Minto Country Music Wall of Fame

John was born in Minto on February 25, 1936 and at the age of 4 was already on the stage playing the fiddle with his brothers. When the family later moved to Nova Scotia, John was introduced to Ray Little & His Radio Cowboy Show. From that day on John was a regular on the Saturday night Jamboree held in Moncton with his brother Eric on the guitar.

At the age of 10 the family moved to Moncton where he was introduced to the Lone Pine Mountaineer (Hal Breau) and Betty Cody (parents of the late & great guitarist Lenny Breau). John toured with this group in the mid 40's and early 50's.

When school vacation came in the late 50's, John moved back to Minto and toured with his brother, the late Celime Richard and his “Lone Star Playboys”. They played on CFNB's "Wake Up New Brunswick". John and his brother Armand (Curly) were members of the “Bunkhouse Boys” who toured the Maritimes and had a weekly radio and TV show in Moncton in the 50's and 60's.

John took classical violin lessons in Moncton from Prof. Phillip Arseneau from the age of 10 to 18 years, then went to Montreal for a year to study with the renowned Violinist Arthur LeBlanc, who at the time was known as the best violin technician in the world.

John formed his own Jazz group "Johnny Richard Quintet" in the early to mid 60's. In 1969 John, his wife Faith and their daughter's Kim and Kathy were transferred to Toronto where he was appointed General Credit Manager of a large Department Store chain. Because of the extensive travel, John did not play music for several years. He returned to playing eventually and was very busy playing dates for various artists. The Richard's were blessed with another daughter Nancy, while in Toronto in 1972.

John has played and toured with a number of professional musicians (i.e.) including the Maritimes with Little Jimmy Dickens, a number of gigs with the Tommy Hunter Road Band, appeared on the "Down Home Tonight" CBC TV Show, guest on CFNB Radio with the Diamond Trio Show, a member of the Lucille Starr Band in Quebec, played with Tammy Wynette Band in Ontario, and for years with the late Gary "Spike" Spicer - steel player with the Family Brown, backed up Jeannie Sheppard, Myrna Lorrie, and Harold MacIntire.

John and his wife Faith are now retired and live at Mississippi Lake near Perth, Ontario. They winter in St. Petersburg, Florida. John keeps busy sailing and doing session work for a number of studios in the Ottawa & Toronto areas. Two of the latest sessions were with Johnny Burke and East Wind, and Cliffy Short, a childhood friend. Other session musicians include: Guitarist Steve Piticco (voted Canadian Instrumentalist of the Year - 5 times), Joey Howe (Tommy Hunter's lead guitarist), Al Brisco, Al Bragg and Stevie Smith all great steel guitar players.

In Florida, John plays with a variety of bands from Country to Bluegrass, Jazz and even a Rock Band on occasion.

John is also a member of the New Brunswick Country Music Hall of Fame.