Biography
Who is Richie Furay?
Early life and family
Richie Furay: Born in Dayton, Ohio, he spent his youth in the village of Yellow Springs. His parents, Paul and Naomi, operated a drugstore in town. Following his father's death in 1957, his mother managed the family business until she retired.
Richie showed an early interest in music. At age eight, he received his first guitar, a Gibson ES-295, and traveled to Springfield for lessons. He also sang in his first band, the Barons, while in middle school. His father insisted he learn the trumpet in high school as a requirement for paying for guitar lessons.
Forming Buffalo Springfield
While in New York, he befriended Stephen Stills. They performed together in a group called the Au Go Go Singers. When that group disbanded, he worked briefly at Pratt and Whitney in Connecticut. Gram Parsons later introduced him to the folk rock sound, inspiring him to contact Stills about starting a new project.
He moved to Los Angeles in February 1966 to join Stills. They eventually encountered Neil Young and Bruce Palmer on Sunset Boulevard. The group adopted the name Buffalo Springfield. They secured a residency at the Whisky a Go Go shortly after forming.
Poco and later career
Following the end of Buffalo Springfield, he co-founded the band Poco with Jim Messina. They aimed to blend country and rock influences. They recruited Rusty Young and George Grantham to join the group. The band found success as a live act at the Troubadour.
He later performed with the Souther-Hillman-Furay Band. During this period, he converted to Christianity. He eventually shifted his focus to religious work, releasing several solo Christian albums. He served as a full-time pastor at the Calvary Chapel in Broomfield, Colorado, from 1983 until his retirement in 2017.
Birthday and age
Richie Furay was born on May 9, 1944, which makes Richie 82 years old today. That birthday falls under the Taurus sign. Richie shares the date with 64 other famous people.
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