On June 17th, another page in the WKNR legacy turned with the passing of Howard “Richard” Tepp, lead singer and creative inspiration for Richard and the Young Lions. RYL, enjoyed their brief prime in Detroit with the top five smash Open Up Your Door. It debuted on the WKNR Music Guide on August 22, 1966, peaking at number 3 four weeks later. RYL wrote their own slice of music history being one of the first bands to use a fuzz box to distort the lead guitar track. The Beatles made the most of the RYL innovation on Revolution and at the close of the decade fuzz was something that became a standard effect for groups like the Arrows, Status Quo, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zepplin and many others. Although Richard and the Young Lions never equaled their one-hit-wonder, they continued to enjoy cult status for the next three decades. In his tribute on the RYL website, bandmember Fred Randall said, “Tepp was the official custodian of the RYL dream; you could see it burning in his eyes whenever he performed. And nowhere was Tepp more real than when he was on stage. He lived for those all too rare and fleeting moments. He was honest, naturally funny, sincere and loving. We were proud of him as ‘The Richard’ of the Young Lions.” Keener alum Pat St. John interviewed “Richard” as part of the 2003 Woodward Dream Cruise broadcast and the RYL front man fondly remembered Keener, Detroit, and the band’s enthusiastic Michigan fan base. As he leaves us, those same fans are popping their rare RYL 45s onto turntables, turning up the volume and singing “I wanna love you some more” at the top of their lungs… one more time.