Introduction
Richie Rome, born Richard V. Di Cicco in Philadelphia, was a prominent American producer, arranger and orchestra conductor during the 1970s.
Life
Richie Rome began his career composing arrangements in the 1960s, with, as one of his earliest professional works, a medley of Green Apples and Something by The O'Jays (from their Neptune album The O'Jays in Philadelphia.
In collaboration with, and as arranger for, producer Jacques Morali, Mr. Rome established the disco recording group The Ritchie Family in 1975, whose albums include Brazil (1975), Arabian Nights (1976), and Life Is Music (1977).
Mr. Rome's signature style is marked by lush orchestrations, interweaving multidimensional horns and strings to accentuate the sensuality of the compositions. His various other projects include Jimmy Ruffin's Fallin' in Love with You (1977), The Sweet Inspirations' Black Sunday (1977), The Chi-Lites' My First Mistake (1977), Flower's Midnight Dancing, Now, and Our Never-Ending Love (1979), and, in collaboration with Phil Hurtt, Stanley Turrentine's Disco Dancing (1978) and Phil Hurtt's Giving It Back (1978).
Literature
- Whitburn, Joel: Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Albums 1955-1992, Record Research Inc, 1993, ISBN 978-0-89820-093-5 p. 624
- Shapiro, Peter: Turn the Beat Around: The Secret History of Disco, Faber & Faber, 2003, ISBN 978-0-86547-952-4 p. 223