Jon Randall Fans

Trisha Yearwood wasn't available to talk in advance of
her appearance Saturday at the Clay Center. Home for a
few days after being on tour for weeks to support the
re-release of her latest album "Jasper County,"
finding time to talk just wasn't working out. She had
other things to consider, like her family, including
her new husband, Garth What'shisname.

And besides, it was her birthday. Lots of people would
have a hard time getting to the phone.

Singer/songwriter Jon Randall, currently on tour with
Yearwood, could get to a phone - though just barely.
He got in late the night before. His dog was sick
until the wee hours.

"I was up taking him out every 30 minutes until about
5:30 this morning," he says.

He's tired and could definitely use a cup of coffee,
but there are a million things to get done before he
and the rest of the tour roll into town.

He's also completely unaware that it's Yearwood's
birthday. He didn't even send a card.

"Aw, no," he groans. "I totally missed it."

Yearwood, no doubt, will forgive him. Aside from being
a friend of hers for years, Randall is one of the
people in Nashville to whom people are paying more and
more attention.

As a sideman, he's played alongside the likes of
Emmylou Harris, Lyle Lovett and Linda Ronstadt. As a
songwriter, his song "Whiskey Lullaby," penned with
Bill Anderson, won the CMA's song of the year and
helped Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss take an ACM
award for best vocal event.

The success of the song came as something of a
surprise to Randall.

"It's a shot in the dark," he says. "You write 200
songs, and one somebody in Nashville picks up on. The
truth of the matter is, Bill Anderson and I were just

trying to write an 'old country song'," he says. "I
guess there hadn't been anything on the radio like it
in a while. There just wasn't a lot of stone cold
country."

Randall concedes that "Whiskey Lullaby" is a dark,
dark song, but he says it's not as direct as some
people might assume. "Seriously, there was a lady at
my sister's church asking if I was OK."

He says the song is rooted in the traditional music
that he grew up listening to and playing.

"I grew up playing bluegrass and hillbilly music," he
says. "In bluegrass, you kill everybody and then for
some reason, you go turn yourself in."

Those grim country ballads hung with him, though he
says that he was never really aware of how powerful
and frightening the content was until he started
trying to write songs of his own.

"I have written some happy songs," he admits, then
laughs and adds, "I just haven't recorded a lot of
them."

At least one or two of those happy songs can be found
among the collection on his album, "Walking Among the
Living."

Randall is shy about taking too much credit for the
success of "Whiskey Lullaby." He's quick to point out
that Bill Anderson, who is a country music legend,
shares the credit with coming up with it. The rest he
says has to do with good timing, good luck and good
people singing the song.

Still, his part in creating it has opened a few more
doors. Randall looks at them as chances to do what he
loves, not opportunities to increase his stock. It's
about music. Business comes after.

"It's all really fun until the attorneys and managers
and record companies get involved," he says with a
laugh. "I know it sounds cliched, but I just love
playing music."

The Grand Rapids Press' 2005 Best Picks - JACK LEAVER:
"1. Jon Randall, "Walking Among the Living" -- With his first release in six years, this often overlooked, but talented singer and songwriter achieved brilliance, first of all by creating the poignant "Whiskey Lullaby" and recording this mostly acoustic album that is outstanding. "

"Jon Randall, ‘Walking Among the Living’

Except for a few largely unnoticed albums, Jon Randall has played the role of an anonymous Nashville sideman and songwriter for the past 15 years. Then along came the Country Music Association’s song of the year, “Whiskey Lullaby,” that he wrote with Bill Anderson, followed by “Walking Among the Living,” and — lo and behold — he’s a singer-songwriter. And a darn listenable one at that.

With an effortless tenor comparable to Vince Gill’s, it’s a wonder it has taken this long for him to earn a spot with a major label. The album is steeped in traditional country/bluegrass with a sparse, largely acoustic accompaniment. One high point on a CD with no low points is the poignant “North Carolina Moon,” begun 15 years ago by Randall’s father and completed by the son. Sonya Isaacs’ harmony completes a lovely package.

Randall’s version of “Whiskey Lullaby” is more somber than the Brad Paisley-Alison Krauss hit version, darkened by a cello and string section accompaniment — the only violins on an album otherwise full of fiddles.

Along with Isaacs, he’s joined on the album by Patty Loveless in the ultimate cheating song, “I Shouldn’t Do This” and by Krauss on the solemn “No Southern Comfort.”

While ballads are his forte, Randall can be compared to the Eagles on the lilting “Long Way Down” and shows his rockabilly side on “Austin” in an album that’s notable not only by his performances but by the range of songs — all but one with his name on it.

The lone exception is “My Life” by R.L. Castleman, who penned “The Lucky One” for Krauss. It’s an uptempo delight on which he’s joined in a “new grass” jam by Sam Bush, Bela Fleck and John Cowan. —Tom Gardner"

"Jon Randall, Walking Among the Living (*** 1/2)

The year's best major label country album? That'd be Jon Randall's Walking Among The Living, a thrilling set of songs that should put an end to whatever issues have precluded Randall from being recognized as one of Nashville's major creative forces.

Randall has been kicking around here for years, first playing guitar and singing high, lonesome harmonies for Emmylou Harris, then attempting a solo career. He made headlines for his marriage to Lorrie Morgan, but didn't make much chart headway: A curious situation, given Randall's instrumental virtuosity and an accessible singing voice that was often -- and for the most part erroneously -- compared to Vince Gill's.

Flying under the radar at the beginning of the new century, Randall made headlines again when his co-written Whiskey Lullaby -- a song inspired by his breakup with Morgan -- became a hit for Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss. Randall and co-writer Bill Anderson collected a CMA song of the year trophy last month for that song, and Randall's own version of Whiskey Lullaby is featured on Walking Among The Living. It's a fine track, but on this album it is by no means an undisputed highlight. With inspired, organic production from George Massenburg, Randall delivers gem after gem, all sung with unprocessed emotion.

It's a brave album, too: Randall writes about heartache and addiction from a position of frailty, without strut or bluster or anything except honest contemplation. "Baby won't you love me?" he asks. "I can't do it by myself/ It's too big a job, you see/ It's gonna take somebody else." Then there's the cheater's lament I Shouldn't Do This, two heart-stopping sad, Southern songs -- North Carolina Moon and No Southern Comfort -- and a cover of husband-wife team Robert Lee and Melanie Castleman's My Life ("It's my life, even if it's out of control.")

Bigwigs including Krauss, John Cowan, Carl Jackson, Patty Loveless, Vince Gill, Sam Bush and Jessi Alexander contribute, offering an easy solution to the quandary Randall writes about in Austin, in which he sings, "I can't find exemption from all this mediocrity." Um, just play this album."

- PETER COOPER / The Tennessean

"With the easy polish of Vince Gill and the wry quirkiness of Lyle Lovett, Randall breathes life into this varied, richly rewarding album. Randall's lyrics have a graceful, evocative assurance: "So let the willow weep a little harder/ And let the dirt roads all lead out of town," he sings on "No Southern Comfort." And "North Carolina Moon" is a nostalgic, appropriately picturesque tribute to that state. Randall has released two discs without making much of a dent in the public consciousness. If there's any justice, that'll change with this superlative effort."

- RALPH NOVAK / PEOPLE

"Jon Randall, Walking Among the Living (* * *) This former sideman for the likes of Emmylou Harris and Lyle Lovett learned well from his former bosses. Randall's gentle tenor is the musical equivalent of an unhurried stroll down a twilight-quiet country lane, accompanied by sumptuous acoustic arrangements and the angelic harmonies of Alison Krauss and Patty Loveless. Country music for the contemplative, it's a pleasure from start to finish, but especially when the cello sneaks in on Randall's version of Whiskey Lullaby, a song he wrote with Country Music Hall of Famer Bill Anderson. (It's up for the Country Music Association's song of the year award tonight, thanks to Brad Paisley and Krauss' hit version.) "

- BRIAN MANSFIELD / USA Today

"As a player, Jon Randall has an impressive resume, including a five-year stint as a guitarist with Emmylou Harris's Nash Ramblers and road work with Lyle Lovett and Sam Bush. His recorded work has been equally impressive, though you probably haven't heard much of it. His second and third recordings never came out, and his fourth, 1999's "Willin'," was in print about as long as a cup of coffee lasts, all due to label problems or closings. The experience made him leery of entering the studio again, but fortunately he was persuaded to take another shot his latest is his strongest work yet. The songs (all but one written or co-written by Randall) tend to be ballads, among them "North Carolina Moon," started years ago by Randall's father (a weekend bluegrasser and songwriter) and completed by the son, and "Whiskey Lullaby," an even more elegiac version than the Brad Paisley/Alison Krauss hit thanks to Randall's use of a string section and his own mournful vocals.

The album's mood is varied by some loping country rock ("Long Way Down"); up- tempo, radio-friendly country ("Coming Back for More"); Little Feat- like boogie ("Austin"); and affirmative bluegrass ("My Life"). His high, crystalline tenor sparkles throughout, and he's aided by a superb backing outfit and a cast of harmony vocalists that includes Sonya Isaacs, Alison Krauss, Patty Loveless, and Jessi Alexander. Randall has made his return a spectacular piece of acoustic country."

- STUART MUNRO / The Boston Globe

"Simply put, Jon Randall's fourth album is not only his finest work to date, but could just be the best country album of 2005. It's still early in the year, but it's hard to imagine that anything will come out of Nashville in the coming months to top the pure country and exceptional artistry of Walking Among The Living. Writing or co-writing 13 of the 14 songs here, Randall delivers several gems, including the first single Baby Won't You Come Home, Austin and the exquisite North Carolina Moon. His high and lone-some tenor has never sounded as lovely and floats effortlessly above the elegant bluegrass instrumental arrangements of the songs. It's worth the price of admission alone just to hear Jon's achingly beautiful version of Whiskey Lullaby, a song he penned with Bill Anderson, which was a big hit for Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss that won two Country Music Association awards in 2004. While he has never attained the commercial success he deserves, Jon Randall is a truly special and gifted artist and Walking Among The Living is a wonderful testament to his enduring talent."

- SIR BARTON HESS / American Country

"John Grady and Mark Wright gave me so much freedom that it was just scary," Jon Randall says in regard to the vision of Sony Nashville's top executives for his current recording project. This becomes readily clear when diving into the album's 14 tracks, all but one of which were written or co-written by Randall. Walking Among the Living does represent something of a departure from the standard Music Row production. Randall is no stranger to the country industry -- he's worked steadily as a songwriter and sideman (Emmylou Harris, Linda Rondstadt) for years, and he's released a couple of albums for major and independent labels (1995's What You Don't Know on BNA and 1999's Willin' on Eminent).

Walking is a purely easy-on-the-ears affair that breeds lighthearted tunes and somber ones. The fiddle/dobro-fueled North Carolina Moon showcases the singer's Vince Gill-esque tenor in perfect form. Randall's version (a stark chamber orchestra/acoustic guitar combo) of the award-winning Whiskey Lullaby, which he co-wrote with legend Bill Anderson, makes the album a worthy purchase all by itself. I Shouldn't Do This is another highlight that threads emotional affliction with ease: "She gave herself so freely/and I could not resist/and I told myself/I shouldn't do this."

- DOUGLAS WATERMAN / The Tennessean

"For those trying to understand why talented country singer-songwriter Jon Randall has not enjoyed any commercial success in a career that spans more than a decade, perhaps one listen to his beautiful upcoming CD, Walking Among the Living, would provide the answer. In a world of catchy but empty country radio ditties and slicked-up images that focus on looks instead of substance, Mr. Randall stands as an anomaly. On Living, which hits stores Sept. 20, he writes acoustic-based, bluegrass-tinged country tunes characterized by splendid roots musicianship, melodic vocals and homespun elegance.

The disc also includes his version of "Whiskey Lullaby," the award-winning song that he penned but Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss turned into a radio staple."

– MARIO TARRADELL / The Dallas Morning News

"After his success as the cowriter of Brad Paisley's "Whiskey Lullaby," Jon Randall gets ample opportunity on Walking Among the Living to showcase himself as a multidimensional artist. His tenor vocals are the most luminous in country this side of Vince Gill, while his guitar virtuosity earlier earned him a slot in Emmylou Harris's band (where Gill also served a stint). Yet Randall's major strength is his songwriting, where he displays a range that extends from the lovesick balladry of "Baby Won't You Come Home" to the poppier, Eagles-like melody of "Long Way Down" to the harder rock edge of "Coming Back for More." On the jauntier, playful "Austin," he sounds like Lyle Lovett fronting Little Feat. Patty Loveless joins him for harmonies on "I Shouldn't Do This," while Alison Krauss (who duetted with Paisley on "Whiskey Lullaby") does the same on "My Southern Comfort." As the album's centerpiece, Randall's rearrangement of "Whiskey Lullaby" puts his haunting, intimate vocal over a backing of chamber strings."

-DON McLEESE / Amazon

"We’re excited to spread the word about Randall’s fifth album. It features his own version of “Whiskey Lullaby,” a Country Music Award– nominated hit for Brad Paisley that Randall co-wrote, and “North Carolina Moon,” a song Randall’s father originally began writing 15 years ago. The album, out September 20, is country music from the heart."

- CONTINENTAL Magazine

"Jon Randall’s career as a songwriter has been filled with fits and starts. Immediately upon graduating from high school, he moved from Dallas to Nashville, but after struggling for several years to draw attention to himself, he settled for being a sideman, albeit one who worked first with Holly Dunn’s band and then with Emmylou Harris’ The Nash Ramblers. Though his debut What You Don’t Know was issued in 1995, it only featured one original composition, and his sophomore effort Great Day to Be Alive was shelved when his label was restructured. At least his third and fourth albums (Cold Coffee Morning and Willin’) made it to market, but neither received much of a promotional push because both Asylum and Eminent went out of business.

Against all odds, Randall persevered, gradually garnering critical praise for his songwriting prowess and recently securing a nomination from the Academy of Country Music for Whiskey Lullaby, a tune that Brad Paisley covered on his 2003 outing Mud on the Tires. Therefore, with any luck, Randall’s fifth endeavor Walking among the Living will be the album that puts him over the top. Granted, between its impeccably crisp production and the easy-going gentility of its melodic intonations, the 14-track collection is so understated that, at first glance, it feels like it is just another in a long line of quiet and unassuming affairs. Yet, the beauty of the tastefully organic arrangements — which recall everyone from Jackson Browne (Baby Won’t You Come Home) to Lyle Lovett (Somebody Else) to Alison Krauss (In the Country) — is undeniably hypnotic.

Though he largely is considered a country artist, Randall sculpted Walking among the Living from an array of roots-oriented styles, and the end result doesn’t necessarily fit within either the contemporary or the conventional standards of the genre. In fact, by dabbling in folk-pop (Lonely for Awhile), bluegrass (My Life), and blues-based rock (Coming Back for More), he essentially has imbued the ’70s singer/songwriter scene with the heart of a Texas-bred troubadour. Throughout the effort, he masks his tear-stained lyrics by placing them within the framework of music that is soothingly comfortable, but there is an underlying emotional core to the material that allows it to pack a hard-hitting punch. On his rearrangement of Whiskey Lullaby, for example, he utilizes a chamber string section to enhance significantly the melancholy mood of his desolately heartbroken vocals, while on North Carolina Moon, the aching sound of dobro and fiddle combine to augment the wistful ambience.

Although Walking among the Living nearly approaches 55-minutes in length, there are surprisingly few dead spots, with the subtle Lonely for Awhile being the closest thing to mediocrity on the outing. In other words, Randall has crafted a terrific, if not exactly groundbreaking, endeavor, and for the first time, his label ought to be around to support him."

- JOHN METZGER / The Music Box

"Guide Rating - 4.5 stars!

The Bottom Line

If you want an album with wonderfully written songs and a passionate performer, listen to 'Walking Among The Living.' Singer/songwriter albums might not appeal to the masses but they can make for some of the best albums ever to be released.

Pros :
"In The Country"
"Whiskey Lullaby"
"My Life"

Cons :
None.

Description
Produced by George Massenburg and Jon Randall.
Contains "Whiskey Lullaby."
Thirteen of fourteen tracks either written or co-written by Jon Randall.

Guide Review - Jon Randall - Walking Among the Living
'Walking Among The Living' is a wonderful collection of songs that were either written or co-written by Jon. By listening to all fourteen tracks you will soon understand that his songs are more than "filler" or "fluff" - there is a lot of depth to each line in every song that he sings. The only song Jon didn't write is "My Life." A man breaking down and realizing he is tired of feeling alone and ashamed is the subject of "Baby Won't You Come Home." He's been a mess since the day she left him and he wants things back to normal. "In The Country" is a great place to get away from the daily grind. "A million stars when the sun goes down. Come on baby we can go to town in the country." "Long Way Down" is about someone who jumped off the deep end and is finding that things are more difficult than they thought it would be. You have to find yourself before you can move on.

Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss did a beautiful version of "Whiskey Lullaby," but listening to Jon sing a song he co-wrote gives the lyrics a little more substance.

The backing music is haunting and adds even more drama to the already intense lyrics. "Austin" has a bluesy feel as a man sings about drowning in mediocrity unless he can make it to the Texas city where "They still play Merle Haggard and the women like to rock & roll." Last track, "My Life," is an upbeat closer to 'Walking Among The Living.' Despite having an out of control life, he wouldn't have it any other way. "

- JENNIFER WEBB, About.com

"Walking Among the Living is Jon Randall's first record in six years, his first since the independent 1999 release Willin' failed to earn an audience. That followed two major label LPs — his 1995 debut What You Don't Know for RCA and his 1998 effort for Asylum, Cold Coffee Morning — that also didn't make many waves, and after three strikes, he turned to a career as a professional musician and songwriter, playing with Sam Bush, Lyle Lovett and Patty Loveless. Then, in 2004, Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss had a Top 10 country hit with his original song "Whiskey Lullaby," and Randall suddenly became a hot commodity. He wound up signing with Epic, releaseing Walking Among the Living in the fall of 2005. While this LP marks his third shot at the big time, there is a big difference between this album and What You Don't Know and Cold Coffee Morning. On those two records, he had to play the Nashville game, recording songs by other writers. Here, he sings nothing but his own material, and the result is revelatory. This is first and foremost a writers record: it's quiet and gentle, spare and unadorned, with the minimal, acoustic-based arrangements emphasizing not just Randall's words, but his lean, tightly-constructed compositions. This makes Walking Among the Living an album that rewards close attention, yet unlike some songwriters who place the lyrics above the music, Randall also has a way with a sweet melody, and has an appealingly laid-back performing style. This is such a relaxed album that some listeners may take it for granted, since it Randall all makes it sound so easy, but what makes Walking Among the Living a small gem is that it's ideal for either relaxation or introspection, and repeated listens reveal what a strong, subtle writer Randall is. Surely, there are plenty of songs here that other performers could poach and have a hit with, but what makes Walking Among the Living a success is that it showcases Jon Randall's strengths as both a writer and a musician. It may have taken him a decade to finally make a record worthy of his talents, but fortunately "Whiskey Lullaby" gave him the opportunity to cut this fine, understated album. "

- STEPHEN THOMAS ERLEWINE / All Music Guide

"He may not yet be a household name, but Jon Randall is recognized by his peers for his tremendous artistry, both as a harmony singer and guitarist (for Emmylou Harris and Lyle Lovett, among others) and as a songwriter (his "Whiskey Lullaby," for example, has been recorded by both Alison Krauss and Brad Paisley). On his latest solo venture, he gets some vocal support from friends including Patty Loveless, Vince Gill, and Jessi Alexander, but this is Randall's album all the way. True to his roots, he's kept it heavy on traditional accoutrements: fiddles, acoustic guitars, banjos, standup bass, dobro, and New Traditionalist-era harmonies. He sings in a clear, personable tenor, with phrasing at times reminiscent of Lyle Lovett, but always knowing and nuanced. The tunes (he wrote or co-wrote all but one of the 14 here) tend toward the reflective and introspective with a couple of funky bits -- such as the engaging "Austin" and the razor-edged "Coming Back for More" -- energizing the body as well as the mind. Both "In the Country" and "North Carolina Moon" limn the rejuvenating comforts of home and family, while Alison Krauss lends a chilling harmony to the moral tortures described in the cheating ballad, "I Shouldn't Do This." A dramatic, cello-enhanced reading of "Whiskey Lullaby" brings chills, as it should, and the lone cover, a shuffling take on the estimable R. L. Castleman's "My Life," provides a jubilant, bluegrass closer to this content-rich disc. This one's a Walk to remember."

- DAVID McGEE / Barnes and Noble

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