My Tribute to Randy Rhoads

This page is dedicated to the person who made me want to learn guitar. Randy Rhoads. Sadly, Randy Rhoads is no longer with us. March 19,1982, was to me, the day the music died. I remember that I was living on Mills Street in Orlando Fla. I was listening to Diary of a Madman when my downstairs neighbor Chris came up with tears in his eyes.
"Apparently you haven't heard yet" he said. "Heard what?" I asked. "Turn it on to channel 6" he said.

Then I heard the news about Randy's tragic plane accident. Seems the pilot wanted to buzz Ozzy's tour bus and clipped it with one of the wings and then crashed into a house. Everyone on board died.

Now at that time, I never really cried over another persons death, but that day I cried my eyes out. Even though I didn't know Randy personally, I knew him through his music.

I grew up in a musical family. I was exposed to alot of different types of music. From country to classical, polkas and champaigne music, surf sound and of course the Beatles (which to be honest with you, I did not like, thought they sucked and couldn't figure out why anyone else even liked them).

To me though, as I was growing up, it was the music of Bach, Vivaldi, Paganini and Mozart that got to my soul.

Then came the heavy sounds of the '60s and '70s like Led Zepplin, Black Sabbath, Uriah Heep, Deep Purple and so on. I was always facinated though,how the music would sound if someone combined classical phrases with the power of metal.

Then I just happen to hear that Ozzy broke off from Black Sabbath and came out with a new album called Blizzard of Oz and he had this little guy (in reference to the fact that Randy and I are about the same height), who was incredible on the guitar. He was one of the founding members of Quiet Riot. So I got it. When I heard the opening to Mr. Crowley it was like a lightning bolt hit me. Then came Crazy Train, that's when I said to myself this guy was freaking awesome and it was only getting better.

The song that really got to me though was Revelation (Mother Earth). Spiritually, at the time I was struggling to find what path I was going to dedicate my life to. When I heard this song it was like Randy and Ozzy were not only playing from their hearts, but mine as well. Together, Randy and Ozzy helped me to decide to dedicate my life to helping our Mother Earth in any way that I could.

Ozzy said it best in his letter in the Tribute ablum:

"March 19th 1982 is a day that will live with me forever. Not only did I lose my best friend but the greatest musician I had ever known. Randy Rhoads came into my life in 1979. At that time I was incredibly depressed, and he was what I had dreamed about in a guitar player. He helped me make all my dreams come true. Along the way we became buddies and business partners. Randy was a very special person, he inspired, cheered and made everyone in contact with him, feel good. Building the band with Randy was one of the happiest times of my life.... I know his playing will continue to inspire you all.
This ablum is my Tribute to Randy Rhoads. God bless ya Randy my friend, Ozzy"

Like I said, I may have not had the close physical association with Randy that Ozzy had. But to me, no one inspired me more in music than Randy Rhoads. He taught me that it was possible to get what was inside my head and heart out in my music and have a damn good time doing it. The first song I learned after hearing Diary was Mr. Crowley, it was the easiest for me to learn at the time giving my limited skills on the guitar. But Randy gave me the urge to combine my own thoughts and ideas and put them to music.

Anyway, all I know is that the only person who has ever touched me more in my life than Randy is my son. This page is my Tribute to Randy Rhoads. Thank-you Randy for all that you have done for me. Keep jamming brother.