Randy Parsons

RANDY PARSONS
Biography

Randy Parsons (a.k.a. Randall and Randall T. Parsons)
Songwriter, acoustic and electric guitar, bass, vocals

Randy Parsons was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee and spent his first two years on Signal Mountain outside the city. Despite his southern origins, however, he grew up in New England and spent his adult life in and around New York City. He now lives with his wife Patty in East Hampton, New York, 100 miles outside the city amongst the farm fields, fisherpeople, beaches and tourists of eastern Long Island.

Randy began playing guitar and performing in bands in the 1960’s. He grew up listening to the Beach Boys, the Beatles, Paul Simon, James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, and the swirl of the 60’s music revolution of those years. While in the background were the jazz and Broadway show records his parents were playing.

Although Randy took lessons on the violin and piano, it was the guitar that resonated the most. And, although he has sung, played electric guitar and bass, he now concentrates on steel string acoustic guitar for writing and recording and an occasional performance.

Randy studied music at the Juilliard School, New York University and the New School and did the NYC songwriters workshop circuit with Hugh Prestwood, Henry Gaffney, Jeff Franzel and Shirley Washington. He also studied lyric writing with Pat Pattison. He has performed solo and with a band in New England, New York and Los Angeles, including at the former Folk City (NYC), the Bitter End (NYC), the Stephen Talkhouse (Amagansett, New York) and Guild Hall (East Hampton, New York) and accompanied Grammy award winning songwriter Hugh Prestwood, on electric bass opening for Crystal Gayle.

His greatest musical satisfaction today comes from writing songs, playing the guitar parts and recording with the talented session musicians and singers in and around New York: inlcuding Marlon Saunders; John Margolis; Lauren Coen; Ron D’Aigle; Nancy Atlas; George Wurzbach; Mike Mandel; Lorraine Ferro; Veronica Nunn; Johnny Blood; Rick Salter, Bill Frisbie John Tooker and Richie Rousch.

Randy’s songs are played on college and commercial radio in the US and abroad. He has three CD’s: City and the Sky (1977); Right from the Start (1999), and; Go Ahead and Love Someone.(2002), two of which are currently available through Amazon.com or CDbaby.com. His songs are also available by the track at Apple ITunes, and at Broadjam.com.

Randy is a member of TAXI, the Independent A&R company, NSAI, the Film Music Network, the Songwriters Guild and The National Academy of Popular Music.

Randy’s song “Maybe I’m Running Away” was featured in ASCAP’s Song to Song Showcase in New York in March of 1998; “Sweet Motion” was given an Honorable Mention as one of 56 finalists out of 6000 entries in the 2003 CMT/NSAI song contest and, “Morning Sky,” won first place in the Boston Folk Festival songwriting contest in 2005. His songs and acoustic guitar pieces have been included in various film and television projects. Most recently, his song “Lucia Walk on The Beach” was used in the ABC Family hit series, Falcon Beach.

Randy and his publishing company Lily Hill Music are affiliated with ASCAP. Lily Hill Music is also represented by the Harry Fox Agency in New York.

For more information, contact Lily Hill Music, Box 480 East Hampton, NY 11937, 631-329-8239, lilyhillmusic@aol.com and www.randyparsons.net.

© 2008 Randy Parsons