richard cheese

Biography

Richard Cheese is the lounge singer persona created and portrayed by American actor, comedian, and singer Mark Jonathan Davis, born on November 27, 1965, in New York, United States. Davis began developing the Richard Cheese character in the mid-1990s after working as Director of Comedy Network Programming for Premiere Networks. Initially envisioning vintage lounge ballads of modern rock songs in the style of Sinatra, Mel Tormé, and Nat King Cole, he shifted to a comedic lounge act in 2000 following label advice to emphasize humor over melancholy. This led to the formation of Richard Cheese & Lounge Against The Machine, debuting with the album Lounge Against The Machine on Oglio Records, featuring swankified covers of rock hits like Creep and Nookie, which gained traction via KROQ-FM and The Dr. Demento Show.[1][3][4]

Cheese's career exploded with subsequent releases like Tuxicity (2002), I'd Like a Virgin (2004), and Aperitif for Destruction (2005), blending swing, lounge, and big band styles with covers of rap, metal, and pop songs such as Baby Got Back, Gin and Juice, and Enter Sandman. The act performed sellout concerts worldwide, appeared on TV shows including Jimmy Kimmel Live, MTV's Say What Karaoke?, and Howard Stern, and opened for Brian Setzer Orchestra. By 2025, Cheese had released over 30 albums on his Coverage Records label, sold millions of units, and built a legacy as 'America's loudest lounge singer' for transforming contemporary hits into retro vocal standards with Lounge Against The Machine.[1][3]

His musical style satirizes lounge revival while honoring swing and Vegas crooner traditions, earning a cult following among rockstars and comedy fans. Cheese's enduring appeal lies in his finger-snapping, liquor-lapping performances, from Las Vegas casinos to international festivals, with recent albums like Big Cheese Energy (2021) and Blue No Matter Who (2024) continuing his prolific output.[1][3]

Fun Facts

• Richard Cheese was initially conceived as a sad lounge singer performing melancholic ballads like 'Maybe This Time' and 'Stardust,' but record labels pushed for a comedic twist in 2000 to appeal more broadly.
• His cover of 'Down with the Sickness' was featured in the film Dawn of the Dead, while other tracks appeared in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and The Lego Batman Movie.
• Cheese served as co-host and bandleader on MTV's Say What Karaoke? and performed 20 times as the house band on The Howard Stern Show.
• The character debuted on KROQ-FM and The Dr. Demento Show in 2000, leading to early endorsements like Brian Setzer hiring the band for his private Christmas party with The Stray Cats.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Frank Sinatra - stylistic inspiration for lounge crooning and arrangements (Capitol albums studied for modern rock reinterpretations) [mid-1990s]
• Mel Tormé - influence on vocal stylings and orchestrations (records studied for lounge ballads) [mid-1990s]
• Nat King Cole - inspiration for traditional pop vocal standards (records analyzed for heartache performances) [mid-1990s]

Key Collaborators

• Noel Melanio - current pianist and musical director (Bobby Ricotta) (Lounge Against The Machine albums and tours) [present]
• Ron Belcher - current bass player (Billy Bleu) (Lounge Against The Machine live performances and recordings) [present]
• Brian Fishler - drummer (Frank Feta) since 2004 (albums post-2004 including Aperitif for Destruction) [2004-present]
• Brian Setzer - hired for private party and opening act (Stray Cats Christmas party; Brian Setzer Orchestra Christmas Concert) [2000-2002]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia