A Washington, D.C. area DJ in the early ‘60s starting with Gaithersburg radio station WHMC-AM, then returning to the station in early 1968 leading the transformation to what is believed to be the first AM station on the east coast with a complete ‘underground’ (rock) format. He also worked at other D.C. area radio stations and at Baltimore radio stations WYRE, WITH, and was Program Director at WAYE. His Barry Richards Agency promoted many local bands as Richards sponsored teen dances extensively throughout the area. Barry hosted the underground rock television show “The Barry Richards Turn On” starting in 1970 on D.C.’s WWDC-TV channel 20. The show featured national acts such as The Bob Seger System, Alice Cooper, Crow, Zephyr, Captain Beefheart, Emitt Rhodes, Joan Baez and many others. By 1973 he was hosting a similar TV program on WMAR-TV Channel 13 in Baltimore that featured national as well as local bands. Appaloosa appeared on the program performing as the opening act for the Miracles who then featured local singer Billy Griffin. Richards was also the host of “Studio 78” on channel 2 in 1978.
