Pulse Beat b/w Gypsy Man

Betty Richardson was a Toronto blues, R&B and jazz singer. She began singing professionally at 15 with her sister Jackie Richardson and later sang with pianist and arranger Doug Riley in The Silhouettes at Toronto's Blue Note. She was an original cast member of Hair in Toronto and with the Australian company, and went on to television work with Martin Short, Andy Williams, George Kirby and Ray Stevens, along with a steady run of radio and television commercial sessions.

While singing background vocals for John Lee & the Checkmates at the Blue Note, she met keyboardist Kingsley Ettienne. The two formed Formula Five with Reggie Evans, Rodney Appleby and Liberty Silver.

'Pulse Beat' was released on Firmus Records (FIR 011) in 1984, backed with 'Gypsy Man'. Both songs were written by Milan Kymlicka and Don Tripe, with Kymlicka, a CBC composer, producing and arranging for Cantus Productions. The single reached #29 on RPM's Contemporary Adult chart on April 7, 1984.

Both sides also appear on her album Pulsebeat (Firmus FIR LP-07), recorded at Amber Studios in Toronto with engineer George Semkiw. Doug Riley, Lou Pomanti and Ray Parker played keyboards, with Tom Szczesniak on bass, Vern Dorge on saxophone, and Jackie Richardson, Colina Phillips and Liberty Silver among the backing singers.

Betty later sang with Jackie and Jackie's daughter Kim as The Richardsons. She died in Toronto on August 12, 2018.

-Robert Williston