Anne Richmond Boston has released her long-lost second solo album, “I Should Be Happy” on DB Records. The longtime member of The Swimming Pool Q’s enlisted well-known friends on a fulfilling journey to deliver her music to the fans.
“I Should Be Happy” was recorded, roughly mixed, and then shelved for 30-plus years for reasons not quite clear to her. She recorded “I Should Be Happy” as a follow up to her 1990 solo album, “The Big House of Time.”
Of the 12 songs on the shelved version, eight were kept and remixed and seven added for the latest release. With the help and encouragement of friend, Clay Harper (The Coolies, Fellini’s Pizza), the DATs and other tapes were transferred to digital by Chris Griffin in Atlanta.
Danny Beard (DB Records) expressed new interest in putting the album out which led to Richmond Boston taking the hard drive to her friend Laurie Sargent’s studio in New Hampshire to start to rework the songs, but the visit was too short and not much progress was made except for Laurie showing Anne that her vocals could be up in the mix and her partner Billy Conway putting a new drum track on the song “First Light.”
The next step was going in to Chase Park Transduction studio in Athens, Georgia, to work with David Barbe on reimagining and remixing the songs.
Most of the songs are about longing and loss with the upbeat exception being “Amazing,” written by Rob Gal about, and for, his and Anne’s daughter, Caitlin.
“Who Cares,” with lyrics by David Greenberger (Men & Volts, Duplex Planet) and music by Terry Adams (NRBQ) is one of the main reasons Anne didn’t want the record to die. It ends the album on a somber note.
Richmond Boston was born in Louisville, Kentucky. She was a member of the church choir, took violin and ballet lessons all through elementary school. Her father was transferred to Winter Haven, Florida, for one year (where violin and ballet stopped) and then moved the family to Atlanta, Georgia.
She was accepted into the high school chorus and was chosen to sing in a special chorus performing Leonard Bernstein’s “Chichester Psalms.” Vocal harmonies were something she came to naturally. Perfoming “Going to the Chapel” with a band in the high school talent show was her first experience of being onstage behind a mic. She really dug it. It was about this time that the music of Janis Joplin, Grace Slick, Sandy Denny, Linda Ronstadt, Tammy Wynette, Dolly Parton, Melba Montgomery, Aretha Franklin, Judy Collins, and The Supremes took up residence in her being.
She became friends with local Atlanta phenoms Thermos Greenwood (original rock band) and was invited along with a chorus of people to sing on the song “Chocolate City” for their album, “Pinhead Teddy.”
Anne was invited to become a member of the newly formed band The Swimming Pool Q’s (A&M, Capitol) in 1978 and sang on their recordings “The Deep End,” “The Swimming Pool Q’s,” and “Blue Tomorrow.” They continue to perform today. As a graphic designer, Anne created much of the early Swimming Pool Q’s promotional material, supervised photo sessions, and designed single and album cover packaging.
Leaving the Q’s in 1987, Anne and her then-husband recorded “The Big House of Time” which was released on DB Records in 1990. It contained many originals and several cover songs, including “When You Dance” by Neil Young and “Darling Be Home Soon” by John Sebastian. The follow up was “I Should Be Happy.”
Richmond Boston has had the pleasure of singing either live with, or on recordings by: Drive-By Truckers, Widespread Panic, Thermos Greenwood, Terry Adams (NRBQ), The Brains, Johnny Jenkins, Marti Jones, Syd Straw and Laurie Sargent.
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