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Artist
Turley Richards
12+ albums
gospelcountry70schristianJesus Movement
about
Turley Richards, youngest of five, was born in Charleston, West Virginia. His Dad was a pipe fitter-plumber and his Mother a seamstress-housewife. At four years old, Turley was playing a silly game, bent over holding a pillow to his bottom while an older neighbor took aim with a bow and arrow towards the pillow. Curious Turley looked around to see what was taking so long and the arrow pierced his left eye which led to total loss of vision in that eye. With improper medical treatment sympathetic reaction set in and slowly but surely infected the right eye. Years later he lost sight in that eye as well. To keep young and energetic Turley occupied (he has continued to remain high energy by the way), his Dad’s plant workers pooled some money together to buy a Victrola and some records, including “I Don’t Want Her, You Can Have Her, She’s Too Fat For Me”, and “Open The Door Richard”. His Mom bought him a kazoo (shaped like a saxophone) at a five and dime store. Through the use of these tools, Turley developed one of the largest vocal ranges in the world. Richards endured eight operations from ages 6-16 and every time they pulled the bandage off he just knew that he was going to see better. Unfortunately it never happened. Each time he faced frustration and rejection. When others might crawl into a dark cave of depression, Turley saw it as setting him up for the challenges in show business. At 15, he started a group called the Five Pearls, with one other White kid and three Black k
