Randy Bachman
Randolph Charles Bachman (the Bachman family name is pronounced as “back-man”) (OC OM ) (born September 27, 1943) was lead guitarist and songwriter of the 1970s rock bands, The Guess Who and Bachman-Turner Overdrive. Bachman was also a member of the band Brave Belt with Chad Allan and a band called Ironhorse, and has recorded numerous solo albums.
Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Bachman lives on Salt Spring Island, British Columbia, near Vancouver Island, and is married to singer/songwriter Denise McCann. They were married on March 27, 1982. Bachman is a former member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In an interview on CBC Radio One, he noted that his family is now “more spiritual.”
The guitarist had an operation on his shoulder in November of 2007 to repair a torn rotator cuff. The operation was successful and he is playing guitar now as always.
In 2000, he made a guest appearance on The Simpsons as himself with his former Bachman-Turner Overdrive band-mate, C.F. Turner. Simpsons creator Matt Groening (whose father is originally from Winnipeg), is a well known BTO fan. Homer Simpson yells at Bachman to “get to the working overtime part” while playing “Takin’ Care of Business”.
In 2001 Bachman received an honorary Doctorate of Music from Brandon University in Brandon, Manitoba along with the other members of the Guess Who. In 2005 Bachman was awarded the Order of Manitoba, the highest award in the Province of Manitoba.Bachman, along with The Guess Who, was also the recipient of The Governor General’s Performing Arts Award, Canada’s foremost distinction for excellence in the performing arts, in 2002. In 2008, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.
Since the summer of 2005, Bachman created and is currently hosting the series Vinyl Tap on CBC Radio One, where he tells stories about music and musicians while playing appropriate recordings.
Randy helped Kalan Porter on his CD 219 Days. He suggested that Kalan do a drone on his violin on one of his songs, In Spite Of It All. He was also featured in his song, And We Drive, playing a guitar solo near the end of the song.
Bachman tours with his own band, the Randy Bachman Band and the Bachman-Cummings Band. He has also created a popular theatre show he calls “Every Song Tells A Story” featuring Bachman live and unplugged with his band, telling the stories behind the writing of his famous hits from the 1960s and 70s. Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings toured throughout Canada as Bachman & Cummings in the summer of 2006 with Toronto’s The Carpet Frogs.
Randy Bachman has also released an album of original melodic jazz songs called “Jazz Thing” which is available on his official website.
Tags: guitar accessories, Guitar Amplifiers, Guitar Effects Pedals, Guitar wireless systems
