b. May 1, 1963; Memphis, Tennessee. Professional musician since 1981.

Executive producer, lead vocalist, bassist, co-songwriter, musical director, band leader, & business manager for “FreeWorld” since 1987. Lead vocalist, bassist, mandolinist, sitarist, acoustic 12-string guitarist, harmonica player, & songwriter for “The Ricos” since 1991, & "Kaleidoscope" since 1997. One of several bassists for the “Herman Green & the Green Machine” jazz quintet since 1992, and first call bass sub for HeartSong Church since 2006.

Official endorsee of Modulus Graphite Basses, Taylor Acoustic Guitars, DR Strings, SWR Bass Amplification Systems, & DigiTech Effects Processors.

CEO - SwirlDisc Records & DČj‡ Vudu Music.

Appointed by Shelby County Mayor A.C. Wharton to the Board of the Memphis & Shelby County Music Commission, 2005. Elected to the Executive Board as an At-Large Officer, 2006; also serving as the Chairman of their Musician’s Advisory Council from 2004 - 2007.

National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) member since 1991. Elected to the Board of Governors, 1997, 1999, & 2003, while also serving as 1st Vice-President from 2001-2003 and as Secretary/Treasurer from 2005-2007. Membership Committee Co-Chairman, 1999-2003; Premier Player Awards Committee Chairman, 2001-2003.

Eighteen time NARAS Premier Player Award nominee: Premier Bassist, 1996-2000, 2002-3; Premier Band, 1995 & 1997-2003: Premier Harmonica Player, 2003; Premier Multi-Instrumentalist, 1993; Premier Producer, 2000. Premier Player Award winner; 2003 - Premier Bassist.

Voted "Best Bassist" by The Flying Saucer/Memphis Flyer Readers poll; May, 2002.
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“FreeWorld” CDs released and distributed by Select-O-Hits nationally & internationally in July 1994, July 1996, August 1999, & January 2003.

Two independent European tours with “FreeWorld”.

Four "FreeWorld" songs included on the soundtrack for the independent film "Nothing but Flowers", June 2002; and “Paco T.” used in the indie film shorts festival presented by Last Train to Memphis Entertainment for the Library Channel, WYPL-18; November, 2006.

Performed on the nationally syndicated Food Network TV program “The Bobby Flay Show” in June, 2004, appeared on ESPN’s “50 States in 50 Days” series in August, 2005, and performed on the Travel Channel’s syndicated TV series “5 Takes - USA” in November, 2006.

2007 International Folk Alliance Conference panelist; February, 2007.

Producer of debut CDs by regional acts "Yamagata" - 1999; "The Memphis Jones Revolution" - 2000; & "Retrospect" - 2001.

Performed or recorded with such notables as: Levon Helm, The Memphis Horns, Billy Preston, Richie Havens, The Meters, Merl Saunders, Dr. John, Timothy Leary, John Sinclair, James Cotton, Willie Mitchell, Jim Gaines, Roland Janes, Mojo Buford, Ace Cannon, Ivan Neville, Hot Tuna, Blues Traveler, Jon Fishman & Page McConnell (Phish), Rob Wasserman, The Derek Trucks Band, The Radiators, JGB, The Grandmothers (formerly The Mothers of Invention), Stephen Perkins & Tony Franklin (Banyan), Los Lobos, John Blackwell (Prince), John Avila (Oingo Boingo), Eric Garcia (Bob Dylan), Ike Turner’s Kings of Rhythm, Chad Taylor (Live), Tomasito Cruz (Arturo Sandoval), Rolando Briceno, Alex Chilton, The Bar-Kays, Ann Peebles, Don Bryant, Syl Johnson, Steve Cropper, Artimus Pyle (Lynyrd Skynyrd), ‘Jim Dandy’ Mangrum, George Porter Jr. & His Runnin' Pardners, Widespread Panic, Colonel Bruce Hampton & The Aquarium Rescue Unit, Brian Stoltz, The North Mississippi Allstars, Galactic, Drivin' & Cryin', Afroman, Big Ass Truck, Deep Banana Blackout, Shawn Lane, Phineas Jr. & Calvin Newborn, George Coleman, Samurai Celestial, Teenie Hodges, Astral Project, The Rebirth Brass Band, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, The Schwag, Robert Palmer, Jimmie Vaughan & Double Trouble, Susan Tedeschi, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Jonny Lang, Stacy Mitchhart, Little Jimmy King, Sonny Burgess, Pete Pederson, The Cate Brothers, Todd Snider, Lonnie Shields, Kenny Neal, Rod Bland (son of Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland), Devon Allman (son of Greg), Jimmy Pryor, Blind Willie Dineen, Eric Gales, Ana Popovic, Preston Shannon, Ross Rice, Billy Gibson, Jothan Callins, Inner Circle, & touring members of the Broadway musical productions of "Stomp", "The Phantom of the Opera", “Grease”, “Cats”, “Chicago”, “Celtic Women” & "Hair".
 

Complete, Chronological Discography:

Moonlight Syncopators Social Sister, ©1987 Indie release (co-songwriter, bass guitar, backing vocals).

Richard Cushing 12-String Dreams, ©1988 Indie release (producer, songwriter, 12-string guitar, harmonica, lead vocals).

FreeWorld FreeWorld, ©1994 Hair Farmer Records (co-producer, songwriter, bass guitar, lead & backing vocals, shaker).

CD Compilation Memphis in the Meantime, ©1994 Gravelsauce Records (co-songwriter, bass guitar, backing vocals).

CD Compilation Maine Vocals, ©1995 Reversing Recordings (co-songwriter, bass guitar, lead & backing vocals).

CD Compilation Memphis (Ain’t Like It Used To Be), ©1995 Memphibian Records (bass guitar, lead vocals).

Klaudia & Rico At the Same Place Twice in Life, ©1996 Inside Memphis (sitar, mandolin).

FreeWorld You Are Here, ©1996 Real Beale Records (co-songwriter, bass guitar, lead & backing vocals, shaker).

Jeremiah Tucker & the Johnsons Gone to the Dogs, ©1996 MCB Records (backing vocals).

The Trust Any Kind of Shelter, ©1997 Heavy Mellow Records (backing vocals).

CD Compilation The Best of CDART.COM/Vol. 2, ©1998 Pendulum Records (co-songwriter, bass guitar).

Becc Lester Circles of Angels, ©1998 Inside Memphis (fretless bass guitar).

CD Compilation On Hold Music, ©1998 Pendulum Records (co-songwriter, bass guitar, lead vocals).

Herman Green & the Green Machine Inspirations: Family & Friends, ©1998 Green Machine Records (bass guitar, lead vocals).

FreeWorld Diversity, ©1999 SwirlDisc (co-songwriter, bass guitar, lead & backing vocals, 12-string guitar, sitar, mandolin, shaker).

Yamagata Eveland, ©1999 Mempho Records (co-producer).

The Memphis Jones Revolution The Memphis Jones Revolution, ©2000 Mempho Records (producer, harmonica, bass tech).

Eddie Dattel Sketches & Revelations, ©2000 Inside Memphis (bass guitar).

Carol Plunk A Piece of Me, ©2001 Indie release (fretless bass).

Retrospect Green Melody, ©2001 Ardent Records (producer).

CD Compilation The Instrumental Memphis Music Sampler, ©2001 Inside Memphis (co-songwriter, bass guitar).

The Memphis Music Community Living in a State of Love, ©2002 Indie release (co-producer, co-songwriter, bass guitar).

Independent Film Nothing But Flowers, ©2002 Indie release (Soundtrack).

Yamagata Connect, ©2002 Eveland Records (harmonica).

FreeWorld Live from Memphis, ©2003 SwirlDisc (co-producer, co-songwriter, bass guitar, lead & backing vocals, shaker).

Bobby Rush Undercover Lover, ©2003 Deep Rush Records (bass guitar).

Ann Peebles Unreleased Demos, ©2003 Paul Brown Publishing Co. (bass guitar).

CD Compilation Wiskansin… And Beyond, ©2003 Trapdoor Records (co-songwriter, bass guitar, lead & backing vocals).

CD Compilation The New Memphis Jazz Collection, ©2004 Icehouse Records (co-songwriter, bass guitar).

CD Compilation Memphis Music Today - Vol. 1, ©2004 Response Records (co-songwriter, bass guitar).

Belgian Reality TV Show DVD Wedding Bells in America, episode 2 - Mississippi Delta, ©2004 (harmonica).

FreeWorld Save Our Soul, ©2005 SwirlDisc (co-producer, co-songwriter, bass guitar, backing vocals).

Rusty Lemon Rusty Lemon, ©2005 Young Avenue Records (harmonica).

Ross Rice Dwight, ©2006 (backing vocals).

CD Compilation Fried Glass Onions - Vol. 3, ©2006 Inside Memphis (bass guitar, lead vocals, sitar, shaker)

1981 Graduate of Christian Brothers High School, Memphis, TN.

1986 Graduate of Memphis State University; BS – Biology (Vertebrate Zoology Concentration).

1989 – Present: Senior Research Assistant, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN. (Laboratory of Developmental Neurogenetics, Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology.)

Proud husband to Lori (for 19 years), & father to both Oliver (7 years) & Ian (5 years).

Contact Info:
P.O. Box 820149
Memphis, TN 38182-0149
901.278.2038
 info@FreeWorldJams.com
http://www.FreeWorldJams.com
http://www.MySpace.com/FreeWorldJams
http://www.MySpace.com/Richard_Cushing