Rick Shorter

Rick Shorter (May 1, 1934 – September 1, 2017) was an American songwriter, music producer, and author.

Shorter met his wife Gwen née Simmons in a New York night club on 42nd Street.

She was an R&B, soul singer, actress and model.

He became her manager.

During the 1960s when he was most active, he produced and arranged for a multitude of artists.

They include Ciska Peters, Big Dee Irwin, and Galt MacDermot.

His compositions have been covered by Ola & the Janglers, The Five Tornados, Johnny And The Hurricanes, The Liverbirds, The Esquires, Gene Pitney and Burl Ives.

He also composed, arranged, and produced "If I Call You By Some Name" which was a hit for The Paupers.

In the early 1960s, he was a member of a duo called Rick & Lance which consisted of himself and Lance Lehmberg.

They played mainly at Greenwich Village.

Their first single "Where The Four Winds Blow" bw "Good Buddy" was released in the U.S. on the Bigtop label in 1962.

It was also released on the Atlantic label in Japan that year.

The following year they released Laura Lee" bw "They Hanged A Certain Man", and later another single, "Evaleena Roll 'Em" bw "Roses And Orchids". "They Hanged A Certain Man" appeared on the Doo-Bop-Jivers, Volume 7 CD album compilation which also featured The Mint Juleps, The Hi-Liters and The Five Keys. Their other recordings have also been included on re-releases of Twirl Records recordings. Their single "Where The Four Winds Blow" was a hit in Japan.

In the October 2, 1965 edition of Billboard, it was reported that Shorter who at the time was contracted to Columbia Records, had signed an exclusive writing contract with the Edward B. Marks Music Corp. On the 16th of April, 1966, Shorter was to appear at the New York Community College with Godfrey Cambridge to perform three of his own compositions which were published by E.B. Marks.

He was also on the road a week later promoting his new single "Last Thoughts Of A Young Man".

In October 1966, the Gene Pitney single "Backstage" was climbing up the UK charts with Shorter's blues rocker "Blue Color" as the B side.

Also in the same month, Cashbox had announced that he had renewed his contract with E.B. Marks.

He had also written and produced "Love Hides A Multitude of Sins" for The Esquires.

His two songs "Funky Butt Hall" and "The Hard Road Back" were due for release.

They were released on Columbia single 4-43881 in December 1966.

In January, 1967, the single had already broken out as a hit in Canada.

It reached No. 31 on Canada's RPM chart.

In January, 1967, the song peaked at #6 on Toronto's influential radio station CHUM (AM).

Around March 1967, Shorter produced the debut album Magic People for The Paupers, which they had recorded in New York.

The quality of Shorter's production work for the album was recognized by Hi-Fi Review magazine.

In the 1970s, Shorter returned to his faith and, along with his wife Gwen became very active in the Seventh-day Adventist church from which he had drifted away over prior years.

The son of a clergyman who used to be a jazz guitarist, Shorter came from a Seventh-day Adventist background.

By the time he was ten years old, he was singing professionally at gospel camps.

He also had his own local radio show while still at junior high.

His cousin is jazz saxophonist, Wayne Shorter, founding member of the group Weather Report.

By July, 1972 they were already engaged.

By 1973, he was back with the Seventh-day Adventist church and had left his career in popular music.

In 2002 some songs were released.

One was "9/11 Memorial Song (Should'a Been Home By Now)" which featured his daughter Hope; Christian Shorter played guitar.

In 2009, "They Called Me G I Joe" was released through Appropriate Records.

Shorter composed a mellow folk-influenced tune called "If I Call You By Some Name"

for The Paupers.

He also produced and arranged another song for the group, "Copper Penny" by group members Adam Mitchell and Skip Prokop.

The single was released on Verve Folkways KF 5033 in December, 1966.

Also in the same month, Billboard announced that the single was predicted to reach the Hot 100 Chart.