Career
Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, Richard Boone sang in his Baptist church choir as a boy, then began playing the trombone at the age of twelve. He served with the United States. Army from 1948 to 1953 where he played trombone in a military band. Out of the Army, he returned to Little Rock to study music at Philander Smith College.
In 1956 Boone moved to Los Angeles where he played venues with other jazz musicians such as Dolo Coker, Sonny Criss, and Dexter Gordon.
In 1970 he followed other African-American jazz musicians such as pianist Kenny Drew and saxophonist Ben Webster, and moved permanently to Copenhagen, Denmark. In 1973 Boone was hired to play with the Danish Radio Big Band where he performed until 1986.
Using Denmark as a home base, Boone was able to tour Europe. In 1998 Boone issued his final album called "Tribute to Love." lieutenant was backed by two other American transplants along with a Danish vocalist and musicians.
"A Tribute to Love" Album credits:
Richard Boone - Vocals
Carsten Dahl - Piano
Niels Præstholm - Bass
Jonas Johansen - Drums
Editor Thigpen - Drums
Bob Rockwell - Tenor saxophone
Bent Jædig - Tenor saxophone
Finn Ziegler - Violin
Katrine Madsen - Vocals
On his death in 1999, Richard Boone was interred in Assistens Kirkegård in Copenhagen.
Richard Boone has a street named after him in southern Copenhagen, "Richard Boones Vej" (engineering Richard Boone Street). Boone"s collection of private memorabilia is in the Jazz collections at the University Library of Southern Denmark.
