Photo by Gene Moore
Biography
Randy Brooks is inevitably introduced as “the man who wrote ‘Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer” – the multi-million seller that one Nashville publisher has called "The 'Gambler' of Christmas songs." A multi-year #1 on Billboard's holiday singles chart, "Grandma" earned Randy SESAC Songwriter of the Year and Song of the Year honors, spawned an animated Christmas special, musical toys, ornaments, greeting cards, apparel, video games, a branded hot chocolate mix, a Tesla dashboard app, and inflatable yard abominations. The song has been used in many a movie, commercial, and TV show - most recently by Jimmy Fallon and Dolly Parton on The Tonight Show, and the CW Network's "The Flash" - and covered by everyone from Ray Stevens to Mitch Ryder to the Coasters.
“Grandma” is typical of the tongue-in cheek novelty songs for which Randy is known. His "Percy the Puny Poinsettia” was also a million-seller by virtue of sharing vinyl with “Grandma.” “Will You Be Ready at the Plate When Jesus Throws the Ball” appeared under the closing credits of the Showtime movie “Pride Against Prejudice: The Larry Doby Story.” And "Goin' On a Date with Santa" somehow found its way into off-Broadway cabaret.
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Randy has decades of performing credits - as far back as a trip to New York from his native Louisville, Kentucky, to appear on the Ted Mack Amateur Hour at the age of 15. After graduating magnum cum lager from Vanderbilt, he entertained U.S. troops with USO in Vietnam, Thailand, and Europe. In all, he has performed in 30 states and nine countries (not counting that night in Portugal) outside the U.S.
In recent years Randy has performed at Nashville’s Bluebird Café and Douglas Corner, the Tin Pan South songwriter festival, San Antonio's Holiday River Parade, the Frank Brown International Songwriters' Festival, the Gatlinburg Songwriters Festival, the Smoky Mountains Songwriters Festival, Pirates & Poets songwriter series, the Wisconsin State Fair, as a guest performer with the Roanoke, Virginia, Symphony Orchestra, at assorted venues in Ireland, and at various and sundry house concerts. As a performing songwriter, Randy has sold over 30 albums worldwide. (30 copies.)
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In addition to solo singer/songwriter appearances, he plays bass and sings with longtime Americana group Young Country, and Dallas-based pool party band The Bad Monkeys.​
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Randy is resigned to the fact that, no matter what else he might accomplish in life, he is destined to be remembered for just one thing - kind of like the John Wilkes Boothe of songwriters.
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Trivia: Randy is a nephew of the late comedian Foster Brooks, "The Lovable Lush."
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For over 20 years, Randy's was the recorded voice of the American Airlines
AAdvantage program.
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For awhile, Randy was a dues-paying member of Actors Equity, until drama critics encouraged him to resign.
