Page 24, AC Phoenix, October 1990
Johnson To Be Presented In Concert
Winston-Salem Native Building Reputation
By M.A. Pharr
Entertainers from all
walks of life will be the
first to say that to be
successful in the busi
ness one has to en
dure, persevere, be pa
tient and then maybe...
just maybe you will get
the big break. For many
years Luther Vandross
did background vocals
ior various artists.
‘Babyface', although
quite a success
t resently as writer, pro-
ucer and performer,
had to pay some heavy
^es before actual suc
cess knocked. The tal
ented duo of Ashford
J nd Simpson (Nick and
al) did a lot of things in
le background before
they reached the star
dom that we recognize
today.
Randy Johnson may
not be a household
name today, but tomor
row he could be on the
cover of Jet Magazine.
Randy is a Winston-
Salem native that is
rapidly building a repu
tation throughout con
temporary and gospel
music circuits within the
Triad. This gifted vocal
ist, like so many of his
predecessors, has
gone through lean
times career-wise, but
his Christian faith has
helped him to keep his
dreams alive. He gives
thanks to the Lord for
giving him a gift (voice)
and a caring mother, Dr.
Alice Johnson.
As a secorxf-grader at
a local community ele
mentary school, Randy
started singing for quar
ters in back of a neigh
boring high school. He
was greatly influenced
by the lyrics and music
of artist such as The
O'Jays, The
Temptations and The
Spinner.
Randy’s elementary
school music teacher,
Randy Johnson
Mrs. Foy was so im
pressed by his potential
that she began coach
ing and encouraging
him to participate in the
school operettas.
Randy must have bene-
fitted from the teaching
of Mrs. Foy because he
responded by winning
best vocalist for six con
secutive years.
Upon reaching high
school age he became
very active in sports and
engaged his outside in
terest in performing with
Hammer Please Dont Hurt 'Em
Rams Band and Lace hava a song and danca tor you when the Rams of
W.S.S.U. entertain the Virginia U||r^n Panthers.
a local band. Randy also
worked a part-time job
after school in order to
earn enough money to
buy his stage costumes
for on-the-road perfor
mances.
Presently he has
found himself doing
such engagements as
community fund raising
benefits, weddings,
pageants, private par
ties and funerals.
Aside from winning an
assortment of talent
shows locally, he has
performed with the
North Carolina Black
Repertory Company in
there very successful
National Black Theater
Festival and just re
cently sang with a local
ensemble which backed
The New Kids On The
Block in Winston-
Salem’s Grove Stadium
on one of their num
bers.
Randy is also very ac
tive these days in the
local gospel circuit. On
Patterson Ave. in
Sunday, October 28 at
4:00 Randy Johnson
will be presented In
concert with the
Cathedral Choir at Goler
Memorial A.M.E. Zion
Church, located at 630
Winston-Salem, N.C.
The proceeds
from this effort will
go to the Building
Fund for the antici
pated building of
their new church.
Farrakhan To
Speak At A&T
Louis Farrakhan, the
dynamic leader of the
Nation of islam and of
the nwst articulate and
influential black men in
America today, is
scheduled to speak
November 9, 1990 at
N.C. A&T State
University.
Minister Farrakhan’s
visit is sponsored by
A&Ts chapter of Alpha
Phi Alpha fraternity.
Adnfiission is $5 for stu
dents and $7 for all
others. He is scheduled
to speak at 7 p.m. at the
Corbett Sports Center
on campus.
University officials say
Farrakhan’s visit is not a
university-sponsored
event. They are leasing
space to the fraternity.
Mark-Anthony
Middleton, the coordi
nator of the visit, said his
organization (Alpha Phi
Alpha) invited Farrakhan
1o provide an opportu
nity for the many people
who haven’t heard him
to...make and informed
judgement about him."
RANDY DOWELL
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