Randy started playing guitar in the mid 70's. Although his dad's story that "he showed him a few chords and Randy went into his bedroom and didn't come out until he learned how to play" might be a bit of father's pride and exaggeration, it's no exaggeration that Randy is one of the best flat-top guitar players around. Although he never learned to read music and plays only "by ear", he learned all that he needed from playing along with old Stanley Bros, Flatt & Scruggs, and Hank Williams 78 speed records his father kept over the years. They and many others became his inspiration.

Randy's dad took him to many bluegrass festivals where he got to meet and jam under the trees with some of his musical heroes such as: Mac Wiseman, Ralph Stanley, and Bill Monroe. He even, as a kid, played on stage with Keith Whitley and Scotty Sparks. Keith was with JD Crowe and the New South at the time and they were playing at a small park outside of West Milton Ohio called Wild Cherry Park. Today Randy just plays for fun and is currently with the group Sugargrove.