Photo, L-R: Ian Nicolas Cushing (b. 7/3/01), Lori Kay (Dunaway) Cushing (b. 7/27/65, m. 2/14/94), Oliver Benton Cushing (b. 7/2/99), Richard Carl Cushing (b. 5/1/63, m. 2/14/94)

Richard Carl Cushing is an active Memphis musician, serving as the executive producer, lead vocalist, bassist, co-songwriter, musical director, band leader, and business manager for the local/regional band "FreeWorld" since 1987 , and as the lead vocalist, bassist, mandolinist, sitarist, acoustic 12-string guitarist, harmonica player, and co-songwriter for "The Ricos" since 1991 and "Kaleidoscope" since 1997. He has also been one of several bassists for the "Herman Green & the Green Machine" jazz quintet since 1992, the first call bass sub for Heartsong Church in Cordova, TN since February of 2006, and is an official endorsee of Modulus Graphite Basses, Taylor Acoustic Guitars, DR Strings, SWR Bass Amplification Systems, and DigiTech Effects Processors. He has been elected to serve on the Board of Governors for the Memphis Chapter of The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS) in 1997, 1999, 2003, and 2007, and also served as their 1st Vice President from 2001-2003, and as their Secretary/Treasurer from 2005-2007. He was an eighteen-time NARAS Premier Player Award nominee in a wide variety of categories including Premier Bassist, Premier Producer, Premier Multi-Instrumentalist, Premier Harmonica Player, & Premier Band - winning the Premier Bassist category in 2003. He was also voted "Best Bassist" by The Flying Saucer/Memphis Flyer readers poll in May of 2002. In 2005, he was appointed by Shelby County Mayor A.C. Wharton to the Board of the Memphis & Shelby County Music Commission, and was further elected to serve as an Officer and Executive Board Member in both 2006 & 2007. He also served as the Chairman of their Musician's Advisory Council from 2004-2007.

In addition, Richard is a 1986 Magna Cum Laude Graduate from Memphis State University with a BS in Biology (Vertebrate Zoology Concentration), and from 1989 to the present he has held the position of Senior Research Assistant in the Laboratory of Developmental Neurogenetics (Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology) at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis,TN.

He is also a proud and loving husband, and an active father of two fine boys.

Father: Lawrence Eugene Cushing b: 26 Nov 1925 in Commerce, Jackson, Georgia; d: 31 Mar 1995 in Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee
Mother: Dolorese Ann Dow b: 25 Jul 1930

Marriage: Lori Kay Dunaway b: 27 Jul 1965 in Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee
Married: 14 Feb 1994 in Rose Hall, Montego Bay, Jamaica