Randy Howard (fiddler)

Howard was born in Georgia and grew up in Milledgeville.[http://www.unionrecorder.com/news/lifestyles/randy-d-howard-held-the-world-on-a-fiddle-string/article_2dfa5586-e1cc-5bbc-99f4-1e8ff85ad09a.html "Randy D. Howard held the world on a fiddle string."]. Union-Recorder, Daniel McDonald August 29, 2008 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.{{cite book|author=Drew Beisswenger|title=North American Fiddle Music: A Research and Information Guide|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IAiRAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA103|date=May 31, 2011|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-135-84723-4|pages=103–}}

Howard was the first prize fiddler at the inaugural Tri-State Bluegrass Association fiddle contest in 1982.[http://www.tsbafestivals.org/html/history.html "History of the Tri-State Bluegrass Association"]. Association website.

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.[https://ifthataintcountry.net/2013/02/19/the-short-story-of-randy-howard-fiddler-extraordinaire/ "The short story of Randy Howard, fiddler extraordinaire"]. If That Ain't Country, February 19, 2013. He continued to win many fiddle contests.{{cite book|title=The Devil's Box|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MFfaAAAAMAAJ|year=1997|publisher=Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddlers' Association.|page=67}}{{cite book|author=Howard Wight Marshall|title=Play Me Something Quick and Devilish: Old-Time Fiddlers in Missouri|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EjMVg1eWTzcC&pg=PA101|date=January 1, 2013|publisher=University of Missouri Press|isbn=978-0-8262-7293-5|pages=101–}}[http://bluegrasstoday.com/2012-grand-master-fiddle-champion/ "2012 Grand Master Fiddle Champion"]. Bluegrass Today, John Lawless | October 9, 2012[http://www.athens.edu/fiddlers/past-champs/ "The Past Alabama State Fiddle Champs!"]. Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddlers Convention.

Howard performed on two albums with the Lonesome River Band. He was a guest artist on an album by Allen Shadd.[http://www.cybergrass.com/node/3775 "Miles from the Hard Road, New CD from Allen Shadd"]. Cybergrass, June 23, 2014 He was named fiddle player of the year at the International Bluegrass Music Awards in 1996."Bluegrass Rumblings and Awards".{{cite book|title=Billboard|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_Gw8EAAAAMBAJ|date=February 17, 1996|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_Gw8EAAAAMBAJ/page/n33 34]–|issn=0006-2510}}

Howard died of cancer in 1999.[http://nodepression.com/album-review/james-price-fiddlin-old-time-way-randy-howard-i-rest-my-case-glen-duncan-self-titled "James Price – Fiddlin the Old-Time Way / Randy Howard – I Rest My Case / Glen Duncan – Self-Titled"]. No Depression, April 30, 2003 That year, he was once more named fiddle player of the year at the International Bluegrass Music Awards.Bluegrass Awards Crown McCory, {{cite book|title=Billboard|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eAgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA30|date=October 30, 1999|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|pages=30–|issn=0006-2510}}{{cite book|title=The Encyclopedia of Country Music|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tLZz02EzmBYC&pg=PA622|date=January 4, 2012|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-992083-9|pages=622–}} An album of his recordings, I Rest My Case, was released posthumously by Sugar Hill Records in 2001.[http://www.acousticmusic.com/fame/p02326.htm "Review: I Rest My Case"]. Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange, by Allen Price

Raw Guitar, Robin Kessinger{{cite book|title=The Old-time Herald: A Magazine Dedicated to Old-time Music|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ij7aAAAAMAAJ|year=1999|publisher=Old-Time Music Group|page=42}}

• Randy Howard, Atlantic, 1988{{cite book|author=Colin Larkin|title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music: Grenfell, Joyce – Koller, Hans|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uAsKAQAAMAAJ|year=2006|publisher=MUZE|isbn=978-0-19-531373-4|page=392}}
• One Step Forward, Lonesome River Band, Sugar Hill Records, 1996[https://www.allmusic.com/album/one-step-forward-mw0000186020 Album listing, AllMusic.com]
• Finding the Way, Lonesome River Band Sugar Hill Records, 1998{{cite book|author=Marty McGee|title=Traditional Musicians of the Central Blue Ridge: Old Time, Early Country, Folk and Bluegrass Label Recording Artists, with Discographies|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ea7uCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA31|date=March 1, 2000|publisher=McFarland|isbn=978-0-7864-0876-4|page=31}}
• Shore to Shore, Mae McKenna, 1999[http://www.musicaldiscoveries.com/reviews/maests.htm Album Review]. Musical Discoveries, Russell W Elliot May 28, 1999
• I Rest My Case, 2001

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Category:American country fiddlers

Category:American bluegrass fiddlers

Category:1960 births

Category:People from Milledgeville, Georgia

Category:1999 deaths

Category:Country musicians from Georgia (U.S. state)