On this day (July 7) in 1947, Randy Goodrum was born in Hot Springs, Arkansas. He is a pianist, producer, and recording artist. However, Goodrum is best known as a prolific and versatile songwriter. His compositions have become hits on the country, pop, and adult contemporary charts. A wide variety of artists, including Loretta Lynn, Kenny Rogers, Dottie West, Anne Murray, Chicago, and Toto, have cut his songs.
Goodrum started learning to play piano by mimicking his older brother. Then, when he was eight years old, he started to take lessons. First, he learned to play classical music before diving into jazz. While in high school, he was invited to join two of his classmates–Bill Clinton and Joe Newman–to form a jazz trio called the Three Kings.
Videos by American Songwriter
[RELATED: One of Dottie West’s Biggest Hits Was Inspired by Thinking About a Frying Pan]
He recalled playing with the then-future president to authors Shawn Landres and Robert Levin for their book Bill Clinton: The Inside Story. “Bill and Joe Newman were one year ahead of me in school and called me to participate in an instrumental trio called the Three Kings,” Goodrum said. “I was flattered. We hit it off and for two years, had a very fun and creative time performing around town, mostly for community events and variety shows,” he added.
His time with the trio turned out to be more important than he could have initially imagined. “That was a pivotal time for me because during that time I was trying to decide between medicine and music. I decided to pursue music as a career. That little trio was an important time for all three of us.”
Randy Goodrum is a Versatile Songwriter
Some songwriters spend their careers locked into one genre. Randy Goodrum isn’t one of those songwriters. His first No. 1 as a writer was “You Needed Me.” Anne Murray’s rendition topped the Hot 100 in 1979 and won a Grammy Award. It was also a top 10 country hit and won the ACM Song of the Year.
Dottie West, Michael Johnson, Toto, Chicago, Steve Perry, Kenny Rogers, and Sonny James are among those who found success with Goodrum’s compositions, according to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Additionally, he wrote “So Soft Your Goodbye,” which was recorded by Chet Atkins and Mark Knopfler and won a Grammy in 1990.
“Part of the reason I am so diverse, I think, is because of where I grew up,” he explained in an interview. “I’m from Arkansas and that area, in reality, is really the birthplace of lots of American music. I mean, if you think about it, you have got blues, rock and roll, jazz, country, rhythm and blues, and all of this stuff which basically started in that region,” he added. “When you were in a band, you had to play it all.”
A Highlight Reel
Below are some of the highlights and hits from Randy Goodrum’s song catalog
- “A Lesson in Leavin’”–Dottie West (No.1)
- “Bluer Than Blue”–Michael Johnson (No. 1)
- “Broken Hearted Me”–Anne Murray (No. 1)
- “Foolish Heart”–Steve Perry (No. 2)
- “I’ll Be Over You”–Toto (No. 1)
- “If She Would Have Been Faithful”–Chicago (No. 9)
- “It’s True Love”–Loretta Lynn & Conway Twitty (No. 5)
- “Now and Forever (You and Me)”–Anne Murray (No. 1)
- “What Are We Doin’ in Love”–Kenny Rogers & Dottie West (No. 1)
Featured Image by Jemal Countess/WireImage