Rick Cunha(1944-2023)
- Music Department
- Composer
- Sound Department
Versatile musician Rick Cunha was born as Richard Dale Cunha on July
17, 1944 in Washington, DC and raised in the San Fernando Valley in
Southern California. He graduated from Grant High School in 1962 and
attended Valley College for one year. Rick studied Hawaiian steel
guitar with Ernie Ball and switched from steel guitar to Spanish guitar
during the early 60's folk music renaissance. Cunha moved to Hawaii in
February of 1963 and began performing at a small Honolulu club called
Hum-bums. He made a guest appearance as the Hawaiian Hootenanny Boy on
the TV show "Lucky Luck" in 1964. Along with partner Dave Dawson Rick
worked the Honolulu nightclub circuit through 1966. Cunha then moved
back to Los Angeles and formed the folk-rock trio Hearts and Flowers
with Dawson and Larry Murray. The group recorded two albums for Capitol
Records before breaking up in 1968. Among the people Cunha has toured
with are Jennifer Warnes (who had a Top 40 hit with Rick's song "When
the Feeling Comes Around" in 1980), Mason Williams, John Stewart, and
the Byron Berline and Sundance Band. Moreover, Rick has worked as a
studio musician for such artists as Emmylou Harris, Buck Owens, Dolly
Parton, Waylon Jennings, and Rose Maddox. The artists who have recorded
his songs include Ian Matthews, Michael Johnson, and the Smothers
Brothers (Tom Smothers has performed Cunha's song "Yo-Yo Man" both on
television and in concert). In addition, Rick has performed in concert
with such folks as Emmylou Harris, Jennifer Warnes, Mason Williams (he
has also worked as a producer for Williams), Anne Murray, and the
Smothers Brothers. In 1981 Cunha performed his composition "Rainbows"
for the Hawaiian Song Festival in Honolulu (Rick is the grandson of
noted "Hapa Hoale" Hawaiian music songwriter Sonny Cunha). He composed
the catchy country-folk score for the offbeat road picture "Best
Friends" and contributed to the soundtrack of the poignant indie drama
gem "Stanley's Gig." Rick's albums include "Cunha Songs" and "Moving
Pictures." Rick Cunha now works as the musical director for Wells Fargo
Radio Theater and is the owner and operator of the Rainbow Garage, a
recording studio in Van Nuys, California.