Richard Finch (musician)

Richard Raymond Finch (January 23, 1954 in Indianapolis, Indiana), is a multi-Grammy Award winning composer, producer, engineer, song arranger and co-founder/former bass player of KC and the Sunshine Band.

With sales of over 100 million recordings worldwide, nine Grammy nominations, three Grammy Awards, 14 BMI Songwriter/Arranger Awards, an American Music Award and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, KC & The Sunshine Band. Through Finch’s recording studio innovations, KC & The Sunshine Band became the first band to score four #1 pop singles in one 12-month period with three crossover #1 hits. Two of their albums achieved triple platinum status.

The magic began in 1972 when Finch met part-time warehouse worker/office clerk Harry Wayne Casey at TK Records in Miami through an introduction by producer Willie Clark. Finch had already established himself as an engineer, with over 127 singles completed before the age of 17 (including miscellaneous tracks for the Allman Brothers and Mother’s Finest). Within weeks of meeting, the Finch/Casey songwriting collaboration began, with their first hit songs recorded by Betty Wright and George McCrae (“Where Is The Love” and “Rock Your Baby”). Finch then assembled the future “Sunshine Band” members, utilizing his already established friendships with TK session musicians, Jerome Smith (guitarist) and drummer Robert Johnson.

The music co-created, produced and arranged by Rick Finch is a staple in Music Americana and has been used in thousands of commercials worldwide, including ads for General Motors, Budweiser, Burger King, Payless Shoes, Papa Jon’s Pizza, Old Navy, and Nick at Night and has also been featured in hundreds of movies, including “Forrest Gump,” “Boogie Nights,” “Boys Don’t Cry,” “Rush Hour,” “Carlito’s Way,” “Austin Powers Goldmember” and “The Wedding Date.” Numerous television and game shows (“Desperate Housewives,” “Ally McBeal,” “American Bandstand’s 50th Anniversary Party,” “Don’t Forget The Lyrics” and “Swingtown”) have also incorporated this ageless collection.

Rick Finch’s bass lines and drum grooves are known worldwide as an industry standard and staple in the Hip Hop industry, sampled by artists such as 50 Cent, Snoop Dogg, Ultra Nate and Beyoncé, just to name a few.

Even though the original “KC & the Sunshine Band” is no more, Finch’s same passion, drive, meticulous attention to detail and unwavering dedication continues to this day, and is reflected in every music project he undertakes and through every new artist he mentors.

He is now producing a younger generation of bands out of his Ohio home along-side his lover and ProTools engineer Robbie.

External Link

* [http://thestandardreport.com/entertainment/entertainment06-07/storypages/spring07/kcandsunshine.html Music Legends Part 1: KC & The Sunshine Band]