Randy Gilkey
{{short description|American singer-songwriter}}
{{BLP sources|date=September 2011}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Randy Gilkey
| image =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1976|9|16}}
| birth_place = Oak Hill, West Virginia, U.S.
| genre = Americana
| years_active = 1989–present
}}
Randy Gilkey (born September 16, 1976) is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer and recording engineer from Oak Hill, West Virginia. Gilkey lost his eyesight shortly after birth when too much oxygen was pumped into an incubator, where both of his retinas became detached. Gilkey began playing piano aged two. He tours, records and performs with his band "The Boatmen".{{Citation|url= http://www.register-herald.com/local/x20299424/Area-native-s-musical-career-takes-off/print|title=Area native's musical career takes off|last= Clark|first= Courtney D.|date= September 20, 2009|publisher=The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia|access-date=October 4, 2011}}{{Citation|url= http://www.wchstv.com/newsroom/eyewitness/110616_5560.shtml |title=Musician's Disability Doesn't Stop His Passion|last1= Hypes|first1= Chad |last2=Baidya |first2=Atish |last3=Noreika |first3=Elizabeth |date= June 16, 2011 |publisher=Eyewitness Local News|access-date=October 4, 2011}}{{Cite web |last=Wineka |first=Mark |date=May 17, 2016 |title=Blind ambition: A visiting musician makes downtown pianos sing |url=https://www.salisburypost.com/2016/05/17/piano-man/ |access-date=September 2, 2022 |website=Salisbury Post |language=en}}
Musical career
Gilkey's instrumentation can be found on albums by artists such as The Drifters and Maurice Williams and The Zodiacs. Randy has played on stage with artists such as Chuck Berry and David Holt and has appeared on NPR's Mountain Stage several times.{{Citation|url= http://www.wchstv.com/newsroom/eyewitness/110616_5560.shtml|title=Huntington's 2nd annual Music and Arts Festival to kick off Saturday|last1= Halsey|first1= Derek|date= August 25, 2011|publisher=Herald-Dispatch |access-date=October 4, 2011}}
In July 2011, "The Boatmen" released their self-titled debut album at FloydFest.
In November 2017, Gilkey announced that he would audition for America's Got Talent to help him reach a national audience.{{Cite web |last=Farrish |first=Jessica |date=November 13, 2017 |title=Gilkey to audition for America's Got Talent |url=https://www.fayettetribune.com/news/gilkey-to-audition-for-america-s-got-talent/article_ebac9284-c704-11e7-8a2f-6399ea0cb971.html |access-date=September 1, 2022 |website=Fayette Tribune |language=en}}
He is a nominee for the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame.{{Cite web |title=Nominees |url=https://www.wvmusichalloffame.com/nominees.html |access-date=September 2, 2022 |website=West Virginia Music Hall of Fame}}
Personal life
Gilkey resides in his hometown of Oak Hill, West Virginia, and continues to regularly play events in Beckley and the surrounding areas.{{Cite web |last=Halsey |first=Derek |date=September 1, 2022 |title=Huntington Music and Arts Festival is Saturday with 25 acts, art and more |url=https://www.herald-dispatch.com/features_entertainment/huntington-music-and-arts-festival-is-saturday-with-25-acts-art-and-more/article_dfa38ac8-ccbe-50c9-b885-6d382008734d.html |access-date=September 2, 2022 |website=The Herald-Dispatch |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Skeldon |first=Katherine |date=June 9, 2022 |title=Fish fry fundraiser to be held for the Humane Society of Raleigh County |url=https://woay.com/fish-fry-fundraiser-to-be-held-for-the-humane-society-of-raleigh-county/ |access-date=September 2, 2022 |website=WOAY-TV |language=en-US}}
References
{{reflist|2}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- {{Official website}}
- [http://www.reverbnation.com/theboatmen The Boatmen website]
- [https://www.facebook.com/RandyGilkeyMusic Randy Gilkey Music] on Facebook
- {{Discogs artist|Randy Gilkey}}
{{Portalbar|West Virginia|Music}}
{{Authority control|state=collapsed}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gilkey, Randy}}
Category:American male singer-songwriters
Category:People from Oak Hill, West Virginia
Category:Musicians from West Virginia
Category:21st-century American singer-songwriters