| Richard Delvy | |
| Background: | non_vocal_instrumentalist |
| Birth Name: | Richard Delvecchio |
| Birth Date: | 20 April 1942 |
| Birth Place: | Bridgeport, Connecticut, United States |
| Death Place: | West Hills, California, United States |
| Instrument: | Drums, percussion |
| Genre: | Surf music Folk rock Psychedelic folk Pop rock |
| Years Active: | 1960–2010 |
| Label: | Vault Records GNP Rhino Records World Pacific Sundazed Fantasy Teichiku Records (Union) |
| Past Member Of: | The Challengers The Clee-Shays The Surfriders The Good Guys The De-Fenders |
Richard Delvy (April 20, 1942 – February 6, 2010) was an American music entrepreneur. He started in the music business as a drummer who played with The Bel-Airs and took his experience to broader appeal with The Challengers, who were in the forefront of the surf music explosion in southern California. He also worked as a composer, arranger, music manager, producer, and music publisher.[1] He owned the rights to several iconic surf and rock songs including "Wipe Out", "Mr. Moto" (written by him with Paul Johnson), and "Chick-A-Boom (Don't Ya Jes' Love It)". He is well known as being one of the first pioneers of surf music.[2]
Richard Delvy was a surf music pioneer. In 1960, the first band he played drums in was called The Bel-Airs, and in late 1962 he founded The Challengers. They produced a smash hit album titled Surfbeat, released in January 1963. Surfbeat took the California Sound and surf music to new levels of acceptance and remains the best selling surf album of all time. His band released 15 Challengers albums throughout the sixties as well as others recorded under different names for the US and foreign markets.
Delvy also worked as a record producer through the rest of the 60's evolving with hot rod rock, folk rock, pop, rock, and psychedelic rock music as they developed. In the early 1970s, Delvy toured as the music director for Tony Orlando and Dawn and with the teen sensation David Cassidy, star of The Partridge Family TV show. During Delvy's career, he also worked for MGM Music, Bell Records, and Carousel Records. Billboard recognized Delvy as a multi-talented music entrepreneur and promoter who had the talent to join many different attributes needed as a performer and to manage artists' output effectively.[3]
Richard Delvy died on February 6, 2010, after suffering from a long illness. He helped produce many known and unknown artists, and was involved in all aspects of the music business. He was survived by his wife Bonnie, three children, and one grandchild.[4]
The Groovy Ghoulies