quickly became a hit in Canada, reaching number 31 on the RPM chart. It also became a top 10 song on a popular radio station in Toronto. In 1967, Rick produced The Paupers' first album, Magic People. People praised his production work on the album.

Collaborating with Galt MacDermot

Rick Shorter met Galt MacDermot in New York in 1964. Rick needed a ska song for a famous musician named Woody Herman. Rick's job often involved finding studio musicians to record songs for music publishers.

Rick liked Galt's piano playing and hired him to record demo songs. Through Rick, Galt met many talented musicians in New York. These musicians would later work with Galt on his own projects for many years. Rick also introduced Galt to the famous drummer Bernard Purdie.

In 1968, Rick produced and directed the music for Galt MacDermot's album Hair Pieces. Rick even helped create some of the sound effects on the album.

Working with Jackie Follett

Rick produced and arranged two songs for singer Jackie Follett. He wrote the song "That's A Good Enough Reason" for her. Another song, "Am What I Am," was also written by Rick.

Managing Street and TCB

Rick Shorter managed a rock group called Street, led by singer Anya Cohen. He also wrote some of their songs. Rick discovered Anya when she was running a coffee shop. He helped her form a band with talented musicians.

Street released their first song, "There's One Kind Favor," in 1968. Rick wrote the B-side song, "Boeing 707." Their album, also called Street, came out that year and included five songs written by Rick.

Rick also owned a record company called Traffic Records with Barry Lane. In 1969, they made a deal with RCA Records to share their music in Canada. This included music from Street and another group Rick managed called TCB. Rick produced TCB's album Open For Business in 1970.

Other Important Work

In 1968, Rick Shorter was the music director for the famous Broadway musical, Hair. This was a big role, showing his talent in music.

In 1969, Rick helped produce a gospel music show. It featured many well-known gospel singers like Rev. James Cleveland and The Mighty Clouds of Joy.

Around 1970 or 1971, Rick wrote a song called "Don't Cry." It was sung by Gwen Simmons, who later became his wife.

Rick Shorter's Later Years and Passing

After living in New York for 35 years, Rick and Gwen moved to Southern California. Rick Shorter had a serious stroke in August 2017. He passed away on September 1, 2017. His funeral was held at a Seventh-day Adventist Church in Los Angeles on September 10.