Richard Torrance is a gifted singer / guitarist with more than forty years of performing experience in the music business. Born in the Midwest, he relocated to Southern California soon after graduating from high school, to pursue his dream of becoming a recording artist. He signed his first recording contract with Shelter Records, Leon Russell’s label, in 1972. He recorded three albums for them before moving on to his second contract with Capitol Records in 1975. His first of four albums for Capitol, "Bareback", produced his song, "Rio de Janeiro Blue". "Rio" has achieved international acclaim and has been recorded by several other artists, as well. Through the 1970s, he put together a band of Los Angles based musicians and did three national tours. Richard and his band opened for some of the most famous rock groups in the world, such as Little Feat, Kansas, Taj Mahal, Billy Joel, Fleetwood Mac, The Eagles, Linda Ronstadt, Bob Seger, Chicago, The Beach Boys, REO Speedwagon, Loggins and Messina, The Kinks, Average White Band, Pablo Cruise, and Aerosmith, to name a few. After leaving Capitol records in 1979, Richard moved north to Ojai, California and focused on building a home recording studio, producing local talent and continuing to write music. He stayed there for over ten years, raising a family and touring the west coast.

In 1990, he traveled to Las Vegas to do a corporate event and met several musicians who encouraged him to relocate. After giving this serious consideration, he moved his family to Las Vegas and began a fourteen year stay. Richard performed in two major production shows, as well as playing in nearly every casino lounge. During his time in Las Vegas, he released two more CDs. First, a compilation of his previously released music titled “The Record Years” and second, a tribute to the victims of September 11, titled “The Red, White, and Blues”. He also got an opportunity to travel to the American Virgin Island of St. Croix for a one month stay at a club called Big Beards. He absolutely fell in love with the people and music of the islands. This led to his next adventure in 1998, working for Royal Caribbean International and touring the Caribbean Islands. Over the next two years he visited sixteen islands and was able to meet and jam with local bands, deepening his love for reggae, calypso, and high energy island music. After returning to Las Vegas, he was compelled to leave the desert and relocate back to his roots.

In 2004 he returned to his home town of Bismarck, North Dakota to regroup and take a break from the fast paced lifestyle of Las Vegas. Connecting with his roots after so many years was very inspiring to him and within the first year he produced his newest CD, "The Stories They Tell” using local musicians. Richard continued to perform as a single and also with several local bands touring the Midwest.

In 2005 he was invited to be music director for the North Dakota Talent Search sponsored by Marketplace for Entrepreneurs working together with North Dakota Senator, Kent Conrad, and Agricultural Commissioner, Roger Johnson. The Talent Search Show has run for three years, first in Fargo, then Grand Forks, and most recently in Bismarck. It has been very successful in finding the best talent in the state of North Dakota. Richard’s responsibilities included coordinating the production, rehearsing the house band, and writing and arranging the musical charts of the eight finalists who competed for the three thousand dollar grand prize of the competition as well as oversee the music for the recording sessions at Makoche Recording Studio in Bismarck which was also awarded to the grand prize winners.

In August of 2008, Richard took a trip to Austin, Texas,
the "Live Music Capital of the World". The musical opportunities, the climate, and the diverse culture of Austin were all very appealing to him. So, in February of 2009, he packed it up one more time and moved to Austin. To this day he still receives emails from fans all over the world who request his CD’s or just want to say thanks for touching their hearts with his music. With all the years of experiencing the ups and downs of being a professional musician performing, recording, and writing music, Richard says it is he who is so thankful just to be able to strap on his guitar and sing a song to one person or a crowd of one thousand.

Recording Career

Shelter Record Company
    Released three solo albums, distributed by M.C.A.
      1. Eureka (1973)
      2. Belle of the Ball (1974)
      3. Living Today (released in Europe on Philips label 1975)
Recorded guitar on Leon Russell's Wedding Album.

Capitol Record Company
    Released four solo albums.
      1. Bareback (containing the composition " Rio de Janeiro Blue" in 1980 recorded by Nicolette Larson, and in 1981 by Randy Crawford, both on Warner Bros. The latter selling 500,000 units worldwide.)
      2. Double Take (1976)
      3. Live at the Boarding House in San Francisco (1977)
      4. Anything's Possible (1978)


Other releases
The Record Years (2000)
The Red, White, and Blues (2001)
The Stories They Tell (2005)
Conch Yo Head (2006)