Legendary percussionist, vibraphone specialist Emil Richards dies at 87

Noted American vibraphonist and percussionist Emil Richards died at the age of 87 in Los Angeles, California, his daughter announced on Friday. Richards's daughter, Camille Radocchia Hecks, announced about his demise on Facebook and paid tributes to him with a special message, cited The Hollywood Reporter. "My dad had a saying, 'As in music, as in life," she wrote. "He lived and loved as he played: fully, deeply, with endless creativity, humor, discipline and spirituality.He never missed a beat. As Emil would say, 'Good Vibes!' she wrote.

Richards was known as one of the finest percussionists in Hollywood and worked for several soundtracks for 2,000 movies and some TV shows, including 'Jurassic Park', 'Spider Man-2' and 'Mission: Impossible.' Richards's started playing the xylophone at the age of six. He performed with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra when he was in 10th standard, and studied with AL Lepak at the Hartt School of Music In Hartford, Graduating in 1952. His career started in Hollywood when he was hired by Alfred Newman for 'The Diary of Anne Frank' (1959). Composer Michael Giacchino tweeted tributes to Richards and wrote, "Yesterday we lost one of my favorite musicians. I listened to his work as a kid and was lucky enough to have him on almost every one of my film scores and countless episodes of LOST. As a percussionist he was the best. As a human, he was even better. I love you Emil Richards!."

( With inputs from ANI )