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Randy Kohrs - A Crack In My Armour
Junction Records - JR2301
Randy Kohrs was first introduced to stringed instruments in Iowa when he was eight years old. Randy's uncle pulled out a guitar and produced magic, for the boy, the musical die was cast. Enchanted by the sounds, he headed off into an exploration that continues to fascinate him today. On the way, Randy has developed into an emotionally expressive vocalist with a sparkling clear tenor voice. In his performances, he presents a variety of material that carries the listener along on journeys ranging from bouncing enthusiasm through numbing heartache, from the top edge of good mood to the cold bottom of a broken heart, and then back up again, His mastery of different forms of strings and wood include: acoustic and electric dobro, acoustic and electric guitar (low and alternatively tuned), lap steel, straight steel, pedal steel, Hawaiian slide guitar, bottleneck blues guitar, mandolin, banjo, upright bass, and tenor acoustic guitar; but such a list can't describe the effortless ease and artistry of his play. As Randy moves from one instrument to another, it is clear pure joy and love for what he does fuels his own wizardry.
It's natural that a talent like Randy doesn't go unnoticed. He has been performing professionally and steadily since he was thirteen. Influenced by such innovators as Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, Buck Owens, The Louvin Brothers, Leon Macauliffe and, as he puts it, "countless" others; Randy has developed a voice and instrument voices uniquely his own. Testament to this is his already extensive recording studio career; he has most recently provided both voice and instruments to recordings as diverse as the current Hank Thompson CD "HANK AND FRIENDS", and the newest Walter Haitt project due out later this year. Randy's magical talents are also on a number of new releases including, Hank the III, John Cowan, and for Pinecastle Records, Sugar Hill, and Rounder. Its voice and playing style is vastly becoming an industry standard and has earned him three consecutive nominations for "Dobro Player of The Year" by the International BlueGrass Music Association. He toured the U.S. with the group CONTINENTAL DIVIDE in 1998, and the band's album, "FEEL GOOD DAY', generated a top five song on the bluegrass charts and a top twenty in the Americana charts.
Randy's television work has included appearances on AUSTIN CITY LIMITS with Patty Loveless, PRIME TIME COUNTRY with Tom T. Hall (1996-97), TNN's GRAND OLE OPRY LIVE with Holly Dunn, and CMT's WESTERN BEAT with Hal Ketchem. He is currently a member of the John Cowan Band, singing high harmony and adding his style of resonator guitar, while juggling his own tour schedule.
Tracks on the album include:
"A Reason For Everything"- was born out of a jam session in my house with the writer Jimmy Yeary. He, said, "Hey 1 have this song in my head that seems right for this project.' We cut a scratch track of it right then and 1 recorded it later that week. It turned out to be the fun picking song of the CD.
"Miles Of Heartache"- I found this song through the group BR549. They were looking for material for their next record. 1 was hanging out with them as they played through the boxes and bags of tapes that wore given to them. We came across this song. They felt it was a good song but not right for them I managed to make it home with that tape and the rest is history.
"Little By Little"- 1 met writer Betsy Hammer not long after I moved to Nashville. She and 1 had mutual friends and were soon writing together. 1 found this song in her catalog, which she had co-written with Steve Dean. I really loved the song but didn't like the arrangement that much With Betsy's blessing, 1 took the liberty to change the musical hook and made it my own. It turned out to be the single and many people's favorite cut on the CD.
"A Crack In My Armour"- The title track was found by accident and born of good intentions. Judy Rodman and her brother Billy had written this wonderful song and the company Judy had written for didn't believe in the song enough to have it demo'ed I believed in the song very much and as a favor cut the song with Judy. With a little fine-tuning, the track turned out to be wonderfuL Robert Jason and 1 fine tuned the track some more and 1 gave it my heart and soul and it became what it is today.
"I Would If 1 Could" - co-written by Robert Jason and myself. We beard Buck Owens' version Of "Love's Gonna Live Here" on a trip home from Home Depot and we= reminded how cool country music used to be in the 50's and 60's. With the radio inspiration we decided to write some kind of traditional. type of song. 1 had had the hook for a while but hadn't done anything with it. We had most of the basic idea of the song written in 30 minutes and the rest of the day was spent getting it exactly right. 1 had so much fun watching Stuart Duncan record this song and we all laughed and had such a good time as well. 1 think this cut has such a unique personality being born 112 west coast country and 112 east coast bluegrass.
"Prisoner's Tears"- I have always been a fan of Mike Henderson's slide playing with his band the Bluebloods but what 1 didn't realize was what a great songwriter he was. 1 got to investigate his catalog and listening to his records and found this song. 1 have also had the privilege of getting Mike to play on a slide record that will be out in the &W Kudos to Mike and his cowriters for this little gem!
"Anyway"- 1 had followed Jim Lauderdale's career, thinking how great he was, but never got to be around him My cowriter and friend Betsy Hammer had worked with him in "Pump Boys And Dinettes" and they had become friends. She introduced us and now we're the best of friends and work together often. 1 found this song in his catalog and was also blessed to have Jim, sing on my version of his song.
"Every Now And Then"- was created by the pondering of what happened to an old girlfriend of mine. I was looking through my old high school yearbook with my friend, Dan Huss, from back home in Iowa. 1 asked about her but he didn't know what had become of her. 1 said to him, "I guess I'll always think about her Every Now and Then." After some mulling around 1 co-wrote this song with Misty Maxwell. and Robert Jason
"It Can't Rain Forever"- I was reading the local paper in Iowa shortly before I moved to Nashville in 1994 and read about this songs story. It moved me greatly and 1 kept the article and Betsy Hammer and 1 wrote the story as close as we could to the article.
"Out Among The Stars"- originally sung by John Starling and the Seldom Scene. 1 learned this song years ago and have been singing it for probably 15 years. 1 was singing it m Roberts Western Wear one night and this fellow came up to me and said "I loved the way you sang my song" and introduced himself as Adam. Mitchell. Of course, 1 was floored. We spent my whole break talking. 1 have since became good friends with Adam, and we've written some together. He sings harmony on my version of his song on my CD.
Alison Krauss & Union station - LIVE CD
Review of the first ever Live album by Alison Krauss & Union Station, written by West Australia's Troy Cook
Hardrive in Bluegrass Now Magazine
Melbourne band Hardrive's award-winning album Henry Lawson's Blues is reviewed in the top US Bluegrass magazine, Bluegrass Now!
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