Digby George "Dig" Richards (12 September 1940 â€" 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. Richards was the
first Australian rock and roll artist to record a 12" LP record in
Australia, with the self-titled album Dig Richards, released in
November 1959. From 1971 he performed as a solo country music artist.
According to the Kent Music Report he had four Top 30 national hit
singles, "(My) Little Lover" / "Quarrels (Are a Sad Sad Thing)"
(September 1960), "A Little Piece of Peace" (June 1971), "People Call
Me Country" / "The Dancer" (February 1972), and "Do the Spunky Monkey"
(June 1974). On 17 February 1983 Digby Richards died of pancreatic
cancer, aged 42. He was survived by his wife, Sue and two
children.Digby George Richards was born on 12 September 1940 in the
rural central western New South Wales town of Dunedoo. His father,
Gordon Forrest Richards, was a rural-based policeman, and his mother
was Mona, (née Dennis). His younger brother is Douglas Ryman Richards
(born ca. 1944). Gordon was later an oyster farmer in Narooma.
Richards attended Narooma Central and Moruya High schools, where he
completed his Leaving Certificate. At the age of 17 he travelled to
Sydney to work in a large department store.In August 1958, during a
chance meeting at the Nock and Kirbys record bar with already
established R'Jays band foundation members, drummer Barry Lewis and
guitarist Jon Hayton, Richards was offered the spot, untested, as The
R'Jays lead singer. This meeting was fortuitous for all, as the band
had already booked a venue for a dance night in two weeks time and
unfortunately their then singer had turned out to be somewhat average
and had departed the scene. Band practice with Richards started the
very next night, he did not disappoint. Dig Richards Biography, NetWorth, Height, Age, Weight, Family, Married, Son, Daughter