Howard Richie was born in Toccoa, Georgia (Stephen County) to the late Styles and Almetta Drake Richie, and was the fourth born of eleven children.  He joined Cleveland CME Church in Toccoa, Georgia at an early age and loved singing gospel with his family.  He was educated in Toccoa, Geogia and servied in the U.S. Army.  He was employed with Beacon Manufacture, Seneca Sanitary Dept, Coats and Clark Inc., and U.S. Railroad. Howard married Katie Jackson and to this union seven children were born.