A BREIF BIOGRAPHY
After growing up in south Arkansas and a stint in graduate school in Denver, Randall McKinnon has settled into the Colorado’s high country and proven himself as a favorite on the local entertainment circuit. As a 24 year resident of Summit County, Randall is no stranger to the entertainment expectations and needs of local venues and special events. An interesting life journey from minister and social worker to full-time musician has provided Randall with experiences which allow him to establish a powerful rapport with his audience. His stage presence, warm vocals and solid rhythm guitar bid audiences to make themselves comfortable--it’s been said that one of Randall’s shows is like being invited into his home, but with a bit more elbow room.
Over two decades ago Randall began performing for dinner sleigh rides--an intimate setting where he mixed mountain favorites from artists like Jimmy Buffett, John Prine and John Denver with children’s sing-a-long and cowboy standards (2010 marks his 21st winter season with the Keystone Stables.). Randall’s growth as a performer found him reaching back to “country classics” such as Hank Williams and Johnny Cash while embracing the timeless rock of groups like The Band and the Eagles. With material from great songwriters like Guy Clark, Steve Earle and Fred Eaglesmith Randall has built on this foundation to offer a fresh country-folk-rock synthesis that is uniquely “Colorado”, powerfully entertaining and just plain fun.
Randall’s connection with the mountains of Colorado is clearly apparent in his newly released CD— Where Rivers Change Direction (March, 2010). The lyrical story-lines in these songs evoke powerful images of the American West--populated by heroes and outlaws, lovers and loners. Randall’s delivery and the outstanding musicianship of his band mates, Katie Glassman and Mike Music, are the stuff of expressive story-telling and satisfying listening. This is the work of an entertainer who has spent years around campfires and woodstoves high in the Rockies and who knows how to effectively communicate this sense of place.