- Randy Rhoads was raised by a single mother in Santa Monica, California
- He was recognized as a heavy metal guitarist and founder of many short-lived bands including The Whore, Mildred Pierce, and Quit Riot
- 40 years after his tragic death in 1982 at the age of 25, he was posthumously inducted into the hall of fame
Randy Rhoads was born on December 6, 1956, and unfortunately, died in a plane crash on March 19, 1982. He was an iconic guitarist and founder of many short-lived bands while he lived. At the age of 23, he became the lead guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne.
It’s been over four decades since Randy Rhoads passed on but his legacy remains indelible. He is remembered for his unique style of playing the guitar which still inspires many music lovers of the guitar. He is still called a legend until this day.
The Early Life of Randy Rhoads
The American guitarist is the youngest of three children born to his parents Mr. and Mrs. Rhoads. Though famous for his stage name Randy Rhoads, his birth name is Randall Williams Rhoads. He was born on December 6, 1956, and his birthplace was Santa Monica, California.
Randy was largely raised by his mother, Delores Violet Rhoads after his father, Williams Arthur Rhoads left the family to remarry. His older siblings, Kathy Rhoads (sister) and Kelle (brother) took care of him and made sure he never lacked anything. Records have it that he was enrolled at John Muir Middle School in Burbank, California before proceeding to Burbank Highschool. Thereafter, he became a guitar teacher in his mother’s music school.
He Tragically Died in a Plane Crash During a Joy Ride
Randy Rhoads died in a plane crash on March 19, 1982, when he was only 25 years old. The 5 minutes ride which other band members recall as a joy ride turned out to be a sad ride that claimed the lives of Andrew Aycock, Rachel Youngblood, and Sharon Osbourne makeup artist.
According to the reports, Randy had just finished his last show at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum precisely on March 18, 1982, and was headed to the Rock Super Bowl XIV festival in Orlando, Florida. The band drove all night long only to stop at Flying Baron Estates to fix a broken air conditioner on the bus. After that, they proceeded to the luxurious lounge where they would be staying to rest their sleepy heads.
The Lounge which belonged to the Calhoun Brothers reportedly had a number of helicopters and small planes. In a bid to explore the vicinity, Andrew Aycock, the bus driver who was also a pilot decided to go for what the band revealed to be a joy ride with one of the planes.
On his first ride, he took with him the tour manager, Jake Duncan, and Done Airey as passengers. He reportedly placed them at risk with flips and stunts movements which they recall as fun. Landing safely after a few minutes, Andrew Aycock invited the other members of the band including Randy Rhoads who had fear of flying. The guitarist declined at first but after several pleas and a second thought to take aerial photos, he agreed to join Rachel Youngblood and Sharon Osbourne makeup artist for the second ride.
The second ride was on for about 3 minutes until Aycock decided to do some flips and stunts which turned out to be tragic. Don Airey- the only eyewitness of the scene reported that Aycock attempted to hit the plane against the tour bus and caused him to lose control after one of the plane wings detached. Consequently, the plane crashed into a garage and was soon covered by flames claiming the lives of Randy and three others.
Here are Other Interesting Facts about Randy Rhoads
1. Randy Rhoads’ Father Left His Mother When He Was 17 Months Old
As earlier hinted, Randy was raised by his mother when his father left their family to remarry. He was only 17 months old when this happened.
The reasons for his father’s actions were not clearly stated. As a result, Randy’s mother was left with the burden of raising the late guitarist and his two siblings.
Consequently, Randy entered the music world to explore his talent and create new sounds.
2. The Guitarist was Born Into a Musical Family
Randy’s music career was primarily ignited by his mother even though his parents were both music teachers. His mother, Delores reportedly pursued a career in music which saw her earn a bachelor’s degree in music from the University of California, Los Angeles. Thereafter she became a professional pianist and subsequently opened a music school in the neighborhood of Los Angeles called Musonia.
Randy became a student in his mother’s school when he was about seven years old. He began with classical guitar lessons before switching to rock guitar. Subsequently, he and his older siblings explored several genres while lip-singing alongside The Beatles and Rolling Stones who were their favorite bands.
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3. Randy Rhoads was the Co-founder of Many Short Lived Bands
Randy’s musical talent saw him manage many short-lived bands. A few years after graduating from his mother’s school, he formed the band called The Whore alongside Kelly Garni, his childhood best friend. Later, the band was dissolved for a cover band called Violet Fox with Randy’s older brother Kelle as the drummer.
They hosted a number of shows exploring songs from Mississippi Queen, Alice Cooper, and David Bowie. Occasionally, they were also invited to perform at several events until they later dissolved. Following this, he formed the Katzenjammer Kids band, Mildred Pierce band, and then the Little women band which was later changed to the Quiet Riot.
The Quiet Riot band made its name as one of the most popular bands on the Los Angeles club circuit. Many of their shows were attended by die-hard fans who would dress up in outfits like the guitarist.
4. He Inspired Ozzy Osbourne to Turn a New Leaf
More than the happy atmosphere Randy Rhoads created with his electric guitar, he was also a positive influence on the people around him. In an interview, one of his bandmates and employer, Ozzy Osbourne recalls how Randy helped him gain ground after his excessive drug and alcohol abuse got him kicked out of the Black Sabbath – one of the biggest bands in the world in the 70s
Osbourne also added that he had become shattered after leaving the group and working as a solo act was tough until he met Randy Rhoads which he calls his gift from God. Osbourne revealed that his life significantly changed and Randy brought out the best in him.
It’s only sad that Randy didn’t live long to see all that Osbourne has become and the influence he commands in the music world. However, Osbourne admits that a part of him died when Randy died.
5. The Legacies of Randy Rhoads
Many accounts have stated that it’s not how long a person lives that matters but the impact he leaves. Randy’s impact left a great vacuum in the hearts of many. From his then-fiancee Randy Rhoads who remembers him as a warm and giving person down to his Maradith Santa who named one of her daughters after him. Randy is still greatly missed until this day.
Authors like Steven Rosen and Andrew Klein have also documented their love for the guitarist in a book titled Randy Rhoads. The book is an exploration of Randy’s life through several pictures and the given account of the people around him. In addition to the list of books, Rudy Sarzo one of Randy’s bandmates also wrote a book titled Off the Rails: Abroad the Crazy Train in the Blizzard of Ozz where he penned down heartfelt letters and moments with Randy
Interestingly, He was posthumously inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2021 which proves that the music world has not forgotten him.
Though Randy’s life was cut short in his prime, he is still remembered as one of the best electric guitarists that existed in the mid-70s and 80s like the legendary Mexican singer Jose Alfredo Jimenez. Randy has been celebrated by my authors, film producers, and artist. His inventive style has also become a trail for many guitarists around the world who still recall him as a legend.
