Richard Kastle
A virtuoso pianist who traded a traditional concert career for a flamboyant, rock-infused stage persona known as 'The Liberace of the 90s.'
Born 1958 (age 68)·American classical pianist and composer·Birthday: December 15·Baby Boomers
Biography
Richard Kastle is a classical pianist who decided the standard black-tie recital was not his style. Trained at the prestigious Juilliard School, he possessed the technical chops to tackle Rachmaninoff and Liszt, but he chafed against the formality of the classical world. In the 1990s, he reinvented himself as a flamboyant showman, performing in sequined capes, playing a mirrored piano, and blending classical themes with rock and pop sensibilities. This bold move earned him a new audience through late-night TV appearances and a series of albums, though it also drew skepticism from purists. Kastle's career is a study in artistic rebellion, proving that virtuosity could be packaged with Vegas-level spectacle.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Richard was born in 1958, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Richard Was Born
The biggest hits of 1958
#1 Movie
South Pacific
Best Picture
Gigi
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Richard's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1958Born
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1963Started school
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1971Became a teenager
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1974Could drive
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1976Could vote
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1979Turned 21
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1988Turned 30
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 40
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 50
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 60
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 68 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Graduated from the Juilliard School, one of the world's leading music conservatories.
- Released multiple albums showcasing his blend of classical technique and pop-rock performance, including 'Richard Kastle!' and 'Kastle Rock.'
- Gained national exposure through performances on shows like 'The Tonight Show with Jay Leno' and 'Live with Regis and Kathie Lee.'
Did You Know?
His stage persona and elaborate costumes led to the nickname 'The Liberace of the 90s.'
He performed on a custom-made, mirrored Bösendorfer piano.
Kastle composed and performed the theme music for the 'Miss America' pageant for several years.
“I play Liszt in leather pants because the music should be for everyone.”
