Richard Page (musician)

Richard Page (born May 16, 1953) is an American musician who is best known as being the lead singer and bassist of 1980s band Mr. Mister and is now a songwriter and solo artist.

Page was born May 16, 1953 in Keokuk, Iowa. His parents, Robert and Joyce Page, were both professional musicians – he a singer and choral director, she an accomplished organist, pianist, and singer. The family of seven (Page has a sister and three brothers, who are all musicians) landed in Montgomery, Alabama in the mid-1950s where his parents worked as music directors at a local Methodist church. His mother knew Richard had a special interest in the family "business" when he came home from Sunday school to announce that he was the only baritone in the four-year-old class.

In the late 1960s, the family moved to Phoenix, Arizona where Page attended Central High School, performing in school musicals such as Oliver!.

His first major band, Pages, was formed with his childhood friend, Steve George, after he moved to Los Angeles from San Diego in the late 1970s. After producing three "Pages" albums, Page and George formed Mr. Mister along with Steve Farris and Pat Mastelotto.

As lead vocalist for Mr. Mister, Page scored two consecutive Hot 100 No. 1's with the singles "Broken Wings" and "Kyrie". Prior to Mr. Mister's breakthrough 1985 No. 1 album, Welcome to the Real World, he turned down the opportunity to be a lead singer with the groups Chicago and Toto. The position that he turned down with Chicago was accepted by Jason Scheff. Mr. Mister would release three albums before breaking up on September 25, 1990. A fourth Mr. Mister album, Pull was recorded in 1989, but ultimately never released (BMG Japan canceled plans to release the album in 2001). However, in December 2008 Richard Page told the Internet radio station 957StarFM about plans to release Pull on his new website: "I'm in the process of getting it back from the record company and publish it on the website."

Subsequently he was a member of Third Matinee with Patrick Leonard, before he released his first solo album Shelter Me in 1996. It featured the singles "The Best Thing" and "My Oxygen", a remake of Nik Kershaw's hit. In 1997, he turned down an offer from Leonard to record a second Third Matinee album.

Following Shelter me, Page worked as a songwriter and session player. His songwriting clients include Kenny Loggins, Madonna (Golden Globes and Grammy nominated song, "I'll Remember" from With Honors), Josh Groban, Céline Dion, Chaka Khan, Donna Summer, Dionne Warwick, The Pointer Sisters, Meat Loaf, Patti LaBelle, Hall & Oates, BB Mak, Bill Champlin, Al Jarreau, Leona Lewis and many others. He was the lead vocalist on a tune written by Donald Fagen called "Green Flower Street", which appeared on the 2000 album entitled "Birdland" by Masanori Sasaji and the L.A. Allstars.

Page performed his own material in December 2008 for the first time since Shelter Me. The song entitled "I Always Cry at Christmas" was co-written with Walter Afanasieff. In 2010 Page released two of his own song collections, Peculiar Life and 5 Songs for Christmas. These were followed by Solo Acoustic (2011) and Songs from the Sketchbook (2012).

Based on a recommendation by his friend, songwriter Richard Marx, Ringo Starr approached Page to join his 11th All-Starr Band and, in the summer of 2010, they embarked on a 32-date U.S. tour and, then in 2011, they embarked on a 40-date Europe tour. Page also toured with Ringo's 12th All-Starr Band in the summer of 2012, 2013 and 2014.

Richard lives with his wife Linda and their four children in Malibu in Southern California.

Page has been a primary band member in various groups and a background vocalist for other artists.

Albums

Pages

• 1978: Pages (self-titled)
• 1979: Future Street
• 1981: Pages (2nd self-titled)

Mr. Mister

See Mr. Mister discography

Third Matinee

• 1994: Meanwhile

Solo

• 1996: Shelter Me
• 2010: Peculiar Life
• 2011: Solo Acoustic (live DVD/CD)
• 2012: Songs from the Sketchbook
• 2015: Goin' South

Notable album appearances

Page performed backing vocals on Peter Allen's 1980 album Bi-Coastal as well as on Barbra Streisand's 1985 recording of "I Know Him So Well" for The Broadway Album. He also performed a duet with Cher, "One Small Step", as well as backing vocals on her 1991 album Love Hurts.

Other appearances include:

• 1979: Keep The Fire – Kenny Loggins (background vocals)
• 1980: Hi Infidelity – REO Speedwagon (background vocals)
• 1981: Runaway – Bill Champlin; on "Satisfaction" (background vocals)
• 1981: Breakin' Away – Al Jarreau (background vocals)
• 1981: Sometimes Late at Night – Carole Bayer Sager (background vocals)
• 1982: Jon Stevens' eponymous album (background vocals)
• 1982: Three Lock Box – Sammy Hagar (background vocals)
• 1983: Caught in the Game – Survivor (background vocals)
• 1983: Shout at the Devil – Mötley Crüe (background vocals)
• 1983: A Christmas Album – Amy Grant (background vocals)
• 1983 "bent out of shape" (backing vocals) "street of dreams"
• 1984: Isolation – Toto (background vocals)
• 1984: Stay Hungry – Twisted Sister (background vocals)
• 1984: "High Crime" – Al Jarreau (background vocals)
• 1984: Straight Ahead – Amy Grant (background vocals); on "It's Not a Song"
• 1985: Vox Humana – Kenny Loggins (background vocals and accompanying vocals)
• 1985: Rhythm of the Night – DeBarge; on "Who's Holding Donna Now" (background vocals)
• 1985 Unguarded – Amy Grant; on "I Love You" and "Sharayah" (background vocals)
• 1986: Something to Talk About – Anne Murray; on "Now and Forever (You and Me)" (background vocals)
• 1986: The Collection – Amy Grant; on "Stay for Awhile" (background vocals)
• 1986: David Foster – David Foster; on "Who's Gonna Love You Tonight"
• 1988: Back to Avalon – Kenny Loggins (background vocals)
• 1989: Slip of the Tongue – Whitesnake; on "Now You're Gone" (background vocals)
• 1990: Conserve our world – Marc Jordan (background vocals)
• 1992: Kingdom of Desire – Toto; on "2 Hearts" and "Kingdom of Desire"(background vocals)
• 1995: I'll Lead You Home – Michael W. Smith (background vocals)
• 1999: Mindfields – Toto; on "Mindfields" (background vocals)
• 2000: Birdland - Masanori & LA Allstars (lead vocal on "Green Flower Street")
• 2002: Familiar To Me – Joe Zawinul; (lead vocal on "Faces And Places")
• 2002: Shadow and Light – Joe Zawinul; (lead vocal on "The Immigrants")
• 2003: Closer – Josh Groban (background vocals)
• 2005: The Day After Yesterday; duet with Rick Springfield on his cover of "Broken Wings"

• "Paging Mr. Party". Los Angeles Times. December 15, 1985.