Randy Stonehill

Randy Stonehill
Randy Stonehill
	In concert May 2014 in Fremont, California
Background information
Birth name	Randall Evan Stonehill
Born	March 12, 1952 (age 72); Stockton, California, U.S.
Genres	Contemporary Christian, folk rock, rock
Years active	1971–present
Labels	Solid Rock, Myrrh, StreetLevel
Website	www.RandyStonehill.com
	Signature

Randall Evan Stonehill (born March 12, 1952)^[1] is an American singer and songwriter from Stockton, California, best known as one of the pioneers of contemporary Christian music. His music is primarily folk rock in the style of James Taylor, but some of his albums have focused on new wave, pop, pop rock, roots rock, and children's music.^[2]^[3]

Early life

Randy Stonehill was born in Stockton, California.^[1] the son of Leonard N. Stonehill and his wife, Pauline Correia and is the younger brother of Jeffrey Dean Stonehill.

He graduated from Leigh High School, in San Jose, California, then moved to Los Angeles where he stayed with Christian rock singer, Larry Norman.^[4]

Career

Stonehill's first album, Born Twice was released in 1971, with financial help from Pat Boone. The album—one side a live performance, the other recorded in a studio—was recorded for a mere $US 800, and according to Stonehill, "sounds like every penny of it."^[5]

A year later, Stonehill made his film acting debut in The Blob sequel, Beware! The Blob (also known as Son of Blob), with Cindy Williams, in which he performed the unreleased song "Captain Coke".^[6] He also made a cameo appearance in the 1973 Billy Graham film Time to Run, performing his song "I Love You".^[7]

In 1976, Stonehill released the Larry Norman-produced Welcome to Paradise, for which Andy Johns did the engineering. This became a landmark album for the songwriter and was voted the "third most important contemporary Christian album" in a mid-1980s poll of Christian music critics.

In the late 1970s, Stonehill joined forces with rock band Daniel Amos for the "Amos 'n' Randy Tour". Daniel Amos went on to be Stonehill's band for his next two releases, and Stonehill later provided backing vocals on a number of Daniel Amos' projects.

1983 saw Stonehill's popular album Equator debut and go very rapidly out-of-print. The album is still widely sought-after in both vinyl and cassette form. No re-releases on CD were issued.^{[citation needed]}

1984's Celebrate This Heartbeat teamed Stonehill with longtime friend Phil Keaggy for the song "Who Will Save The Children?" In 1989 they formed The Keaggy/Stonehill Band with Daniel Amos bassist Tim Chandler and The Swirling Eddies' David Raven on drums. Keaggy and Stonehill also teamed up several other times, both live in concert and in the studio. They recorded and performed as Phil Keaggy and Sunday's Child in 1988. They also joined singer Margaret Becker, drummer Joe English (former member of Paul McCartney and Wings) and several others that same year for the Compassion All Star Band's album One by One.

Marriages and family

Stonehill has been married three times, to Sarah Mae Finch, Sandra Jean Warner, and Leslie Sealander,^[8] with the first two marriages ending in divorce. His second marriage produced one daughter, Heather. Finch later married Larry Norman.^[9]

Discography

Born Twice, 1971 debut album
Get Me Out of Hollywood, recorded 1973, not officially released until 1999
Welcome to Paradise, 1976, produced by Larry Norman
The Sky Is Falling, recorded 1977, released 1980, produced by Larry Norman
Between the Glory and the Flame, 1981, produced by Terry Scott Taylor
Equator, 1983, produced by Terry Scott Taylor
Celebrate This Heartbeat, 1984, produced by Barry Miller Kaye
Stonehill, 1984 EP, produced by Barry Miller Kaye
Love Beyond Reason, 1985, produced by Barry Miller Kaye
The Wild Frontier, 1986, produced by Dave Perkins
Can't Buy a Miracle, 1988, produced by Dave Perkins
Return to Paradise, 1989, produced by Mark Heard
Until We Have Wings, 1990 studio/live album, produced by Mark Heard
Wonderama, 1991, produced by Terry Scott Taylor
Stories, 1993 compilation, with 3 new tracks produced by Terry Scott Taylor
Lazarus Heart, 1994, produced by Jimmie Lee Sloas
Our Recollections, 1996 compilation
Thirst, 1998, produced by Rick Elias
Uncle Stonehill's Hat Uncle Stonehill, 2001 children's album produced by Terry Scott Taylor
Edge of the World, 2002, produced by Bob Kilpatrick and Stonehill
Together Live!, 2006 live album recorded with Phil Keaggy
Touchstone, 2007
Paradise Sky, 2008, produced by Randy Stonehill and Mike Pachelli
Mystery Highway, 2009, produced by Phil Keaggy and Randy Stonehill
Spirit Walk, 2011, produced by Mike Pachelli and Randy Stonehill
Stonehill and Storm – Breath of God, 2013, produced by Buck Storm
Lost Art of Listening, 2020^[10]

Compilations and productions

Time to Run, Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, 1973 album, produced by Anthony Harris (Stonehill performs on three tracks)
Strong Hand of Love, tribute to Mark Heard, 1994
Orphans of God, tribute to Mark Heard, 1996
First Love: a Historic Gathering of Jesus Music Pioneers, Jesus Movement artist reunion album, 1998
Surfonic Water Revival, tribute to surf music, 1998
When Worlds Collide: A Tribute to Daniel Amos, Daniel Amos tribute album, 1999
Making God Smile: An Artists' Tribute to the Songs of Beach Boy Brian Wilson, Brian Wilson tribute album, 2002
There's a Rainbow Somewhere: The Songs of Randy Stonehill, Randy Stonehill tribute album, 2022

Videography

Beware! The Blob (also known as Son of Blob). Motion Picture, 1972.
Time to Run, World Wide Pictures. Motion Picture, 1973
Love Beyond Reason: The Video Album, VHS, 1985
One Night In 20 Years, anniversary live concert, VHS, 1990
First Love: An Historic Gathering of Artists from the Jesus Movement, Volume 2, VHS, 1998; Re-released on DVD, 2005
Together Live in concert with Phil Keaggy, DVD, 2006
Fallen Angel: The Outlaw Larry Norman. Documentary, 2009

Works

"Married Strangers", Christianity Today (Spring 1999)^[11]

References

^ ^a ^b Source Citation: Birthdate: March 12, 1952; Birth County: San Joaquin. Source Information: Ancestry.com. California Birth Index, 1905–1995
^ Powell, Mark Allan (2002). Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music. Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers. pp. 878–883. ISBN 1-56563-679-1.
^ Chris Willman, "Randy Stonehill: Turning Twenty: Celebrates 20 Years of Humor, Humanity, & the Hope of Glory", CCM (August 1990), http://www.nifty-music.com/stonehill/ccm0890.html
^ W. K. McNeil, ed., Encyclopedia of American Gospel Music (Routledge: 2005):377.
^ Powell, Mark Allan (2002). Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music. Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers. p. 879. ISBN 1-56563-679-1.
^ "Beware! The Blob (1972) - IMDb". Retrieved January 27, 2021 – via www.imdb.com.
^ "Time to Run (1973) - IMDb". Retrieved January 27, 2021 – via www.imdb.com.
^ facebook^{[clarification needed]}
^ California Marriage Index, Brides 1980–1985, page 5,413.
^ ""Lost Art of Listening" CD (Released 11/24/20)". Randy Stonehill Store!. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
^ Randy Stonehill (July 25, 2010). "Married Strangers | Kyria". Christianitytoday.com. Retrieved June 22, 2013.