Dig Richards on Golden Oldies On Ron’s Golden Oldies this week…

This week featuring Aussie artist Dig Richards on the program…Listen in this Thursday from 12 noon – 4pm on Northside Radio FM99.3 Sydney’s leading Community Radio Station

Digby George “Dig” Richards (12 September 1940 – 17 February 1983) was an Australian rock and roll singer, songwriter, instrumentalist, musical theatre actor and television presenter, active during the late 1950s and early 1960s as lead singer with the R’Jays. From 1971 he performed as a solo country music artist. He had four Top 30 national hit singles including his biggest hit “I Wanna Love You” in 1959. The R’Jays played their first dance in August 1958 at Castlecrag Community Hall. They auditioned with Festival Records in 1959 and were the third rock and roll act to be signed to a recording contract; the previous two were Johnny O’Keefe, and Col Joye and the Joy Boys. Dig became the first Australian rock and roll artist to record a 12″ LP record when Dig Richards was released in November 1959. The R’Jays became the first band in Australia to play live on a TV pop music show, Bandstand, and became one of the regular performers They were also regulars on rival TV show, Six O’Clock Rock. From August 1959 they were the house band on music TV show, Teen Time, which ran on Sydney’s ATN-7 until about 1962. In mid-October 1959 they were due to support United States singer, Fabian, on his tour of Australia However, Richards was hospitalised after a car accident and was unable to tour for months. He then worked on the club circuit and in 1966 he toured South East Asia and performed for Australian troops in Vietnam. During 1970 he relocated to the United Kingdom to work the club circuit there. On 17 February 1983 Digby Richards died of pancreatic cancer, aged 42. He was survived by his wife, Sue and two children.

Ron will play many of Dig’s (and The R’Jays) hits during the show along with more 1950s & 60s JUKEBOX HITS, featuring the big names of the Billboard Hot 100 and our own early Top 40 charts.

Tune in, (or stream via northsideradio.com.au/audio-player) this Thursday, noon to 4pm right here on Northside Radio text requests welcome on 0418 246812