Randy California (born Randy Craig Wolfe; February 20, 1951 – January 2, 1997) was a guitarist, singer and songwriter and one of the original members of the rock group Spirit, formed in 1967.
Biography
California was born into a musical Jewish family in Los Angeles and spent his early years studying varied styles at the family's Los Angeles folk club, the Ash Grove. His uncle, Ed Pearl, was the founder of the Ash Grove. He was 15 years old when his mother Bernice Pearl and new stepfather, Ed Cassidy (later to become a founding member of the band Spirit, with Randy), moved to New York City in the summer of 1966 because Cassidy had a number of jazz gigs lined up. It was there, at Manny's Guitars, that Randy met Jimi Hendrix. He played in Hendrix's band Jimmy James and the Blue Flames that summer. California, Cassidy and Pearl lived in an apartment building in Forest Hills (Queens), New York called the Balfour, whose other residents included future Steely Dan co-founder Walter Becker, who cites California's blues-based guitar style as an influence on his own playing.
California is a place name used by three North American states: in the United States by the state of California, and in Mexico by the states of Baja California and Baja California Sur. Collectively, these three areas constitute the region formerly referred to as Las Californias. The name California is shared by many other places in other parts of the world whose names derive from the original. The name "California" was applied to the territory now known as the state of California by one or more Spanish explorers in the 16th century and was probably a reference to a mythical land described in a popular novel of the time: Las Sergas de Esplandián. Several other origins have been suggested for the word "California", including Spanish, Latin, South Asian, and Aboriginal American origins. All of these are disputed.
California originally referred to the entire region composed of the Baja California peninsula now known as Mexican Baja California and Baja California Sur, and upper mainland now known as the U.S. states of California and parts of Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and Wyoming. After Mexico's independence from Spain, the upper territory became the Alta California province. In even earlier times, the boundaries of the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific Ocean coastlines were only partially explored and California was shown on early maps as an island. The Sea of Cortez is also known as the Gulf of California.
Live at Hammersmith Odeon, London, 1988
"Night Of The Guitar" Event
Randy California (Guitar & Vocals)
Derek Holt (Bass)
Clive Mayuhu (Drums)
Chris Bucknell (Keyboards)
published: 23 Mar 2014
RANDY CALIFORNIA All Along The Watchtower Night of the guitar 1989
published: 29 Apr 2012
Randy California Dickey Betts Jam1978
Randy California Live @ Rockpalast Germany 1978
Randy California: Guitar/vocals
Dickey Betts: Guitar
Larry Knight: Bass
Ed Cassidy: Drums
published: 12 Nov 2017
Jimi Hendrix and Randy California New York 1966
In the summer of 1966 Jimi Hendrix started a residency at the famous Cafe Wha . Just before his first gig he met a 15 year guitarist by the name of Randy California ..... this is their story.
published: 17 May 2020
Randy California [Spirit] NaturesWay
taped backstage at Toledo Portside 1989. More Spirit here.. http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=D22DC3A4EB2CEEFC
published: 05 Nov 2010
Downer
Provided to YouTube by Epic/Legacy
Downer · Randy California
Kapt. Kopter & The (Fabulous) Twirly Birds
℗ 1972 Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Released on: 2017-04-07
Composer: R. Wolfe
Auto-generated by YouTube.
published: 06 Apr 2017
DEEP PURPLE AND RANDY CALIFORNIA QUEBEC APRIL 6TH 1972
Quebec April 6th 1972 stepping in for a sick Ritchie Blackmore, Randy California played his one only gig with the band . Rumours of recordings of that show have circulated among Purple and Randy California fans for years , but nothing has ever surfaced.... until today . A recording of When A Blind Man Cries from the concert has appeared link https://youtu.be/j44Y1vpUFrU
Hopefully there is more to come .
Jimi Hendrix and Randy California New York 1966 video link https://youtu.be/Vw5mSSsSsRw
published: 23 Dec 2020
SPIRIT-RANDY CALIFORNIA: 1970 "Fresh Garbage" TV appearance
A great gem from French television: 1970 performance of "Fresh Garbage" with the original line up of the great group Spirit. Ed Cassidy, Mark Andes, Jay Ferguson, John Locke, & Randy California!
published: 04 Sep 2014
Randy California & band Backyard Jam 1996
Uploaded with Free Video Converter from Freemake
http://www.freemake.com/free_video_converter/
Live at Hammersmith Odeon, London, 1988
"Night Of The Guitar" Event
Randy California (Guitar & Vocals)
Derek Holt (Bass)
Clive Mayuhu (Drums)
Chris Bucknell (K...
Live at Hammersmith Odeon, London, 1988
"Night Of The Guitar" Event
Randy California (Guitar & Vocals)
Derek Holt (Bass)
Clive Mayuhu (Drums)
Chris Bucknell (Keyboards)
Live at Hammersmith Odeon, London, 1988
"Night Of The Guitar" Event
Randy California (Guitar & Vocals)
Derek Holt (Bass)
Clive Mayuhu (Drums)
Chris Bucknell (Keyboards)
In the summer of 1966 Jimi Hendrix started a residency at the famous Cafe Wha . Just before his first gig he met a 15 year guitarist by the name of Randy Califo...
In the summer of 1966 Jimi Hendrix started a residency at the famous Cafe Wha . Just before his first gig he met a 15 year guitarist by the name of Randy California ..... this is their story.
In the summer of 1966 Jimi Hendrix started a residency at the famous Cafe Wha . Just before his first gig he met a 15 year guitarist by the name of Randy California ..... this is their story.
Provided to YouTube by Epic/Legacy
Downer · Randy California
Kapt. Kopter & The (Fabulous) Twirly Birds
℗ 1972 Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Enterta...
Provided to YouTube by Epic/Legacy
Downer · Randy California
Kapt. Kopter & The (Fabulous) Twirly Birds
℗ 1972 Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Released on: 2017-04-07
Composer: R. Wolfe
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Provided to YouTube by Epic/Legacy
Downer · Randy California
Kapt. Kopter & The (Fabulous) Twirly Birds
℗ 1972 Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Released on: 2017-04-07
Composer: R. Wolfe
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Quebec April 6th 1972 stepping in for a sick Ritchie Blackmore, Randy California played his one only gig with the band . Rumours of recordings of that show hav...
Quebec April 6th 1972 stepping in for a sick Ritchie Blackmore, Randy California played his one only gig with the band . Rumours of recordings of that show have circulated among Purple and Randy California fans for years , but nothing has ever surfaced.... until today . A recording of When A Blind Man Cries from the concert has appeared link https://youtu.be/j44Y1vpUFrU
Hopefully there is more to come .
Jimi Hendrix and Randy California New York 1966 video link https://youtu.be/Vw5mSSsSsRw
Quebec April 6th 1972 stepping in for a sick Ritchie Blackmore, Randy California played his one only gig with the band . Rumours of recordings of that show have circulated among Purple and Randy California fans for years , but nothing has ever surfaced.... until today . A recording of When A Blind Man Cries from the concert has appeared link https://youtu.be/j44Y1vpUFrU
Hopefully there is more to come .
Jimi Hendrix and Randy California New York 1966 video link https://youtu.be/Vw5mSSsSsRw
A great gem from French television: 1970 performance of "Fresh Garbage" with the original line up of the great group Spirit. Ed Cassidy, Mark Andes, Jay Ferguso...
A great gem from French television: 1970 performance of "Fresh Garbage" with the original line up of the great group Spirit. Ed Cassidy, Mark Andes, Jay Ferguson, John Locke, & Randy California!
A great gem from French television: 1970 performance of "Fresh Garbage" with the original line up of the great group Spirit. Ed Cassidy, Mark Andes, Jay Ferguson, John Locke, & Randy California!
Live at Hammersmith Odeon, London, 1988
"Night Of The Guitar" Event
Randy California (Guitar & Vocals)
Derek Holt (Bass)
Clive Mayuhu (Drums)
Chris Bucknell (Keyboards)
In the summer of 1966 Jimi Hendrix started a residency at the famous Cafe Wha . Just before his first gig he met a 15 year guitarist by the name of Randy California ..... this is their story.
Provided to YouTube by Epic/Legacy
Downer · Randy California
Kapt. Kopter & The (Fabulous) Twirly Birds
℗ 1972 Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Released on: 2017-04-07
Composer: R. Wolfe
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Quebec April 6th 1972 stepping in for a sick Ritchie Blackmore, Randy California played his one only gig with the band . Rumours of recordings of that show have circulated among Purple and Randy California fans for years , but nothing has ever surfaced.... until today . A recording of When A Blind Man Cries from the concert has appeared link https://youtu.be/j44Y1vpUFrU
Hopefully there is more to come .
Jimi Hendrix and Randy California New York 1966 video link https://youtu.be/Vw5mSSsSsRw
A great gem from French television: 1970 performance of "Fresh Garbage" with the original line up of the great group Spirit. Ed Cassidy, Mark Andes, Jay Ferguson, John Locke, & Randy California!
Randy California (born Randy Craig Wolfe; February 20, 1951 – January 2, 1997) was a guitarist, singer and songwriter and one of the original members of the rock group Spirit, formed in 1967.
Biography
California was born into a musical Jewish family in Los Angeles and spent his early years studying varied styles at the family's Los Angeles folk club, the Ash Grove. His uncle, Ed Pearl, was the founder of the Ash Grove. He was 15 years old when his mother Bernice Pearl and new stepfather, Ed Cassidy (later to become a founding member of the band Spirit, with Randy), moved to New York City in the summer of 1966 because Cassidy had a number of jazz gigs lined up. It was there, at Manny's Guitars, that Randy met Jimi Hendrix. He played in Hendrix's band Jimmy James and the Blue Flames that summer. California, Cassidy and Pearl lived in an apartment building in Forest Hills (Queens), New York called the Balfour, whose other residents included future Steely Dan co-founder Walter Becker, who cites California's blues-based guitar style as an influence on his own playing.