b. Richard Fields, 21st March 1941, New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, U.S.A.
d. 12th January 2000, Novato California Community Hospital, Novato, Marin County, California, U.S.A.
Richard 'Dimples' Fields hailed from Louisiana and was born in 1941.
He was born to Parnell Fields and Evelyn Wells Brazil and his grandmother was Julia Wells Quillins.
He took his nick name 'Dimples' from a female admirer who remarked that he was always smiling.
Richard began singing in the early 70's, purchasing a San Francisco cabaret, the Cold Duck Music Lounge, where he headlined.
dr feelgood b/w devoted / i'm packing up b/w tears as big as cantaloupes - 45's
He began recording for his own DRK Records label during this period, along with recording some 45's for the, California based, Cordon and Vance imprints, under the name of Richard Fields.
spoiled rotten - 1975
In 1975, he released the Benny Golson produced album 'Spoiled Rotten', which contained the first version of his song 'If It Ain't One Thing It's Another'.
ready for anything - 1977 / it's finger lickin' good - 1978
He followed up the album two years later with andther Benny Golson produced set, 'Ready For Anything', (originally entitled 'The Six Million Dollar Nigger', but amended for the radio stations), which also contained an early take on a later recorded song, namely 'Jazzy Lady'.
In 1978, he released 'It's Finger Lickin' Good', on Dat Richfield Kat.
His first chart single was that year's 'Earth Angel', a remake of the 1954 Penguins ballad.
Whist working at a car dealership, Richard bumped into a high school friend.
Working on the tune with Belinda Wilson, she added her own ideas to the tune, suggesting he raised the tempo from the original ballad mode to that of a mid-tempo tune.
The tune was originally on the 70's 'Spoiled Rotten' album on the DRK label.
She encouraged him to re-record the song and the later version came from his first album for his new label, Boardwalk.
Each of his three albums for Dat Richfield Kat sold reasonably well and Fields signed to Boardwalk Records in 1981.
The song 'I Like Your Lovin' was also a popular Soul tune from the album.
His biggest hit,however, wwas 1982's 'If It Ain't One Thing, It's Another', an R & B number 1, which became his only crossover pop chart hit.
dimples - 1981 / mr looks so good - 1982
Both albums, 1981's 'Dimples' (including 'I Like Your Lovin' and 'She's Got Papers On Me') and the following year's 'Mr Look So Good!' (including 'If It Ain't One Thing It's Another' and 'After I Put My Lovin' On You'), both reached the charts.
give everybody some - 1983
Boardwalk then folded as his third album for the company, 'Give Everybody Some!', was released in 1983.
The album contained his version of 'Moody's Mood For Love' and 'Goodbye You, Hello Her'.
mmm - 1984 / dark gable - 1985
Richard signed with RCA Records in 1984 and recorded two albums, 'Mmm' (containing 'Jazzy Lady' and 'Dear Mr. God') and 'Dark Gable' (containing 'Really Good Lovin' Tonight' and 'I'd Really Love To See You Tonight') before he left the label.
tellin' it like it is - 1987 / dimples - 1990
In 1987, Dimples moved to CBS for the album 'Tellin' It Like It Is' (containing a duet with 9.9's vocalist Margo Thunder) before moving on to the independent label, Life Records.
At Life Records he produced 'Dimples' in 1990 (including another take on 'Jazzy Lady' and 'You Can Have My Heart'), an album including artistic input from the likes of 9.9 and the Valentine Brothers, before retiring from recording for a while.
Richard also worked with Betty Wright ('Make Me Love The Rain') 9.9 ('All Of Me For All Of You'), Prodigal and produced Pat Benatar and the Ohio Players (their 'Ouch!' album) amongst others.
Sadly, in the year 2000, Richard Dimples Fields died of a stroke at Novato California Community Hospital in Los Angeles, California. He was 58.
Albums:
Spoiled Rotten (Dat Richfield Kat Records 1975)
Ready For Anything (Dat Richfield Kat Records 1977)
It's Finger Licking Good (Dat Richfield Kat Records 1978)
Dimples (Boardwalk Records 1981)
Mr Look So Good! (Boardwalk Records 1982)
Give Everybody Some! (Boardwalk Records 1983)
Mmm (RCA Records 1984)
Dark Gable (RCA Records 1985)
The Man Who Loves Women (Owch Records Records 1985)
Tellin' It Like It Is (CBS Records 1987)
Dimples (Life Records Records 1990)
Baby Makin' Music (Life Records Records 1994)
