Rick Shutter is an American drummer and percussionist. He performed in the band for the original New York production of Godspell and for the soundtracks of the play and subsequent film adaptation. He has also been credited as Ricky Shutter and Riki Shutter.
Career
Shutter began playing the drums at the age of 8, and in 1964, at the age of 13, he joined The Young Executives, a trio of young teenagers from Malverne, New York. Entertainment managerSteve Paul described the musicians as "twelve-year-old kids dressed in business suits". The band was signed by Mercury Records and its 1966 single, Everybody Do the Duck, broke into the national Billboard Hot 100 chart. The B-side was "Come On In Baby". The young band played shows and entertained in celebrity social circles in the New York City metropolitan area and the Hamptons. The teens played with or for such personalities as Leonard Bernstein, Sammy Davis Jr., Andy Warhol, and The Rolling Stones in concerts and at clubs such as Steve Paul's The Scene, Arthur, and Westhampton's The Barge The band also appeared on the Clay Cole'sDiskotek television show. The trio disbanded in 1966. Shutter continued his career through his teen years, working club dates with Steven Scott Music, playing the Catskills circuit, and backing up oldies acts such as Bo Diddley, The Shirelles, and Gary U.S. Bonds. Then, in 1971, Shutter began playing drums and percussion in the original four-piece band of the New York production of Godspell, later playing in the Los Angeles company and a national tour; he also played on the Godspell cast album and the soundtrack for the ensuing film adaptation. The stage production of Godspell features soft-rock music in a variety of styles. Paul Shaffer, music director of David Letterman'slate-night talk shows, described Shutter's "big drums" as being "the defining sound" of the cast album.. The cast album was a commercial success. Boosted by the strength of its hit singleDay by Day, the album's sales earned a Gold Record certification from the Recording Industry Association of America and ultimately reached the Platinum sales threshold. The cast album also garnered 1971 Grammy awards for "Best Score From An Original Cast Show Album". The film soundtrack, released in 1973, was somewhat different from the cast album and was also a commercial success. The soundtrack reached the Top 40 and remained on the charts for almost a year, earning Gold Record status. To support the growing franchise, Shutter and the stage ensemble performed in numerous media outlets, including the telecast of the 14th Annual Grammy Awards, ABC'sDirections, Midday Live, Good Morning America, The Today Show, The Tonight Show, and video news productions for German television and the Japanese Television Network. Live performances occurred in New York City's Central Park and at Madison Square Garden. The soundtrack was also heard in the documentary The Filming of Godspell, broadcast on CBS. After leaving Godspell, Shutter was a staff session player for various record companies and recording studios; he has been independent since 1984. Shutter has worked on a variety of projects, including commercials and film soundtracks, and has continued to record and perform with regional and national acts. Shutter endorses DW Drums, Evans Drumheads, GMS Drums, Humes & Berg drum cases, LP, and ProMark drumsticks. Shutter works with regional projects and bands in New York.
