Today, we have what they call the “Modern Day Outlaw.” But where are the Real Outlaws? The ones cut from stone and worn out from days on the range. Hard work and sweating tears Outlaws. The ones who have outlasted the trends and continue to do things their way. Bob Randall has centered his entire life around music; it’s a path that only the Outlaws can take. The hard nights spent out on the road setting up and tearing down is not an easy life, but when music is in your blood, it is in it for life.
As the legend goes, Bob grabbed his first guitar at the age of 3, instantly breaking it as it fell off the family piano to the floor. In the 5th grade, he performed his first solo performance “Hound Dog” by Elvis and was instantly hooked. At 14, he started performing in a 3 piece folk group and after gaining some experience was asked to play bass for “Hugh Clinton & the Keystone Troubadours.” The band performed all over the east coast area at festivals and concerts and even led him to meeting country legend “Johnny Cash.” A couple years and bands later, Bob had formed “The Third Shelf” with former Velvet Underground drummer, Don Ellis and lead singer, Rick Rumor. They quickly gained speed playing in Philly, New Jersey, and West Virginia. Soon they were presented with record deals and as it goes, with bands comprised of young and strong-minded individuals, conflicts arose, and the deal and band broke apart.
From Rock ‘N’ Roll to Gospel is how Bob rolled and was soon in the family Gospel band, “Randall Family” with his dad and sister. Once again, he was touring and playing, and soon the band had a record contract to record 3 albums with Hymntone Records. For the next 5 years or so, Bob was playing Gospel with the family, and after his father and sister decided to leave the band, he soon followed suit.
At this point in life, Bob started his songwriting and soon was pulled into the Nashville music scene. He found himself playing with David Allen Coe, Steve Earl, and opening for bands like the Oak Ridge Boys. After a spell in Nashville, he Moved to Northumberland County and started a couple of bands, including “PA Crude” and “Buster.” Next, performing in the rock band “Nasty Kids” and then onto “FLEX”, an outlaw country/southern rock band in the 80’s playing alongside local legends, “Hybrid Ice.”
In the 90’s, however, Bob was dealt a blow no musician wants to face. A hand injury left him with limited use of his left hand, and he was unable to play guitar or bass. Motivated and undeterred, Bob picked up the Dobro and carried on playing with the band “Naive Americans.” After many years and three hand surgeries, Bob was finally able to start playing guitar again, only to be in another incident injuring his right arm. After healing up this time, he broke out on a mission to write his own songs and along with Dave Ginley, formed the “Randall Ginley Band” concentrating on originals from both artists.
Afterwards, he started Bob Randall Music, and once again found himself in Nashville, the country capital of the world. While there, he recorded two albums at Sony Studios on Mega International Label “Whiskey and Water” and His hit “Cigarettes and Black Coffee” which climbed the country charts reaching number one in Denmark, earning him a spot on the Grammy Award Ballot.
Bob has written over 200 songs and recorded 8 albums (all available on Bandcamp) and has started producing videos of his popular songs. Bob’s latest video release for 2024 “She Handed Me A Beer” is a gritty song with some masterful video and sound production that was filmed in the legendary Club 122 bar located just off Rt. 61 in Shamokin. Club 122 has been shut down since 2014 but owner Sam Pittello opened up his doors for the filming and it made for a great video. The video not only captures the spirit of the song but also the spirit of what Club 122 was for the community. It’s a great video and stars Bob Randall (of course) along with Artistes native Tonia Sulick Bell as the “Bar Tender.” Bob also filled Club 122 with his good friends and fellow musicians along with the main attraction, The Beer. Provided by local brewing company Old Forge Brewing in Danville PA.
He is now working on his next video, a song he wrote 5 years ago “Ghosts of all the Outlaws” with a release slated for mid-June. Bob along with videographer James Tresse traveled to Cold Springs Nevada to capture some breathtaking footage for a couple of video releases. Bob has a certain image in his mind when he thinks about his songs; he wants the videos to capture that feeling as close as possible. From filming in a local landmark club/restaurant that had been closed for over ten years to taming wild stallions in the desert of Nevada. Bob is not one to take a second string and will go to all lengths to capture his dreams and make his videos look and feel as real as the songs they are portraying. Bob along with his crew of James Treese and Alexander Paul at Double-A-Productions.com have done a great job on “She Handed Me A Beer” and I can’t wait to see the new releases.
Bob is a living legend, a true Outlaw in his own right. He has no plans of slowing down and along with his videos has a full line-up of events scheduled. From solo and duo acoustic shows to full band performances, including Alexander Paul on guitar, Randy Southstreet on bass (who has played with Dickie Betts and Great Southern), and John Erdley on drums. Please check the schedule on the previous page and make plans now to see Bob’s live performance. You can watch all of Bob’s videos on youtube/bobrandall/shehandedmeabeer and for the latest info check his website at www.bobscountrymusic.com.
Bob Randall’s journey through music has been one of resilience and dedication, echoing the spirit of the Outlaws from a bygone era. His commitment to his craft and unwavering passion have not only shaped his own career but have also left a lasting mark on the music industry. As he continues to shape his music and push boundaries, Bob Randall stands as a testament to the enduring power of authenticity in an ever-changing world.
bobrandall.bandcamp.com
bobscountrymusic.com/home