David Richardson is an English music producer, audio engineer, and musician, born in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, England. He is known for founding Sky Studios with the rock band Jethro Tull, which later evolved into Sound Recording Technology (SRT), a leading facilities house. Richardson's musical journey began early, learning piano at the age of four and developing a passion for electronics and sound recording. By his teenage years, he was recording prominent jazz artists like Kathy Stobart and Ian Carr.

As a young producer, Richardson secured production contracts with major labels such as CBS (now Sony Music) and George Martin's Air label, distributed by EMI. He had a diverse production portfolio that included jazz, rock, and pop records, working with artists like Jet Harris and The Tornados. The SRT label, which he founded in the early 1970s, became known for its sought-after vinyl pressings, including the highly valuable "Grannie."

The original SRT Studios were located in Luton, where bands like McGregor's Engine recorded. This band, featuring Mick Abrahams, Clive Bunker, and Andy Pyle, laid the foundation for Jethro Tull, which went on to achieve significant commercial success. The SRT studios later moved to Shefford, Bedfordshire, offering facilities for mastering lacquers for vinyl manufacture. Local folk rock bands like Back Alley Choir and Halcyon recorded there before the studio's closure in the mid-seventies.

Richardson's influence extended to the northern music scene, with many recordings produced at Fairview Studios in Hull. The SRT label featured popular bands from Sheffield, including New Jersey Turnpike and O'Hara's Playboys. During the early 1980s, Richardson co-wrote and produced Cannon and Ball's "Rock On Tommy" single, which achieved commercial success and earned a silver disc.

In the mid-1980s, Richardson started a record factory in St Ives, Cambridgeshire, with George Bellamy. He specialized in process control, developing a method for RCA (now Sony Music). Throughout his career, Richardson maintained a close relationship with Abbey Road Studios, encouraging artists to attend the cutting of pressing lacquers for their vinyl releases.