Richard Blue (Ted Bluechel, Jr); member of The Association

[Hyfler/Rosner]

Paid obits, today's NY Times


Richard Blue BLUE--Richard, September 18, 1946 - May 16,
2009. Beloved husband to Amanda and wonderful father to
Kathleen, Rich was a remarkable human being, loved by all. A
great contributor to the music world, Rich had early success
as a member of the Association (as Ted Bluechel Jr.) and
progressed to write many great songs. In later years he
entered the world of finance and joined the Corporate Bank
at Chase Manhattan, where he met Amanda. After their
marriage in 1981, they moved to Burlingame and established
their home. In the mid 1990s, Rich retired from the business
world and devoted himself to raising his daughter, Katie, a
role which he considered the greatest achievement of his
life. In 1998, Rich and his family moved to London, England,
where they spent ten interesting years before returning home
to Burlingame in 2008. He will be greatly missed by his wide
circle of friends and family.

[Jed]

Post by Hyfler/Rosner
Paid obits, today's NY Times
Richard Blue BLUE--Richard, September 18, 1946 - May 16,
2009. Beloved husband to Amanda and wonderful father to
Kathleen, Rich was a remarkable human being, loved by all. A
great contributor to the music world, Rich had early success
as a member of the Association (as Ted Bluechel Jr.) and
progressed to write many great songs.

Most web searches show 1942 as the DOB for Ted Bluechel Jr. and links
to The Association inlcluding youtube. Both share the September 18
birth date though.

I find no conformation that Richard Blue == Ted Bluechel Jr. or links
of "Richard Blue" with the Association.

I'm not arguing that Richard Blue /= Ted Bluechel Jr. but I have a bit
of uncertainty even given the paid obit.

[R***@hotmail.com]

That is interesting, Jed.

I was a pretty big Association listener but only quite briefly, for
maybe three weeks or so in 1970. Their writing and performing the
title song over the opening credits of my for-about-three-weeks fave
movie of "Goodbye, Columbus" pointed me toward them, and then they
(and The Baja Marimba Band) helped serve as my bridge from my steady
pop diet to my first serious listening to serious rock.

BUT...I can't even remember any Ted in The Association! What
instrument did he usually play, and did he sing lead on any songs?

Existentially,
BRYAN STYBLE/somewhere

[Sir Arthur C.B.E. Wholeflaffers A.S.A.]

Post by R***@hotmail.com
That is interesting, Jed.
I was a pretty big Association listener but only quite briefly, for
maybe three weeks or so in 1970.  Their writing and performing the
title song over the opening credits of my for-about-three-weeks fave
movie of "Goodbye, Columbus" pointed me toward them, and then they
(and The Baja Marimba Band) helped serve as my bridge from my steady
pop diet to my first serious listening to serious rock.
BUT...I can't even remember any Ted in The Association!  What
instrument did he usually play, and did he sing lead on any songs?
Existentially,
BRYAN STYBLE/somewhere

I think he played the marimbas!

[David Samuel Barr]

Post by R***@hotmail.com
That is interesting, Jed.
I was a pretty big Association listener but only quite briefly, for
maybe three weeks or so in 1970. Their writing and performing the
title song over the opening credits of my for-about-three-weeks fave
movie of "Goodbye, Columbus" pointed me toward them, and then they
(and The Baja Marimba Band) helped serve as my bridge from my steady
pop diet to my first serious listening to serious rock.
BUT...I can't even remember any Ted in The Association! What
instrument did he usually play, and did he sing lead on any songs?

Ted Bluechel Jr was the band's drummer from its formation in 1965
until he left in 1984. All of the group members shared vocals,
one reason that details of who sang what leads are sketchy for
other than their biggest hits, but I have found him credited as
lead on "Songs in the Wind" and "Standing Still" and co-lead
(with Brian Cole) on "The Nest".

[Hyfler/Rosner]

Post by David Samuel Barr

Post by R***@hotmail.com
That is interesting, Jed.
I was a pretty big Association listener but only quite briefly, for
maybe three weeks or so in 1970. Their writing and performing the
title song over the opening credits of my for-about-three-weeks fave
movie of "Goodbye, Columbus" pointed me toward them, and then they
(and The Baja Marimba Band) helped serve as my bridge from my steady
pop diet to my first serious listening to serious rock.
BUT...I can't even remember any Ted in The Association! What
instrument did he usually play, and did he sing lead on any songs?

Ted Bluechel Jr was the band's drummer from its formation in 1965
until he left in 1984. All of the group members shared vocals,
one reason that details of who sang what leads are sketchy for
other than their biggest hits, but I have found him credited as
lead on "Songs in the Wind" and "Standing Still" and co-lead
(with Brian Cole) on "The Nest".

Someone at the Association Fanclub has written to me to say that Ted
Bluechel is alive and well. She's been "putting out fires all day."

Wonder who this guy was who told the world he was in the band.

There was no better song than Cherish, for the record.

[Kris Baker]

Post by Hyfler/Rosner

Post by David Samuel Barr

Post by R***@hotmail.com
That is interesting, Jed.
I was a pretty big Association listener but only quite briefly, for
maybe three weeks or so in 1970. Their writing and performing the
title song over the opening credits of my for-about-three-weeks fave
movie of "Goodbye, Columbus" pointed me toward them, and then they
(and The Baja Marimba Band) helped serve as my bridge from my steady
pop diet to my first serious listening to serious rock.
BUT...I can't even remember any Ted in The Association! What
instrument did he usually play, and did he sing lead on any songs?

Ted Bluechel Jr was the band's drummer from its formation in 1965
until he left in 1984. All of the group members shared vocals,
one reason that details of who sang what leads are sketchy for
other than their biggest hits, but I have found him credited as
lead on "Songs in the Wind" and "Standing Still" and co-lead
(with Brian Cole) on "The Nest".

Someone at the Association Fanclub has written to me to say that Ted
Bluechel is alive and well. She's been "putting out fires all day."
Wonder who this guy was who told the world he was in the band.
There was no better song than Cherish, for the record.

Thanks. The name discrepancy (and the thoughts of others,
that no one would change their name FROM Richard Blue to
Ted Bluechel Jr) caught my hair on fire. And the age
discrepancy. Anyone who was an Association fan, knew
they weren't teenagers.

Who was he? Someone who apparently knew a lot of
gullible people.

Next, we'll hear that he was actually a Vietnam POW.

Kris

[r***@cox.net]

This post might be inappropriate. Click to display it.

[Kris Baker]

This post might be inappropriate. Click to display it.

[La N]

Post by Hyfler/Rosner
There was no better song than Cherish, for the record.

"Never My Love" was my favourite of the Association.

- nilita

[A]

x-no-archive: yes

Post by La N

Post by Hyfler/Rosner
There was no better song than Cherish, for the record.

"Never My Love" was my favourite of the Association.

[Everyone knows it's] "WINDY."
(#1 for 4 weeks, July 1-28, 1967)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_100_number-one_hits_of_1967_(United_States)

[r***@cox.net]

Post by Hyfler/Rosner

Post by R***@hotmail.com
That is interesting, Jed.

Someone at the Association Fanclub has written to me to say that Ted
Bluechel is alive and well.  She's been "putting out fires all day."

OldiesMusic.com is reporting that the daughter of another group
member, Larry Ramos, has spoken to Ted, who is apparently very much
alive.

[b***@gmail.com]

In 1975 Ted lived in the house behind me in Malibu. When he would be on the road I would take care of his 3 land otters. Great Steel Drum from Trindad I have looked for him for decades with no results. Blue to Bluechel I have seen and heard otter haHaHA stage names.

Where are you Ted? Ill know it's you cause I remember your otters names.

[amelia rosner]

Ok. Here I am again. (Amelia, hyfler/rosner, arnelanti)

I've had a nice email chat with a guy who lurks at AO and who saw this thread re-appear. He said he could shed some light on the subject and gave me permission to post this but without attribution:


I knew Richard Blue in college (Cornell University). He was originally in the Class of 1968, but left for a while and graduated in 1971. Rich, who was a fraternity brother of mine, was a great kidder. He always enjoyed a good joke, and one of his favorites was to try to convince people that he had been a member of a semi-famous pop music group. (He couldn't pick a really famous one, because even Rich wouldn't be able to convince people that he had been a member of the Rolling Stones.) He once tried -- successfully, for a while -- to have me believe that he had been a member of the Unit Four Plus Two, who had a hit in 1965 with "Concrete and Clay." When I discovered that Unit Four Plus Two was British, and Rich was from New Jersey, I was a bit suspicious! As far as I can tell, Rich must have at some time mentioned to his family that he had once, calling himself Ted Bluechel, been a member of The Association. When Rich sadly died in 2009, this "fact" appeared in the paid death notice in the New York Times, and later that year in the Cornell alumni magazine (available online -- Google it). There really was a Ted Bluechel Jr. who really was in the Association -- he played drums -- and when I last checked, which was in 2009, he was alive.

[p***@gmail.com]

Post by amelia rosner
Ok. Here I am again. (Amelia, hyfler/rosner, arnelanti)
I knew Richard Blue in college (Cornell University). He was originally in the Class of 1968, but left for a while and graduated in 1971. Rich, who was a fraternity brother of mine, was a great kidder. He always enjoyed a good joke, and one of his favorites was to try to convince people that he had been a member of a semi-famous pop music group. (He couldn't pick a really famous one, because even Rich wouldn't be able to convince people that he had been a member of the Rolling Stones.) He once tried -- successfully, for a while -- to have me believe that he had been a member of the Unit Four Plus Two, who had a hit in 1965 with "Concrete and Clay." When I discovered that Unit Four Plus Two was British, and Rich was from New Jersey, I was a bit suspicious! As far as I can tell, Rich must have at some time mentioned to his family that he had once, calling himself Ted Bluechel, been a member of The Association. When Rich sadly died in 2009, this "fact" appeared in the paid death notice in the New York Times, and later that year in the Cornell alumni magazine (available online -- Google it). There really was a Ted Bluechel Jr. who really was in the Association -- he played drums -- and when I last checked, which was in 2009, he was alive.

----------------------------------

Now I'm trying to remember the other fake "rock star" who'd convinced his family of his past great fame.

[J.D. Baldwin]

Post by p***@gmail.com
Now I'm trying to remember the other fake "rock star" who'd
convinced his family of his past great fame.

You're not thinking of that guy who impersonated Randy Meisner semi-
successfully for a few decades, actually went to San Quentin over
related fraud and then got out AND TOOK THE PRACTICE RIGHT BACK UP? I
don't think he's died, or at least I don't remember seeing his obit,
and I'm sure it would be noticed either here or on the FB group.

[p***@gmail.com]

Post by b***@gmail.com
In 1975 Ted lived in the house behind me in Malibu. When he would be on the road I would take care of his 3 land otters. Great Steel Drum from Trindad I have looked for him for decades with no results. Blue to Bluechel I have seen and heard otter haHaHA stage names.
Where are you Ted? Ill know it's you cause I remember your otters names.

I AM MORE OF A FRiend of his sister Ann but as I am sure you know by now Ted passed away in 2009. The last time I spoke to him was with the Association in 1986 at Summerfest in Milwaukee, so I know some of his history on the net is wrong. That was in July of 1986 in Milwaukee, they were headed to the Bahamas.

[Bill Gannon]

Post by p***@gmail.com

In 1975 Ted lived in the house behind me in Malibu. When he would be on the road I would take care of his 3 land otters. Great Steel Drum from Trindad I have looked for him for decades with no results. Blue to Bluechel I have seen and heard otter haHaHA stage names.
Where are you Ted? Ill know it's you cause I remember your otters names.

I AM MORE OF A FRiend of his sister Ann but as I am sure you know by now Ted passed away in 2009. The last time I spoke to him was with the Association in 1986 at Summerfest in Milwaukee, so I know some of his history on the net is wrong. That was in July of 1986 in Milwaukee, they were headed to the Bahamas.

Ted is alive and well. How this stuff got traction is crazy.

[Brian Watson]

Post by Jed

Post by Hyfler/Rosner
Paid obits, today's NY Times
Richard Blue BLUE--Richard, September 18, 1946 - May 16,
2009. Beloved husband to Amanda and wonderful father to
Kathleen, Rich was a remarkable human being, loved by all. A
great contributor to the music world, Rich had early success
as a member of the Association (as Ted Bluechel Jr.) and
progressed to write many great songs.

Most web searches show 1942 as the DOB for Ted Bluechel Jr. and links
to The Association inlcluding youtube. Both share the September 18
birth date though.
I find no conformation that Richard Blue == Ted Bluechel Jr. or links
of "Richard Blue" with the Association.
I'm not arguing that Richard Blue /= Ted Bluechel Jr. but I have a bit
of uncertainty even given the paid obit.

It's an odd choice for a stage name, given his non-showbiz name.

[f***@gmail.com]

From 1974 through 1979 I was the roadie sound man lighting and road manger. In 1979 I owned the association.
Jim Yester and Ted Bluechel were the driving force to keep the group alive.
Ted was my friend and mentor. He was a man of high moral standards on the road and a driving force for making the road successful.I will miss him.I am sorry I never got to say goodbye.
Jim and Ted recorded the last Association album with my recording company in the 80s of which I own and never released. Anyone interested please call 732 921 7346
Kent