Richard Loring(1917-2005)

Composer, conductor, educator and author Richard Loring was educated at the University of Cincinnati, the University of Chicago, the Cincinnati Conservatory and the American School of Music. In 1946 he wrote for the Eddie Cantor radio show, and was the vocal director for "The Alan Reed Show" and "The Jimmy Durante-Garry Moore Show" in 1947 and 1948. From 1946 to 1952, he was on the faculty of the American Operatic Lab; the Westlake College of Music 1947-1953; and from 1948, the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music and Arts. He wrote songs and themes for films and singers, television and records, and co-authored the novel "I Am a Rainbow". Joining ASCAP in 1955, his chief musical collaborators included Dorothy Wayne, Alan Hood and Leonard Adelson, and his popular-song compositions include "Deacon Jones", "Be Goody-Good-Good to Me", "A Touch of Pink", "Biddle-Dee-Dee", "Very Warm", and Summertime Lies". A remarkable vocal coach, he worked with a a number of vocalists over the years - Nat 'King' Cole, Bette Midler, William Katz, Jr, Peggy Lee, Barbra Streisand, Judy Garland, Demetri Thomas and Johnny Mathis, who was present and sang at Richard's memorial service, to name a few. He also was present when Harrison Ford received the call about playing in a movie about 'outer space'. His gig was the last gardening gig he did before his successful career launch in Hollywood.