Randy Preston

Name: Randy
Birth name: Louis Randolph Preston III
Birthdate: September 5, 1972
Birthplace: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

When I was six I made up a harmony for the song our family sang after prayer. My dad smiled and asked if I had made that up on my own and I said yes. I went through the piano thing, but the teacher moved (not because of me I hope!). Then my dad bought this really cool bass for me when I was 8, to play in a family concert. I learned how to play one song on it, but since I couldn’t play chords and stuff I didn’t really get into the bass. I really liked my parents’ old jazzy records, and played the trumpet for about a year til it was stolen and we moved….but I listened to Johnny Mathis and Frank Sinatra all the way through high school, until I heard this Christian group called Special Blend – who later changed personnel and became Alliance and then Take Six. I loved the harmony, and learned to sing every part (bass to first tenor) for most of the songs on the first album. Then I heard Commissioned and fell in love with the power of strong Christian lyrical messages. A few days before my 21st birthday, I picked up my dad’s twelve-string and he told me if I could play a few songs that he showed me he would get me a guitar for my birthday and it was on…

Gear:
Godin Grand Concert Classical Guitar
Samick Classical Acoustic/Electric Guitar
SWR California Blonde Acoustic Instrument Amp
Assorted Boss pedals: Super Chorus, DD3, Tuner
Shure 58 Mic
Shure In-ear Monitor System

Influential Lyricists:
David (King of Israel)
Fred Hammond
Chris Rice/ Fernando Ortega
Michael Franks

Influential Vocalists:
Louis Preston Jr.
Gilbert Preston
Stevie Wonder
Fred Hammond
Paul Robeson
David Thomas (Take Six)

Favorite Text: John 1:1-16 (read it—it is deep)
Favorite Writers: David, Robert Pirsig, Khalil Gibran, Walter Mosely, Langston Hughes
Favorite Car: PT Cruiser
Favorite Game: Winning 11 (Pro Evolution) Soccer! WHAAAT!