Anne Richmond Boston

I Should Be Happy on DB Records is the long-lost solo album by singer Anne Richmond Boston (longtime member of Atlanta band The Swimming Pool Q’s). Originally recorded and produced by Rob Gal at Snack ’n’ Shack studio in Atlanta, Georgia, the mostly-originals album also includes covers of the Jimi Hendrix song, “The Wind Cries Mary,” Sandy Denny song, “The Music Weaver,” and a beautiful piano-and-voice-only song, “Who Cares,” featuring Terry Adams on piano.

I Should Be Happy was originally recorded with a core band of Anne on vocals, Rob Gal, guitar; Eric Weissinger, bass; John Cerreta, keyboard; and Dirk Dominick, drums. Other musicians include David Barbe (Sugar, Mercyland) on piano; Billy Conway (Morphine, Treat Her Right) drums; Bob Elsey (The Swimming Pool Q’s), guitar and mandolin; Michael Lorant (Big Fish Ensemble, Indigo Girls), drums; Barry Sell, bass and mandolin; William Tonks, dobro and guitar; Brad Quinn (Tommy Keene), bass; and McKendrick Bearden, piano and guitar.

Joining Anne to support the new record are: Bob Elsey, guitar, mandolin; Neil Golden, keyboard, bass, vocal; John Neff, guitar, dobro; and Sam Webber, drums.

Recorded as a follow up to Anne’s 1990 solo album, The Big House of Time, I Should Be Happy was recorded, roughly mixed, and then shelved for 30-plus years for reasons not quite clear to her. Of the twelve songs on the shelved version, eight were kept (and remixed) and seven added for this release. With the help and encouragement of friend, Clay Harper (The Coolies, Fellini’s Pizza), the DATs and other tapes were transferred to digital by Chris Griffin in Atlanta. Danny Beard (DB Records) expressed new interest in putting the album out which led to Anne taking the hard drive to her friend Laurie Sargent’s studio in New Hampshire to start to rework the songs, but the visit was too short and not much progress was made except for Laurie showing Anne that her vocals could be up in the mix (!) and Laurie’s partner, Billy Conway, putting a new drum track on the song “First Light.” The next step was going in to Chase Park Transduction studio in Athens, Georgia, to work with David Barbe (Sugar, Mercyland) on reimagining and remixing the songs. (Anne and Rob Gal were working on I Should Be Happy while going through separation and ultimate divorce. Rob was no longer interested in participating further with the project.) It was an all-new experience for Anne to be so involved in mixing, mastering, and running order.

Most of the songs are about longing and loss with the upbeat exception being “Amazing,” written by Rob Gal about, and for, his and Anne’s daughter, Caitlin.

“Who Cares,” with lyrics by David Greenberger (Men & Volts, Duplex Planet) and music by Terry Adams (NRBQ) is one of the main reasons Anne didn’t want the record to die. It ends the album on a somber note.

Bio:

Anne was born in Louisville, Kentucky. As a youngster, she was a member of the church choir and took violin and ballet lessons. Her father was transferred to Winter Haven, Florida, for one year (where violin, ballet, and church stopped) and then moved the family to Atlanta, Georgia. She was accepted into the high school chorus and was chosen to sing in a special regional chorus performing Leonard Bernstein’s “Chichester Psalms.” Vocal harmonies were something she came to naturally. Perfoming “Going to the Chapel” with a band in the high school talent show was her first experience of being onstage behind a mic. She really dug it. It was about this time that the music of Janis Joplin, Grace Slick, Sandy Denny, Linda Ronstadt, Tammy Wynette, Dolly Parton, Melba Montgomery, Aretha Franklin, Judy Collins, and The Supremes took up residence in her being.

She became friends with local Atlanta phenoms Thermos Greenwood (original rock band) and was invited along with a chorus of people to sing on the song “Chocolate City” for their album Pinhead Teddy.

Anne was invited to become a member of the newly formed band The Swimming Pool Q’s (A&M, Capitol) in 1978 and sang on their recordings The Deep End, The Swimming Pool Q’s, Blue Tomorrow, and Royal Academy of Reality. They continue to perform today. As a graphic designer, Anne created much of the early Swimming Pool Q’s promotional material, supervised photo sessions, and designed single and album cover packaging.

Leaving the Q’s in 1987 (but returning within a few years), Anne and her then-husband, Rob Gal, recorded The Big House of Time which was released on DB Records in 1990. It contained many originals and several cover songs, including “When You Dance” by Neil Young and “Darling Be Home Soon” by John Sebastian. The follow up was I Should Be Happy, released in late 2025.

Anne’s has had the pleasure of singing either live with or on recordings by:
Drive-By Truckers
Widespread Panic
Jack Logan
Terry Adams (NRBQ)
Thermos Greenwood
The Brains (Mercury)
Johnny Jenkins
Marti Jones
Syd Straw
Laurie Sargent (Face to Face)
Julie Adams (Mountain Stage)
Kelly Hogan