photo: Russ Haire
Randall Williams (2:00 p.m.) – Folk singer, songwriter, opera singer, guitar teacher; Randall Williams has done it all. After graduating from the Royal Conservatory of Mons, Belgium at the head of his class, Randall, feeling that classical music lacked the inclusiveness of folk music and that the inevitable division between performer and audience was unbearable, turned to the world of traveling with his guitar, writing songs in train stations and sleeping on couches, then singing and playing on street corners, cafes, and pubs. He wrote a book about the time he lived aboard a 20’ sailboat in the Baltic and North Seas. He moved to North Africa and traveled across the Sahara by hitching rides with locals. Randall has sung in a dozen languages in over 35 countries. In 2005 Randall returned to the United States to pick up his career as a performing songwriter.
As the “Partial Capo Guy,” Randall has written two books, recorded a DVD, and given workshops at some of the biggest festivals in the U.S. His latest DVD is entitled Guitar for TOTAL Beginners. He’s been a finalist in numerous song contests and has showcased at the Midwest and International Folk Alliance conferences. He was an “Audience Favorite” at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival.
Randall has four recordings: Travel Songs (2002), Brave New World with Rowan Israel (2006), and One Night in Louisiana (2007).
His recording, Praying for Land, was released in 2008. Fellow singer/songwriter David Wilcox said of it, “Randall has lived some amazing adventures. In Praying for Land, we can feel his bold heart calling us all to follow our dreams.”
For more information about Randall Williams, visit his website at WhereIsRandall.com.
