Adams, Ritchie

“Ritchie Adams” was the stage name of New York-born singer and songwriter Richard Adam Ziegler. He began as the lead vocalist with a group called the “Fireflies” in 1959. The group made a hit album “You Were Mine,” and another, “I Can’t Say Goodbye,” made it to the charts. On the whole, however, his singing career was not successful. He did better as a songwriter during the 60s and 70s, writing some 375 songs: among these were two big hits, “Tossin’ and Turnin’” for Bobby Lewis and “After the Lovin’” for Engelbert Humperdink. He also wrote many top-forty hits. Later he worked for television. He was music director for the children’s television show Banana Splits. He is credited with composing 18 soundtracks, mainly for television. He died at the age of 78 after a long illness.