On The Entertainment Engine podcast, Legendary film composer & Singer-songwriter— Randy Edelman!
From touring with the “Carpenters to Frank Zappa” to composing for Ghostbusters 2, Kindergarten Kop, xXx, Daylight & Last of the Mohicans plus much more…
This week on The Entertainment Engine podcast show, we welcome our next guest to the show legendary film composer & Singer-songwriter — Randy Edelman to the show…
Early Life:
Randy Edelman grew up in Teaneck New Jersey, where he studied piano at an early age giving many recitals locally. After high school graduation, he enrolled at the Cincinnati Music Conservatory where he majored in piano and composition.
While in Cincinnati he began freelancing as a music arranger at James Brown’s King Records and also wrote original music for regional theatre.
Upon graduation, Randy headed back to New York where he signed on as a staff writer at CBS April Blackwood Music.
He also began playing piano in Broadway pit orchestras and continued his interest as a music arranger.
He went out on the road as Music Director for many entertainers. It was while traveling that Randy began writing both his own music and lyrics with an eye toward doing his own albums.
It was the beginning of a decade of producing and writing his own solo albums.
Randy also has just penned and recorded a new single during the pandemic lockdown period. It is being released by Tribeca Records and is called
“Comin’ Out The Other Side”
Click on the link below to view the video of the song;
The albums led to Randy’s appearances as an opening solo act to such diverse groups as The Carpenters and Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention.
His songs began being recorded by such popular recording artists as Barry Manilow (“Weekend In New England”), Olivia Newton-John, Patti LaBelle, The Carpenters, The 5th Dimension, Jackie DeShannon, Blood Sweat and Tears, Kool & The Gang, Agnetha Faltskog (ABBA), and Bing Crosby to name a few!
The subsequent success of his records in the United Kingdom led to appearances on the Top of the Pops, concerts at the London Palladium and Drury Lane Theaters, and tours throughout Europe, Japan, and Australia.
Some of Randy Edelman's awards:
Platinum & Gold RecordsThe Carpenters — “A Song For You” “Now And Then” “A Kind Of Hush”
Barry Manilow — “Barry Manilow Live” “This One’s For You” “Barry Manilow’s Greatest Hits”
Olivia Newton-John — “Making A Good Thing Better” Nelly — “Suit” Now 17 — “My Place” Last of the Mohicans soundtrack
Golden Globes Nomination” Last of the Mohicans” was nominated by the Golden Globes Awards for Best Original Score — Motion Picture
British Academy of Film and Television Awards Nomination” Last Of The Mohicans” nominated by BAFTA for Best Original Film Score
BMI Top-Grossing Film Awards:
27 Dresses, The Mask, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, The Last of The Mohicans, Triple XXX, Kindergarten Cop, Six Days Seven Nights, Ghostbusters II, Anaconda, Twins, While You Were Sleeping…
In 2014 Randy celebrated the 20th anniversary of NBC’s use of his on-air theme for the Olympics, with the Winter Games from Sochi, Russia. He was awarded the 2014 BMI Spotlight Award for this theme.
In 2015 the Long Island International Film Expo awarded Randy their “Lifetime Achievement Award in Film Scoring and Composition.”
In 2018 Randy was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by The Composers and Lyricists Guild at their annual dinner in Los Angeles.
Recent scores include the religious indie film “Leaves of the Tree,” the boxing flick “Back in the Day,” Jennifer Lopez's thriller “The Boy Next Door,” MGMs “Max 2: White House Hero,” the documentary “Naya, Legend of the Golden Dolphin,” the new sequel “Backdraft II” for Netflix.
To listen to the full episode with Randy, click on the link below;
In 2019 Randy recently returned from London where he performed his solo “Act” at The Bedford and participated in a 4-hour live retrospective of his scores and songs at SoHo Radio.
Randy received the Best Score Accolade from the Los Angeles Film Awards for the indie comedy “Love in Kilnerry.” He is currently putting a special solo evening together which he will present at Feinstein’s/54 Under Club on Broadway, on April Fools' eve in New York.
He continues to work on the score for his musical, “Short Cut,” telling of the construction of the Panama Canal.
In 2021, at long last, Sony Masterworks is releasing Edelman’s orchestral score to Ghostbusters 2, in all formats.
It was a pleasure to speak with Randy, what a career he has had, providing some really great insight to the music community, and we even had our own little concert by Randy on the podcast! Just amazing!
By Pete Moore
