Dal Richards

Who is Dal Richards?

Dal Murray Richards, CM, OBC is a Canadian big band leader known as the King of Swing.

He graduated from Magee Secondary School in 1937.

His saxophone and clarinet were first heard in the Sandy DeSantis and Stan Paton bands. On 1 May 1940, Richards, his 11-piece band and a then-unknown 13-year-old Juliette were booked to replace Mart Kenney and His Western Gentlemen, Canada's leading dance band at the time. This initial six-week contract was extended to 25 years of regular performances and broadcasts at "The Roof".

When musical tastes changed in the mid-1960s and work dried up, Richards went into hotel management. Gradually the interest in swing and big band music picked up. In 1982-1983, Richards and his band recorded a pair of well-received revival albums. Mayor Mike Harcourt of Vancouver declared 3 February 1984 "Dal Richards' Day".

Richards and his band continue to perform. They play in the Lower Mainland, from the PNE band stand to the annual New Year celebration at the Bayshore Hotel.

Richards led his band for many years in a weekly CBC Radio show broadcast nationally from the Panorama Roof Ballroom of the Hotel Vancouver. As of February 2012, Richards also hosts a weekly one-hour show on radio station CISL.