Editing Jonathan Richman (section)

== Biography ==

=== Early life ===
Born into a [[Jewish]] family in [[Boston]], [[Massachusetts]], and raised in [[Natick]], Massachusetts,<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tDk6FuQcxpoC&q=%22jonathan+richman%22+jewish|first=Steven Lee|last=Beeber|title=The Heebie-Jeebies at CBGB's: A Secret History of Jewish Punk|publisher=[[Chicago Review Press]]|location=Chicago, Illinois|date=2008|isbn=978-1556527616|pages=49–62}}</ref> Richman began playing music and writing his own songs in the mid-1960s. He became infatuated with [[the Velvet Underground]] and, in 1969, he moved to New York City, lived on the couch of their manager, [[Steve Sesnick]], worked odd jobs, and tried to break in as a professional musician. Failing at this, he returned to Boston.

===The Modern Lovers===
{{Quote box
| quote = When I was a teenager, I thought I would be a painter, and then sound overtook me. I made up songs because I had to. I had the need to express how I felt. And that's still how it is. It's just what I do. I do it when there's no audience, I do it when there is an audience. And, when I paint, that's how that is too.
| author = Richman in a 2020 online thread<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/j39v6w/im_jonathan_richman_a_professional_singer_and/  "I'm Jonathan Richman, a professional singer and musician. ...", ''Reddit'', 2020]. Retrieved 20 August 2021</ref>
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}}{{main|The Modern Lovers}}
Richman formed the Modern Lovers, a [[proto-punk]] [[garage rock]] band, in Boston, Massachusetts. Other notable members of the group were keyboard player [[Jerry Harrison]] and drummer [[David Robinson (musician)|David Robinson]], who later joined [[Talking Heads]] and [[the Cars]], respectively.<ref name="The Great Rock Discography"/>

In 1972, they recorded a series of demos with producer [[John Cale]] (formerly of the [[Velvet Underground]]). Among these songs were the seminal "[[Roadrunner (Jonathan Richman song)|Roadrunner]]" and "[[Pablo Picasso (song)|Pablo Picasso]]", which were eventually released four years later in August 1976 as ''[[The Modern Lovers (album)|The Modern Lovers]]'', by which time the group had broken up.<ref name="The Great Rock Discography"/> The album was strange for its time, featuring Velvets-influenced basic three-chord rock ("Roadrunner" – based on just two chords – is an homage to "[[Sister Ray]]") at a time when [[glam rock|glam]] and [[progressive rock]] were the norm.

Later in 1972, the group re-recorded some songs, along with other material, with producer [[Kim Fowley]]. These demos were eventually released in 1981 as ''[[The Original Modern Lovers]]'' LP. Despite playing live regularly, the Modern Lovers had a difficult time securing a [[recording contract]]. By late 1973, Richman wanted to scrap the recorded tracks and start again with a mellower, more lyrical sound, influenced by the laid-back local music he had heard when the band had a residency at the Inverurie Hotel in [[Bermuda]] earlier in the year. These stymied efforts to complete a debut album led to the breakup of the original Modern Lovers in February 1974.

===Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers===
In 1975, Richman moved to California to record as a solo [[singer-songwriter]] with the independent [[Beserkley Records]] label. His first released recordings appeared on 1975's ''Beserkley Chartbusters'' compilation, where he was backed by members of [[Earth Quake (band)|Earth Quake]] and the Rubinoos. The four songs on the compilation also appeared on singles released by Beserkley.

In January 1976, Richman put together a new version of the Modern Lovers, which included original Modern Lovers drummer [[David Robinson (musician)|David Robinson]], former [[Rubinoos]] bassist [[Greg 'Curly' Keranen]] and Leroy Radcliffe on guitar. The new group, now billed as Jonathan Richman and The Modern Lovers, found Richman turning away from the harder, Velvet Underground-influenced electric rock of the original Modern Lovers, toward a gentler sound mixing pop with 1950s rock and roll, and including a bigger emphasis on harmony vocals. During this period Richman recorded a mix of original songs and material by other writers, including [[Chuck Berry]]'s "Back in the USA", the traditional spiritual songs "Amazing Grace" and "Angels Watching Over Me", and older pop songs like "Emaline", "Buzz, Buzz, Buzz", and "Lydia".

Richman's own songs continued to mix straightforward love themes with more whimsical themes like [[Martian]]s ("Here Come the Martian Martians"), [[Leprechaun]]s ("Rockin' Rockin' Leprechauns"), the [[Yeti|Abominable Snowman]] ("Abominable Snowman in the Market"), and mosquitoes ("I'm Nature's Mosquito"). Richman's 1977 recording of the [[children's music]] standard "[[The Wheels on the Bus]]" made explicit his interest in making music for listeners of all ages.

The album ''Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers'' was released in May 1976, three months before the older ''[[The Modern Lovers (album)|The Modern Lovers]]'' sessions were finally released. Drummer David Robinson left the group soon thereafter, due to frustration with Richman's quest for lower volume levels, and joined with [[Ric Ocasek]] in forming the band [[the Cars]].

After several months as a trio, Richman found a new drummer, D. Sharpe, an avant-garde jazz player on the Boston scene, who later went on to become a member of pianist [[Carla Bley]]'s band.

''Rock and Roll with the Modern Lovers'' was released in 1977 and, just as this record began to climb the charts in Europe, Keranen left the group to attend college. A subsequent live album, ''Modern Lovers Live'', was released in 1978, with Asa Brebner on bass.<ref name="The Great Rock Discography"/>

[[File:Jonathan-richman.png|240px|thumb|right|Jonathan Richman, live at the Soft Rock Cafe, [[Kitsilano]], Vancouver, [[British Columbia]], Canada (1984)]]
In the United Kingdom, Richman was recognised as a progenitor of the [[punk rock]] scene, and several of his singles became hits. "Roadrunner" reached number 11 in the [[UK Singles Chart]], and its follow-up, the instrumental "Egyptian Reggae", made number 5 in late 1977.<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book
| first= David
| last= Roberts
| year= 2006
| title= British Hit Singles & Albums
| edition= 19th
| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited
| location= London
| isbn= 1-904994-10-5
| page= 462}}</ref> "Egyptian Reggae" was a version of Jamaican musician [[Earl Zero]]'s [[reggae]] song "None Shall Escape the Judgment"; Zero was credited as co-writer on Richman's later versions of the track.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.originals.be/nl/originals.php?id=8639 |title=The Originals by Arnold Rypens |publisher=Originals.be |access-date=September 4, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314045115/http://www.originals.be/nl/originals.php?id=8639 |archive-date=March 14, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bloodandfire.co.uk/db/viewtopic.php?p=126185&sid=5a89b91624e3b6f1a614ced7ae9571e3 |title=View topic – Egyptian Reggae – Jonathan Richman video clip ! |website=Bloodandfire.co.uk |date=May 16, 2006 |access-date=September 4, 2012 |archive-date=February 7, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120207192354/http://www.bloodandfire.co.uk/db/viewtopic.php?p=126185&sid=5a89b91624e3b6f1a614ced7ae9571e3 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

''[[Back in Your Life (Jonathan Richman album)|Back in Your Life]]'' was released in 1979 under the "Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers" moniker, but only about half the disc featured a backup band. The balance of the album was Richman playing solo. Following this version of The Modern Lovers' final breakup, Richman went on sabbatical for a few years, staying in [[Appleton, Maine]], and playing at local bars in [[Belfast, Maine]].

By 1981, Richman was recording and touring once again with various combinations of musicians under the band name Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers. The touring band was as large as five backup musicians during parts of 1981, when the group had bassist Curly Keranen once again, along with drummer Michael Guardabascio, keyboard player Ken Forfia, vocalist and guitarist Ellie Marshall, and vocalist [[Beth Harrington]] for a gig at New York's [[The Bottom Line (venue)|Bottom Line]]. This expanded Modern Lovers group would go on to record much of the music on the ''Jonathan Sings'' (1983), ''Rockin' & Romance'' (1985), and  ''It's Time for Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers'' (1986) albums.

From 1981 to 1984, Richman most often played live in a trio with Keranen and Marshall. In 1985, the group was reconfigured, and consisted of bassist Asa Brebner and drummer [[Andy Paley]]. From 1986 to 1988, most of Richman's concerts were played with guitarist Brennan Totten and drummer Johnny Avila. Signing with [[Rounder Records]] in 1987, Richman recorded his final album using the "Modern Lovers" group name (''[[Modern Lovers 88]]''). After this, the "Modern Lovers" moniker was retired.

===Solo===
[[File:2014JonathanRichman.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Richman singing solo in 2014]]

From 1988 to 1992, Richman performed mostly as a solo act to support his Rounder albums ''[[Jonathan Richman (album)|Jonathan Richman]]'' (1989), ''[[Jonathan Goes Country]]'' (1990), and ''[[Having a Party with Jonathan Richman]]'' (1991). Around the time of his ''I, Jonathan'' album (1992), he formed his performance duo with drummer Tommy Larkins ([[Giant Sand]], Yard Trauma, Naked Prey, et al.), who would continue to play and record with Richman for more than 25 years.

In 1993, he contributed the track "Hot Nights" to the AIDS-benefit album ''[[No Alternative]]'' produced by the [[Red Hot Organization]].

Always possessing an ardent [[cult following]], Richman became better known in the 1990s thanks to a series of appearances on ''[[Late Night with Conan O'Brien]]''. Another career boost came with the [[Farrelly Brothers]]' 1998 film ''[[There's Something About Mary]]'', where Richman and Larkins served as a two-man [[Greek chorus]], commenting on the plot while performing their music within the framed action itself. He also appeared briefly in a bar scene in a previous Farrelly Brothers film, ''[[Kingpin (1996 film)|Kingpin]]'', and performed the song "As We Walk to Fenway Park" for their 2005 comedy, ''[[Fever Pitch (2005 film)|Fever Pitch]]''.

Richman continued to release albums throughout the 1990s and 2000s, with the Spanish-language ''¡Jonathan, Te Vas a Emocionar!'' (1994), followed by ''You Must Ask the Heart'' (1995), ''[[Surrender to Jonathan!]]'' (1996), ''[[I'm So Confused]]'' (1998), ''[[Her Mystery Not of High Heels and Eye Shadow]]'' (2001), and ''[[Not So Much to Be Loved as to Love]]'' (2004). In 1998, a live album of Modern Lovers recordings from the early 1970s was released, ''Live at the Long Branch & More''. A live filmed performance, ''Take Me to the Plaza'', was released on [[DVD]] in 2002.

Richman's most recent albums are on the [[Cleveland]], Ohio, based Blue Arrow Records: 2016's ''Ishkode! Ishkode!'', 2018's ''SA'' and 2022's ''Want to Visit My Inner House?''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.bluearrowrecords.com/record-label/jonathan-richman/ |title=Jonathan Richman |website=Bluearrowrecords.com |language=en-US |access-date=2018-10-21}}</ref>

=== Personal life ===
His first marriage was to Gail Clook of [[Vermont]], in 1982, with whom he has a daughter, Jenny Rae, and stepson, Jason (Gail's son from a previous relationship). This marriage ended in divorce sometime shortly before the release of ''Surrender to Jonathan!'' (1996).

In 2003, Richman married Nicole Montalbano of [[Chico, California]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Descendants of Peter Montalbano - aqw03.htm |url=http://www.montalbano.org/Family_Tree/aqwg03.htm |access-date=September 4, 2012 |website=Montalbano.org}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=January 30, 2003 |title=CN&R > Music > '2 big sets, 2 big nights' > 01.30.03 |url=http://www.newsreview.com/chico/Content?oid=oid%3A25206 |access-date=September 4, 2012 |website=Newsreview.com}}</ref> She contributed backing vocals to the album ''[[Not So Much to Be Loved as to Love]]'' (2004).

Richman also runs a business, Arcane Masonry, in Chico, making bread ovens as well as other projects.<ref>[https://thekey.xpn.org/2016/04/05/pop-hero-jonathan-richman/ K. Ross Hoffman, "How Jonathan Richman – stone-mason, meditator and my personal rock’n’roll hero – became my pen pal", ''The Key'', 5 April 2016]. Retrieved 20 August 2021</ref><ref>[https://dependableletterpress.com/jonathan-richman/ "Jonathan Richman Hand-Set Story", ''Dependable Letter Press'', 28 January 2010]. Retrieved 20 August 2021</ref>