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Randy Stonehill

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Randy Stonehill (born March 12, 1952) is an American singer/songwriter from Stockton, California, best known for being one of the so called "grandfathers" of "contemporary Christian" music.

Stonehill's first album, Born Twice was released in 1971, with financial help from Pat Boone. The album was recorded for a mere $US 800, and according to Stonehill, it "sounds like every penny of it!" (Interviewer in 1994: "When will Born Twice be released on CD?" Stonehill: "When someone in charge makes a grave error in judgment.")

A year later, Stonehill made his film acting debut in The Blob sequel, Beware! The Blob (also known as Son of Blob). Also that year, Stonehill wrote "Your Love Broke Through" with Todd Fishkind and Keith Green, which would be recorded by numerous artists over the years including Stonehill himself, Phil Keaggy, Russ Taff and others.

In 1976, Stonehill released the Larry Norman produced Welcome to Paradise, with Andy Johns (The Who, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin) doing the engineering. Welcome to Paradise has become somewhat of a landmark album for the songwriter. Norman would also produce the followup, The Sky Is Falling, which would start a twenty year tradition of Stonehill's of recording two albums with each producer that he worked with. That tradition continued through two albums with Terry Scott Taylor (including the landmark, Equator), two albums with Barry Kaye, two albums with Dave Perkins, two albums with Mark Heard, and two more albums with Taylor until the routine was broken with 1995's Lazarus Heart.

In the late 1970s, Stonehill would join forces with rock band Daniel Amos for the Amos n' Randy Tour. DA would go on to be Randy's band for the next two releases, 1981's Between the Glory and the Flame and 1982's Equator. The latter album introduced Stonehill fans to the concert favorites "Shut De Do" and "American Fast Food." Stonehill would later provide backing vocals on a number of DA's projects including Doppelganger, and would even join DA's lead singer, Terry Taylor, for a duet on his first solo project, Knowledge & Innocence, entitled "A Song of Innocence."

1984's Celebrate This Heartbeat teamed Stonehill with longtime friend Phil Keaggy for the song "Who Will Save The Children?" The two would frequently tour together over the years, even forming The Keaggy/Stonehill Band in 1989 with Daniel Amos bassist Tim Chandler and Swirling Eddie David Raven on drums. The tour was in support of Stonehill's Can't Buy A Miracle and Keaggy's all star tribute to '60s rock and roll, Phil Keaggy and Sunday's Child (which also featured Stonehill, Steve Taylor, Derri Daugherty, Mark Heard and others lending a hand). Keaggy and Stonehill would also team up, along with Paul McCartney and the Wings drummer Joe English, singer Margaret Becker, and others, in 1988 for the Compassion All Star Band's album One by One. Stonehill followed Heartbeat with 1985's Love Beyond Reason, a pop-rock effort that teamed the artist with Amy Grant for the duet, "I Could Never Say Goodbye." The album also contained Stonehill's own version of "Your Love Broke Through." A video collection was also created for the album and released on VHS.

1976's "Welcome To Paradise"
Enlarge
1976's "Welcome To Paradise"

In 1990, in honor of Stonehill's 20th anniversary in the music business, friends gathered for a special concert celebration. Musical performances included appearances by Daniel Amos, Tom Howard, The Swirling Eddies, Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, and Russ Taff. Stonehill ended the night with a performance himself, which was filmed and released on the VHS-only One Night In 20 Years. In addition to the other performers listed above, the video also featured appearances by Pat Boone, Jerry Houser, Michele Pillar, Gary Chapman, Bryan Duncan and others, all recounting some of their favorite memories of Stonehill. That same year, Stonehill released Until We Have Wings, an album that was produced by Mark Heard and was split with half live material and half studio material. Also that year, Stonehill teamed up with Daniel Amos once again for an "Amos n' Randy" reuinion concert at Cornerstone 90. Stonehill closed the show by joining The Swirling Eddies onstage for some covers of The Beatles "I Want To Hold Your Hand," The Animals "We Gotta Get Out Of This Place," and Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World."

For his next project, Stonehill chose to reuinite once again with producer Terry Scott Taylor for the epic Wonderama in 1991. Stories, a "best of" collection released tin 1993 teamed Stonehill with the Lost Dogs for three new tracks.

In 1994, Stonehill teamed up with other artists to pay tribute to longtime friend Mark Heard who had died in 1992 after suffering a heart attack during a performance at the Cornerstone Festival. Stonehill contributed his rendition of Heard's "Look Over Your Shoulder" for the CD 'Strong Hand of Love (later reissued on the double disc collection, Orphans of God''.

In 1994, Stonehill started StreetLevel Records. The label released Julie Millers' Invisible Girl, and Stonehill's own Lazarus Heart. In 2001, Stonehill released a children's record using the name Uncle Stonehill, entitled Uncle Stonehill's Hat. Also that year, Stonehill embarked on the "Legends Tour," with Daniel Amos, The 77s and Sweet Comfort Band. During the tour's performance at Cornerstone '01, Stonehill was joined on stage by Larry Norman for the song "Good News." 2002's Edge Of The World followed, which brought together a number of musical friends including Phil Keaggy, Barry McGuire, Noel Paul Stookey, Love Song, Phil Madeira, Mike Roe, Russ Taff, and Sara Groves, and Larry Norman. This album marked the first time Stonehill and Norman appeared together on a recording since 1980's The Sky is Falling.

As of 2006, Stonehill continues to record and tour heavily around the world. Stonehill is an excellent live performer, putting on a great show whether with a band or solo. His sterling sense of humour comes through in his live performance as it does in studio recordings such as "American Fastfood" and "Shut De Do".

In 2006 Stonehill is touring Australia.

Stonehill, and his wife Sandi, have one daughter named Heather.

Contents

Discography

Compilations

Uncle Stonehill

Videography

External links


Randy Stonehill
Discography
Born Twice | Get Me Out of Hollywood | Welcome to Paradise | The Sky is Falling
Between the Glory and the Flame | Equator | Celebrate This Heartbeat | Love Beyond Reason | The Wild Frontier
Can't Buy A Miracle | Return to Paradise | Until We Have Wings | Wonderama | Stories | Lazarus Heart | Thirst
Production
Larry Norman | Terry Scott Taylor | Barry Miller Kaye | Dave Perkins | Mark Heard | Rick Elias
Related Articles
Phil Keaggy | Daniel Amos | Compassion International

 

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