Randy Howard (fiddler)

Randy Howard (1960–1999) was an American bluegrass, country and old time fiddler.

Early life

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Howard was born in Georgia and grew up in Milledgeville.[1] As a child, he learned to play several instruments, including fiddle, and won his first fiddle contest at the age of 18 in Union Grove, North Carolina.[2]

Career

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Howard was the first prize fiddler at the inaugural Tri-State Bluegrass Association fiddle contest in 1982.[3] He worked as a session musician in Nashville beginning in 1990. He played with many well-known musicians and bands, including George Jones and Ricky Skaggs.[4] He continued to win many fiddle contests.[5][6][7][8]

Howard performed on two albums with the Lonesome River Band. He was a guest artist on an album by Allen Shadd.[9] He was named fiddle player of the year at the International Bluegrass Music Awards in 1996.[10]

Howard died of cancer in 1999.[11] That year, he was once more named fiddle player of the year at the International Bluegrass Music Awards.[12][13] An album of his recordings, I Rest My Case, was released posthumously by Sugar Hill Records in 2001.[14]

Discography

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Raw Guitar, Robin Kessinger[15]

References

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  1. ^ "Randy D. Howard held the world on a fiddle string.". Union-Recorder, Daniel McDonald August 29, 2008
  2. ^ Drew Beisswenger (May 31, 2011). North American Fiddle Music: A Research and Information Guide. Routledge. pp. 103–. ISBN 978-1-135-84723-4.
  3. ^ "History of the Tri-State Bluegrass Association". Association website.
  4. ^ "The short story of Randy Howard, fiddler extraordinaire". If That Ain't Country, February 19, 2013.
  5. ^ The Devil's Box. Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddlers' Association. 1997. p. 67.
  6. ^ Howard Wight Marshall (January 1, 2013). Play Me Something Quick and Devilish: Old-Time Fiddlers in Missouri. University of Missouri Press. pp. 101–. ISBN 978-0-8262-7293-5.
  7. ^ "2012 Grand Master Fiddle Champion". Bluegrass Today, John Lawless | October 9, 2012
  8. ^ "The Past Alabama State Fiddle Champs!". Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddlers Convention.
  9. ^ "Miles from the Hard Road, New CD from Allen Shadd". Cybergrass, June 23, 2014
  10. ^ "Bluegrass Rumblings and Awards".Nielsen Business Media, Inc. (February 17, 1996). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. pp. 34–. ISSN 0006-2510. {{cite book}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  11. ^ a b "James Price – Fiddlin the Old-Time Way / Randy Howard – I Rest My Case / Glen Duncan – Self-Titled". No Depression, April 30, 2003
  12. ^ Bluegrass Awards Crown McCory, Nielsen Business Media, Inc. (October 30, 1999). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. pp. 30–. ISSN 0006-2510. {{cite book}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  13. ^ The Encyclopedia of Country Music. Oxford University Press. January 4, 2012. pp. 622–. ISBN 978-0-19-992083-9.
  14. ^ "Review: I Rest My Case". Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange, by Allen Price
  15. ^ The Old-time Herald: A Magazine Dedicated to Old-time Music. Old-Time Music Group. 1999. p. 42.
  16. ^ Colin Larkin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music: Grenfell, Joyce – Koller, Hans. MUZE. p. 392. ISBN 978-0-19-531373-4.
  17. ^ Album listing, AllMusic.com
  18. ^ Marty McGee (March 1, 2000). Traditional Musicians of the Central Blue Ridge: Old Time, Early Country, Folk and Bluegrass Label Recording Artists, with Discographies. McFarland. p. 31. ISBN 978-0-7864-0876-4.
  19. ^ Album Review. Musical Discoveries, Russell W Elliot May 28, 1999