Randy Howard (fiddler)

Randy Howard (1960–1999) was an American bluegrass, country and old time fiddler.

Early life

Howard was born in Georgia and grew up in Milledgeville.^[1] 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.^[2]

Career

Howard was the first prize fiddler at the inaugural Tri-State Bluegrass Association fiddle contest in 1982.^[3] 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.^[4] He continued to win many fiddle contests.^[5][6][7][8]

Howard performed on two albums with the Lonesome River Band. He was a guest artist on an album by Allen Shadd.^[9] He was named fiddle player of the year at the International Bluegrass Music Awards in 1996.^[10]

Howard died of cancer in 1999.^[11] That year, he was once more named fiddle player of the year at the International Bluegrass Music Awards.^[12][13] An album of his recordings, I Rest My Case, was released posthumously by Sugar Hill Records in 2001.^[14]

Discography

Raw Guitar, Robin Kessinger^[15]

• Randy Howard, Atlantic, 1988^[16]
• One Step Forward, Lonesome River Band, Sugar Hill Records, 1996^[17]
• Finding the Way, Lonesome River Band Sugar Hill Records, 1998^[18]
• Shore to Shore, Mae McKenna, 1999^[19]
• I Rest My Case, 2001^[11]