Randy Howard (country singer)

Randall Lamar "Randy" Howard (May 9, 1950 – June 9, 2015) was an American singer,^[1] songwriter, guitarist, publisher and producer. His music involved outlaw country, traditional country, Old Southern Gospel, Blues and Christian Country.

Early life

Howard was born in Macon, Georgia.^[2]

Career

Howard worked as a disk jockey and program director at WDEN radio in Macon, Georgia.^[3] He also appeared on television. He formed the company Utopian Enterprises in 1973 and produced a number of records.^[4][5]

As a recording artist, Howard released seven albums and CDs, all of which have charted in both national and international trade magazines. His album All American Redneck was listed in BillBoard's Top Album Picks in 1983.^[6]

As a writer, Howard's songs were recorded by The Geezinslaw Brothers, Robin Lee and Hank Williams III. Williams' version of Randy Howard's "I DON'T KNOW" was a top forty hit in Billboard and was # 1 for five weeks on the Texas Music Chart. Hank III sang it during his debut performance on the Grand Ole Oprey and received a standing ovation. Hank III's CD Straight to Hell features Randy Howard's song entitled "My Drinkin' Problem" ^[7] which Stephen King, as Pop of King, included in his TOP 10 MUSIC PICKS A~LIST in Entertainment Weekly.

Howard had appeared on Nashville Now, Entertainment Tonite, Good Morning America and USA Today.

In June, 2015, Howard was shot and killed at his home in Lynchburg, Tennesse during an altercation with a bounty hunter.^[8][9]

Discography

• All American Redneck ~ Warner Brothers.^[10][11] Clint Eastwood has commissioned and owns rights to a movie script based on the Title Song, which continues to be a cult/jukebox classic.
• Now & Then ~ Utopian Label
• NOT PLUGGED IN ~ Utopian Label
• RANDY HOWARD ~ Atlantic Records
• MACON MUSIC ~ Hitsound,{Europe}
• RANDY HOWARD LIVE ~ Paul Hornsby and Randy Howard
• THE BEST of RANDY HOWARD ~ Paul Hornsby and Randy Howard

References

1. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. (6 October 1973). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. pp. 44–. ISSN 0006-2510.
2. Joel Whitburn (May 1989). Joel Whitburn's top country singles, 1944-1988: compiled from Billboard's country charts, 1944-1988. Record Research. p. 144. ISBN 978-0-89820-070-6.
3. "Utopian in Georgia. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. (13 January 1973). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. pp. 32–. ISSN 0006-2510.
4. "Macon forms Country Effort". Nielsen Business Media, Inc. (28 April 1973). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. pp. 17–. ISSN 0006-2510.
5. "Macon Music Utopia Gets Life Insurance". Nielsen Business Media, Inc. (25 May 1974). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. pp. 45–. ISSN 0006-2510.
6. "Billboard's Top Album Picks". Nielsen Business Media, Inc. (26 March 1983). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. pp. 60–. ISSN 0006-2510.
7. "The Grandson Also Rises: Hank Williams Iii Tries His Hand At The Family Business". Chicago Tribune, September 15, 1996|By Jack Hurst
8. "Country singer Randy Howard’s shooting death sparks scrutiny of bounty hunter laws". Max Blau 16 June 2015
9. "Outlaw Country Singer Randy Howard Dies in Shootout With Bounty Hunter". Taste of Country, By Sterling Whitaker June 11, 2015
10. Harry L. Watson; Larry J. Griffin (28 April 2008). Southern Cultures: The Fifteenth Anniversary Reader. Univ of North Carolina Press. pp. 320–. ISBN 978-0-8078-8646-5.
11. "Majors ready Barrage of new Artists". Nielsen Business Media, Inc. (29 January 1983). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. pp. 82–. ISSN 0006-2510.