The Richard Thomas Organization

Approximate dates:1985?
Base of Operations:Sunrise, Florida
Manager: Self-managed
Agents: ?
Personnel:
    Reuben David Ferguson - Organ, Electric Piano, Synthesizers, Vocals, Percussion
    Harry James Hafferkamp - Guitar, Vocals, Keyboards
    Timothy Micah Meyer - Bass Guitar, Vocals
    (and a computer sequencer with two drum machines)


Brief History
    I don't quite know how to classify this group.  A wedding band?  Sometimes, but not always.  A club-date band?  Well, yes, but more arranged.  A rock bank?  Material-wise, more often than not.  Show-wise, not even close.  Confused yet?  Me, too.  Richard Thomas (not his real last name, that is something unpronounceable that starts with "Z")  had been doing this sort of thing for several years  with an ever-changing parade of musicians. Timothy M. Meyer (see Brutus, Foundation II, T minus 1, Bittersweet, etc.) had been with him on-and-off for a considerable time.  I was just getting into sequencing at the time, and that was the big selling point to Richard.  He gave us a list of songs to learn, and, if I remember correctly, the first one I played for him was Dixie by Elvis Presley.  He had been something of a hard sell up to that point, although he had lent me the money to buy a Roland Juno 106, (I still have it, but it's got problems. Anyone know who can fix those things?).  At the end of the song, he blurted out:  "I BELIEVE!  I've heard Dixie!!!".   He was sold.  We did a lot of Neil Diamond, some Barbara Streisand, Elvis, things like that.  The old folks loved us; the young folks snickered.
    I'd give anything to have a different picture to post - Richard's trade mark was an incredibly long handlebar mustache.  I mean, this thing stuck out at least 10 or 11 inches on each side of his face.  Amazing.
    Last I heard, Richard had gone into the construction business.


Promo Photograph
   I don't think we ever had one, so here's a couple of live shots.


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