Randy McAllister

Randy McAllister is an American blues and Americana singer-songwriter. He was nominated for a Grammy Award for his 2002 album, Givers and Takers.

Living Blues noted that McAllister is a "first rate drummer, harmonica player and potently soulful singer. His well crafted songs reveal a depth of creativity not only in the storytelling, social commentary and word play, but also in the sophisticated arrangements and blurring of stylistic boundaries. With an expressive vocal register falling somewhere between the soulful effervescence of Al Green and the blunt hammer of Johnny Taylor, a shrewd wit and admirable turn of a phrase, McAllister cements himself as a blues bard archetype".

To date he has released 13 original albums and two compilations. In concert, McAllister has been known to simultaneously sing, plays drums while barefoot, plus manage washboard and harmonica.

Life and career Born in Dallas, Texas, United States, McAllister was raised in small-town Novice, Texas.

He became friends with Mike Morgan, Andrew "Jr. Boy" Jones and Robin Sylar. McAllister sometimes fronted Morgan's band, The Crawl, both playing harmonica and singing. Through Jones affiliation with the British record label JSP Records, in 1997 McAllister signed his own recording contract and went on to release four albums with them. McAllister's debut album, Diggin' for Sofa Change, was produced by Jones who also played guitar. McAllister's songwriting has been noted to contain heartbreak, humor, and tall tales. He was nominated for a Grammy Award

In 2013, McAllister issued the compilation Crappy Food No Sleep a Van & Some Great Songs, which introduced his road band on disc for the first time. They are dubbed the Scrappiest Band in the Motherland. Gristle To Gold (2015) followed with a similar backing arrangement.

Fistful of Gumption (2016) on Reaction Records was McAllister's 11th original album. All but one of the tracks was written by McAllister, although the second track, "Time for the Sun to Rise," was penned by Earl King. The final cut, "East Texas Scrapper," includes the prophetic lyrics "You can't outlast me / You can't wear me down / My super power is persistence / And I keep on sticking around."

Discography Year Title Record label 1997 Diggin' for Sofa Change JSP Records 1998 Grease, Grit, Dirt & Spit JSP Records 1999 Double Rectified Bust Head JSP Records 2002 Givers and Takers Freedom First Records 2006 Flying High While Staying Low Down (compilation album) Freedom First Records 2007 Temporary Fixes Freedom First Records 2007 A Little Left of Centre (Import) 2007 Dope Slap Soup Reaction Records 2008 Ain't Like the Movies Reaction Records 2010 Be Like Water (Import) 2013 Crappy Food No Sleep a Van & Some Great Songs (compilation album) JSP Records 2015 Gristle to Gold Reaction Records 2016 Fistful of Gumption Reaction Records 2017 Triggers Be Trippin Reaction Records 2021 Paperbag Salvation Reaction Records