Richard Earl D'Agostin, was an American rock and roll musician best known for touring with Eddie Cochran.[1] D'Agostin sang and played piano and guitar as the front man for The Swingers, composed of drummer Gene Riggio, lead guitar Dave Oster, saxophonist Paul Kaufman, bassist Wayne Messick, and D'Agostin's brother Larry D'Agostin on guitar.[2] While all the Swingers were also accomplished dancers, D'Agostin and his partner Judi Stein were the 1955 Al Jarvis dance champions, topping thousands of competitors.[3] He also edited dance columns for two of the first teen magazines, Dig and Modern Teen.
Dick D'Agostin | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Richard Earl D'Agostin |
| Also known as | "Bird", "Bear", "Thun" |
| Born | November 5, 1936 |
| Origin | Beloit, Wisconsin |
| Died | 1993 California |
| Genres | Rock and Roll, Rockabilly blues, (unrecorded), various types, esp. influenced in his later years by Lightnin' Hopkins, B.B. King, Albert King, Big Joe Turner, James Brown, Etta James. |
| Occupations | Singer, pianist, guitarist, dancer, actor, Supervising Deputy Probation Officer with Los Angeles County Probation Department - operating out of Central Juvenile Hall |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar, piano, harmonica |