Songwriter

Jon
Randall

Jon Randall made his way to Nashville from Dallas while he was still a teenager. He wasted no time, starting his professional musical journey on guitar with Emmylou Harris’ Nash Ramblers at only 20 years old. It was with the Nash Ramblers that Randall won his first Grammy for their Live at the Ryman album- a project that sparked a movement to restore the Mother Church of Country Music. As a skilled multi-instrumentalist and exceptional vocalist, Randall has toured and recorded with countless household names including Lyle Lovett, J2B2, The Sam Bush Band, Vince Gill, Earl Scruggs Family and Friends, and Dierks Bentley, in addition to on-stage appearances with the likes of Sheryl Crow, Widespread Panic, Kid Rock, and more.

Randall released his debut solo album, What You Don’t Know, in 1995 on RCA. His three subsequent albums have all been met with much critical acclaim. 1998’s Cold Coffee Morning is a cult classic. This rare gem from his time with Elektra/Asylum is a fan favorite with collector status. Music journalist Philip Van Vleck describes Randall’s independent 1999 album, Willin’, as “a dazzling collection of tunes.” Willin’ reveals Randall’s bluegrass roots and as Van Vleck puts it, “the resulting vibe is a tasty bit of eclecticism that probably fits as readily into the Americana category as it does in country.” In 2005 Randall released Walking Among the Living– a true writer’s record. Critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine calls it “quiet and gentle, spare and unadorned, with the minimal, acoustic-based arrangements emphasizing not just Randall’s words, but his lean, tightly constructed compositions.” Randall wrote or co-wrote all but one song on Walking Among the Living, including the title track, which he penned with his wife, Jessi Alexander.

His own records would be enough to establish him as a successful songwriter, but Randall has had cuts with everyone from Guy Clark to Blake Shelton. Randall’s song, “Whiskey Lullaby” (co-written with Whisperin’ Bill Anderson) was a huge hit for Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss, going double platinum and taking home the prestigious Country Music Association (CMA) award for Song of the Year in 2005. Randall has also been awarded Grammy, IBMA, Music City News, NSAI, and BMI awards for various recordings including three number one records on the Billboard Country Music Chart and five songs in the Billboard Country Top Forty. Jon Randall and his cowriters (Miranda Lambert and Jack Ingram) took home the 2017 ACM Song of the Year Award for their song, “Tin Man.”