"Open the Door, Richard" began life as a vaudeville routine performed by a number of black performers, including Bob Russell, Pigmeat Markham and Dusty Fletcher at places like New York's Apollo Theatre. Jack McVea, sax and clarinet player for the Black & White label's studio band wrote a riff to go with the routine and it developed into a song which became a staple of the performances of many different artists.
"Open the Door, Richard" began life as a vaudeville routine performed by a number of black performers, including Bob Russell, Pigmeat Markham and Dusty Fletcher at places like New York's Apollo Theatre. Jack McVea, sax and clarinet player for the Black & White label's studio band wrote a riff to go with the routine and it developed into a song which became a staple of the performances of many different artists.
