Richard is a singer/songwriter and writer of short stories and poems. He is married and has two children and four grandchildren and lives in the heart of the beautiful South Downs in Sussex UK.
Richard started writing back in his teens, influenced by well-known songwriters of the day including, Simon and Garfunkel, Lennon/McCartney, Dylan and Leonard Cohen.
Music and writing having always been a passion, he worked with a number of musicians over the years, playing at folk clubs, churches and the occasional open mike session, though mainly his focus has been on writing.
Richard has worked with Johnny Coppin (formally from the folk/rock band Decameron) and hosted a number of Johnny’s song-writing workshops. He has also attended song-writing workshops with Martin Simpson in London and Richard Thompson in New York, where he worked with Martha Wainwright.
He has sung in a number of choirs and written for and performed with the Pyecombe Village Choir. His song “These Hills of Mine” about the South Downs and surrounding area having become popular with locals.
For more than twenty years Richard has collaborated with long-time friend and fellow psychotherapist/writer Malcolm Couldridge. Malcolm’s stirring lyrics continue to be a constant source of inspiration.
Richard also writes short stories and poetry and was a member of Roddy Phillips’ writing workshop “Bournetowrite” where he contributed to two books, “Beautiful Lies” and “Still Life”, published on the “Bournetowrite” label.
For forty years Richard worked in the mental health field. He trained in psychotherapy and counselling, working in private practice and the NHS.