Randy California
Randy California , actually Randolph Craig Wolfe , (born February 20, 1951 in Los Angeles , California , † January 2, 1997 in Molokaʻi , Hawaii ) was an American musician .
Career
In 1966, at the age of 15, the rock guitarist played one summer in New York with Jimi Hendrix in his band Jimmy James & The Blue Flames . It was Hendrix who named him California to distinguish him from the other Randy in the band.
In 1967 California and his stepfather Ed Cassidy founded the band Spirit in Los Angeles , with whom he produced four albums until 1970. California wrote most of the songs and was the lead singer of the band. He composed the spirit hit I Got a Line on You (1969).
California released its most famous solo album, Kaptain Kopter and the Fabulous Twirly Birds , in 1972 . In the period that followed, recordings with Spirit and solo albums alternated.
1978 Spirit played in the second Rocknacht the Rockpalast .
death
Randy California drowned while swimming in the ocean off Molokaʻi , Hawaii on January 2, 1997 . He and his twelve-year-old son Quinn got caught in a current that - after he had pushed his son to safety - pulled him out to sea. His body was never found.
Discography
- Captain Kopter and the (Fabulous) Twirly Birds (1972)
- Euro-American (1982)
- Restless (1985)
- Shattered Dreams (1986)
- The Euro-American Years, 1979–1983 , 4-CD set (2007)
Web links
- Randy California Tribute
- Randy California in the Internet Movie Database (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ theguardian.com: Led Zeppelin accused of stealing Stairway to Heaven opening
- ↑ randycaliforniaandspirit.com: Biography
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | California, Randy |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Wolfe, Randy; Wolfe, Randolph Craig (real name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American musician |
| DATE OF BIRTH | February 20, 1951 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Los Angeles , California |
| DATE OF DEATH | January 2, 1997 |
| Place of death | Molokaʻi , Hawaii |