Randy Sparks facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Randy Sparks
|
|
|---|---|
Sparks in 1964
|
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Lloyd A. Sparks |
| Born | July 29, 1933 Leavenworth, Kansas, U.S. |
| Died | February 11, 2024 (aged 90) |
| Genres | Folk |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Guitar, Banjo |
| Years active | 1958–2024 |
| Labels | Verve, Columbia |
| Associated acts | The New Christy Minstrels, The Back Porch Majority |
Randy Sparks (July 29, 1933 – February 11, 2024) was an American musician, singer, and songwriter. He was also the person who started two famous music groups: The New Christy Minstrels and The Back Porch Majority.
Contents
Randy Sparks' Early Life and Music
Randy Sparks grew up in Oakland, California. He later went to the University of California at Berkeley. His very first time performing music was at a place called the Purple Onion in San Francisco.
In the late 1950s, Randy started his music career as a solo artist. This means he performed by himself. He released two albums during this time. One was called Walking the Low Road, and a song from it became quite popular.
Forming Music Groups
In 1960, Randy Sparks decided to form a music trio. A trio is a group of three musicians. They called themselves "The Randy Sparks Three" and released their own album.
Randy Sparks is well-known for writing many songs. He wrote a song called "Today". This song became a big hit for his group, The New Christy Minstrels, in 1964. He also helped write another popular song, "Green, Green".
Randy also wrote "Saturday Night in Toledo, Ohio". This song was later recorded and made famous by the singer John Denver.
Randy Sparks in Movies
Besides music, Randy Sparks also worked in movies. He acted in a film called The Big Night in 1960.
He also created the music for the 1964 movie Advance to the Rear. This movie was a funny story about the American Civil War. The love song "Today" was actually part of the music he wrote for this film.
Randy Sparks sang the main theme song for the 1958 movie Thunder Road. The movie's star, Robert Mitchum, even asked Randy to be in the film and write a song for it.
Awards and Recognition
In 2009, Randy Sparks and The New Christy Minstrels received a special honor. They got a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars in Palm Springs, California. This is like a star on a famous sidewalk, recognizing their contributions to music.
Randy Sparks' Family Life
Randy Sparks was married twice. His first marriage was to Jackie Miller from 1958 to 1962. Later, he married actress Diane Jergens in 1962. They stayed married until Diane passed away in 2018.
Randy and Diane had four children together. Their names are Kevin Ray, twins Cameron Michael and Melinda Anne, and Amanda Hamilton. Randy Sparks passed away on February 11, 2024, in San Diego.
