Randy Beavers

Randy Beavers interest in steel guitar began when he was nine years old when his dad brought a Fender lap steel home. His curiosity stirred by the sounds he heard, he asked his dad to teach him how to play. The first song he learned was Candy Kisses. It was the beginning of a lifelong pursuit of excellence on his chosen instrument.

Randy quickly progressed from the lap steel to his first pedal steel guitar. By the age of 11, he was playing jobs with local adult musicians. I grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma where traditional country and authentic western swing music were my main influences, he says. Many of the players I had the pleasure of working with every week were original members of Bob and Johnny Lee Wills, Leon McAuliffs or Hank Thompsons bands the perfect schoolyard for a young steel player. Tulsa also had a rich heritage in rock and roll music with natives like Leon Russell, David Gates and J. J. Cale. Many afternoons after school, Id head over to work at Leon Russells studio. Again, what an influence!

Often, Randy would head to a local television studio before school to play on an early morning show. While still in high school he toured with several artists represented by the Jim Halsey Agency, including Don White, Roy Clark and Diana Trask. Randy matured as a steel guitar player, learning all he could learn from such greats as the late Zane Beck, Tom Brumley and John Hughey. John sneaked him in backstage when he came to town with Conway Twitty, giving Randy a seat just offstage where he could watch John at work. Zane mentored Randy and introduced him to steel guitar shows by sharing his time slot with him. Randy soon became a well-known player within the steel guitar community.

Today, Randy Beavers lives with his wife Judy east of Nashville in Lebanon, Tennessee. In 2008, he went to work for Lee Ann Womack as member of the LAW Band and is having the time of his life. Lee Ann Womack and her band are touring with George Strait and Reba McEntire in whats being billed as The Country Music Tour of the Decade.