Questions & Answers
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The last thing I wish to portray is that I am a Digby Richards expert.
I do love his music with a passion & only regret I never met him.

As emails are received I will do my best to answer them - Thanks for your interest in Digby

MY LIKES & DISDLIKES ???

Question: Hi Hank, you seem to like Digby's RCA stuff the best, what song do you dislike the most. John Vincent. Campbelltown NSW
Answer: John, you are not correct with my love for the RCA stuff, but, the earlier recordings were very much product of the times.
His RCA material showed the great talent of the songwriter, as such he could write to his own style which he did very well.
What song do I dislike the most ? Well, I guess 'Save The World' would be the least loved song and 2nd 'One More Goodbye To Baby".
One song that I only recently heard was 'Where There's Smoke...." this is the most different in treatment. {27.02.2010}
Some time has now slipped by, and I take all the above back about dislikes [30.03.2010]

ANY IDEAS ON US SINGLES

Question: Can you please help me with Digby's recordings in the USA, I am having trouble in finding product. Tom - New York USA
Answer: Hi Tom, both you and I are having trouble with the US scene re: Digby.
I am looking to buy a couple of US Singles from Gemm & Musicstack .com.
They appear as promo singles only - as appears on my website 'curiosities'.
The Dancer (74-0725) [unusual number series] Promo Single, Do The Spunky Monkey RCA 0292 [really odd number]
Be My Day Mono / Stereo DJH00001 [Radio Station Copy].. Outside of this information I cannot help you in any other way,
keep tuned, Maybe BMG/Sony may release a boxed set ha ha ha ha, well maybe they won't. Hank {10.03.2010]

70 FESTIVAL SINGLES....REALLY!!!!

Question: Hank, I have read on the web somewhere,  that Dig Richards had recorded some 70 singles for Festival Records ,
 why do you not have them all displayed on your website Paulie O'Connor Nerang  QLD
Answer: Thanks for your email, I have been told many times about this matter. Even the late great Johnny O'Keefe only ever released about 60 singles give or take one or two. Festival (First) [9] Includes 2 x 78s, Lee Gordon [7], Leedon [19], Festival (Second) [18], Brunswick USA [1],
Liberty USA [3], Mr Peacock [1], Coral UK [1] & Zodiac UK [1], whilst I'm at it, let's look at Col Joye,
I mention both of these guys simply because they were (sadly) bigger than Dig(by). Col Joye up until 1989, a total of [50 Festival & ATA] plus [1] on ATA via RCA Records. Now To Dig, my list is 100% accurate. Festival [11 all up] 2 label changes, that I know of, REX [6], 1 label change,
that I know of, Leedon [1], now that equals a total of [18] on the Festival stable of labels. Now let us turn our attention to his 'difficult years",
there are 4 singles, 1xCBS, 1xFontana [UK] (Not released in Australia), 1xParlophone & 1xPolydor [UK] (Not Released In Australia.
RCA Australia [20] RCA UK [6] (that I'm aware of), Polydor Australia [2], The whole matter of the Parlophone Album & re-issues on Peach River & Polydor UK still confuses me, plus the fact that many of the Parlophone cuts are on the last RCA Album (Rock & Roll etc)
(research incomplete)

So in closing Festival Record Stable Releases [18] RCA Australia [20] Various Others let's say [10] that = 50 singles all up,
so where the 70 comes from Paulie, I have absolutely no idea. Hank {21.03.2010}

RAINCOAT IN THE RIVER - ORIGINAL ????

Question: Was 'Raincoat In The River' an original or was the Schroeder (composer) the well known US songwriter. Ken Todd Hut City NZ
Answer: What a great question Ken. 'Raincoat In The River' was, as you expected an Aaron Schroeder song, Aaron wrote "I Got Stung",
Big Hunk O' Love", "Stuck On You" "It's Now Or Never" for Elvis & Rubber Ball for Bobby Vee. Now, original version of "RITR" was by Samuel Black Born, 2 June, 1932 Paterson NJ USA, better known as Sammy Turner. It was a "B" Side to 'Raining' on Bigtop Records 45-3089 1961 (did not chart).
Now as a point of interest Bigtop was owned by Julian & Jean Aberbach as a sub of Hill & Range Music of which Aaron Schroeder was involved.
But wait there is more regarding Dig & Sammy. Dig's (Real Gone) Annie Laurie (1st Rex Single) was Sammy Turner's First Hit
at #100 for 1 week in 1959. However, Sammy called it "Sweet Annie Laurie". On Dig's Rex Single Ken Taylor
takes credit for composing (yeah right), the song was written in two forms in 1838 by William Douglas & Alicia Ann Scott in Scotland.

Listen to "Raincoat In The River" Sammy Turner-Dig Richards-Digby Richards

OK what do I think, this may not surprise; Sammy Turner sounds strained, Dig just lilts along, great pop song,
now Digby, the 1975 re-record is just so melancholy, it is just disgracefully that it did not chart.
Typical reaction of Aussie DJs to old rockers & especially re-makes. {25.032010}

HANK, YOU ARE FULL OF CRAP

Question/Statement: Hank you are full of crap. Brian Brooks, Elizabeth SA
Answer/Reaction:  Hi Brian, thanks for your comments, why did you spend so much time trawling the site.
Anyway, this is the last email of it's kind I will bother with, more important things to do {30.03.2010}

IS THE 'HANKSTER' HOME

Question: Hey Hankster is dat you from the old NAPSTER days...Hey I noticed you had a posting on a Facebook site
About the thoughts of Digby's Producers, how the hell did you do that, sorry I should know better.  After all you are 'The Hankster"
Oh yes!!! I went back to Facebook and your posting was gone, what happened. As you used to say Keep Twistin'
UPDATE: All is now well for some reason there was a hick up
Fred Frost, Newcastle England
Answer: 'tis I Fred great to catch up with you after all these years, what was it 1999 ?, good old days.
I will email you and we can haveachat, might even ring. About the Facebookie thingo, I have no idea, mind you
I do have an inkling. Administrators of these accounts do have the right to remove any post they do not want,
I was not aware I used poor language or posted any porn, oh well it happens. Digby is going very well.
'The Hankster' now often 'Spreadjoy', keep em guessin'.  {21.04.2010}

WHY NO RCA STUFF

Question: Is there any reason why we can't buy Digby's RCA Albums on CD Patrick Moorehead Perth WA
Answer: As I understand it Pat RCA Sony/BMG only recognize two or three songs as being theirs.
Well, I am not all that surprised, still, who does knows or cares who has the rights. I guess except us.
Don't hold your breath waiting for Sony/BMG to release anything. Sorry {10.05.2010}