The New Christy Minstrels®
Under the Direction of Randy Sparks
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This is now the OFFICIAL website of
The New Christy Minstrels®
Under the Direction of Randy Sparks!
There's only one such group in the whole world, and you've reached the one and only place we are now OFFICIALLY located in the cyber-world of the Internet.
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In Loving Memory |
Gayle Geddes Caldwell |
February 20th, 1941 – April 14th, 2009 |
"She just full-on loved music -- hearing it, writing it, coaching it, teaching it, performing it. It was her life." |
Singer/composer/musician/artist/writer Gayle Geddes Caldwell was born in Eugene, Oregon on February 20, 1941, and died at home peacefully at her home in Fort Bragg, California on April 14, 2009 after a long illness. Raised in Roseburg, Oregon, she was daughter of Paul and Esther Geddes. She was the beloved mother of Michelle Caldwell and grandmother of Dara Ghashghai, both of San Diego, and the mother of Melissa Ziker of Fort Bragg, who predeceased her. She was sister of Carole Freeman and "sister-in-love" of James Sibbet, both of Comptche, CA, and sister of Paula Geddes of Richland, Oregon, Sara Geddes of Portland, Oregon, Debi Geddes of Eugene, Oregon, and Lisa Geddes of Lopez, Washington. Donations could be made to the American Lung Association of New York. Her CD – All Is One – is available from her web site: http://www.gaylecaldwell.org |
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Randy Sparks And The New Christy Minstrels To Be Honored With
318th Star On Palm Springs Walk Of Stars
By Staff 03.JAN.09
Palm Springs, CA- Grammy winning, ground-breaking singers and musicians, Randy
Sparks and The New Christy Minstrels, will be honored with the 318th Golden
Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars.The star will be unveiled inside
the McCallum Theater on Monday January 12, 2009 at 7:00 PM, with placement in
the sidewalk at 538 N. Palm Canyon Dr. at a later date. Robert Alexander, President
of the Palm Springs Walk of Stars, will preside over the event. The public and
media are invited to attend.A groundbreaking folk ensemble with a rich, robust
vocal blend, The New Christy Minstrels has entertained millions of fans around
the world since they were first assembled by visionary folk singer Randy Sparks
over forty seven years ago. Under Sparks' astute leadership, the "Christies"
have scored major success in recordings, on television and-most significant-on
the concert circuit. Their innovative sounds were a major influence on popular
and folk music in the Sixties. People of all ages were so captivated by their
rich harmonies and robust energy that the Christies' career skyrocketed in record
time.In 1962, their debut album, "Presenting the New Christy Minstrels",
earned a Grammy for Best Performance by a Chorus. With weekly appearances on
the debut season of The Andy Williams Show, they soon attracted a legion of
fans across the country. Before year-end, they were appearing at Carnegie Hall,
followed by appearances at The Greek Theatre, The Coconut Grove, The Latin Quarter,
The Copacabana, and The Hollywood Bowl just to name a few. In 1964, they made
their first appearance at the White House before then President Lyndon Johnson.Between
1962 and 1968 they released sixteen albums. Their "Ramblin'" album
went gold and became a folk classic, garnering rave reviews and featured their
first major hit single, "Green, Green". The group enjoyed other chart
successes with "This Land is Your Land", "Denver", and "Chim
Chim Cher-ee", which the group preformed onThe Academy Awards ceremony
the evening the song won "Best Song of 1964. And they are still at it.
With Randy Sparks at the helm, the group continues performing with the refreshing
Christy sound that has left an enduring legacy on the music world. - Desert
Local News©
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Message from Randy, April 9th, 2009
What am I doing? I have made elaborate plans to escape the chill
of
winter, but here I am in Rock Springs, Wyoming, and it's snowing. I was
relatively happy being home in sunny California for no longer than 24
hours, but here we go again. Do you have any idea how many summers and
winters I have been through in this year alone? We began in South Texas
where it was summer, then went to Northern CA for a taste of mild winter,
then back to Palm Springs where it was summer. From there we went to
Arizona for a mix of summer and winter, then back to the north again
(winter). Our next stop was sunny Florida, but we had come from Northern
Florida where it was winter. Tampa was sunny and summery, ditto the East
Coast and the South of FL, but then we had to go back to the north.
Alabama was a taste of summer, then on to Tyler, TX where it was nearly
winter. From there, I dropped Becky Jo at the airport in KC, and that was
definitely winter, an ice storm. I went south, hoping to reach Harlingen
and Hargill (where it was summer), but only got as far as Tyler again, and
that was pleasant enough, but I was ill from all the many summer and
winter combinations. My next stop was Russell, KS, and it was summer,
but then it turned to winter in less than a day, and when I arrived in KC
to retrieve BJB from the airplane, it was a mix of summer and winter. We
went on to Toledo (where it was winter), then farther east to PA (winter).
Coming back, Smethport, PA was cold enough to break pipes, and Sylvania,
OH suddenly became summer again. Missouri and Kansas were pleasant enough for
a while, but then it became the dark days of winter in Russell KS, and we didn't
escape that wrath until we got all the way to Tumcumcari and
Albuguerque, NM. After that, we were in the grand blizzard and horrendous
dust storms of Arizona, and then, very suddenly, it was summer again in
Lake Havasu City. California was pleasantly summery all the way to the
north, even over the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Then came Eastern
Nevada....and on to Wyoming. This is ridiculous!
Cheers! RS
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Friday, October 30, 2009
Desert View Performing Arts Center & Mountain View Country Club
38759 S. Mountain View Blvd.
Tucson, Arizona 85739
Phone (520) 825-5318
For tickets and information
Click Here
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Sunday, December 6, 2009
SUN CITY WEST
Palm Ridge Recreation Center, Summit Hall
13800 W. Deer Valley Drive
Sun City West, Arizona 85375
Concert: 2:00 PM
and
Concert: 7:00 PM
Advance Tickets: $17.50 for Members of Sun City West,
with a valid Rec Card ID; $20 for non-Members, Public Invited.
All tickets will be $22 if purchased at the event.
Tickets are on sale now and must be purchased at the
Box Office located inside the Administration Building at
19803 R.H. Johnson Blvd., SCW, Arizona
Box Office Hours 8am - 11:30am, Monday through Friday
Box Office Phone Number: 623-544-6032
To Contact the Box Office via email: Click Here
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2010
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JANUARY 15, 2010

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LOOKING FOR YOUR FAVORITE ALBUMS? THE STORE
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MERRY CHRISTMAS
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NEW MERRY CHRISTMAS ALBUM 45 YEARS LATER
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SANTA
RIDING A HARLEY
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RANDY'S THOUGHTS ON THE NEW CDI am feeling the need to mostly congratulate Clarence Treat for his brilliant
sweetening with the use of the real NCM voices and Jason Barney for excellent juggling of parts, perfecting of notes, and making this recording one of the best Christmas music offerings I have ever heard. I love the songs, naturally, that comes with the territory. I'm biased, but even if I hadn't manufactured these ditties, I would respect what they are saying and the BEAUTIFUL and EXCITING way each story is told. I've elimiated the explanation of each solg from the liner notes, and I fully expect folks from all around the world to ask what the songs are about. I have heard the enhanced recording for the first time just tonight,
and I am THRILLED beyond belief. Great! Cheers! RS
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THE FIRST TWO CLASSIC ALBUMS BY THE NEW CHRISTY MINSTRELS
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$20.00 INCLUDES POSTAGE IN THE U.S
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TALL TALES AND LAND OF GIANTS (TWO FER)
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$20.00 includes postage in the U.S.
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TODAY AND RAMBLIN'2 ALBUMS ON ONE CD
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$20.00 INCLUDES POSTAGE IN THE U.S
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THE DEFINITIVE CHRISTY MINSTRELS
TWO DISC COLLECTION
$30.00 includes postage in the U.S.
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$20.00 INCLUDES POSTAGE IN THE U.S.
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RANDY SPARKS SINGS SOLO
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ContentsTODAYIT'S ALL IN THE GAMEWATCH WHAT HAPPENSWHEN SUNNY GETS BLUETRY TO REMEMBER JULIE KNOWS LITTLE GIRL I WILL WAIT FOR YOU MY ONE AND ONLY LOVE WHERE CAN I GO WITHOUT YOU? |
RECORDED BY COLUMBIA NEVER RELEASED |
SUNG WITH A FULL ORCHESTRA $20.00 INCLUDES POSTAGE IN THE U.S.
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And OTHER MUSICAL ADVENTURES FOR THOSE OF US IN SEARCH
OF GREATER SELF ESTEEM
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Contents OH YES, I'M A WONDERFUL PERSON I'M GOOD FOLLOWING THE RUTS IN THE ROAD I LIKE METHE PRINCESS AND THE TOAD A PICKUP IS A TRUCKTHE BANDTO THE POETS OF THE WORLDFAM'LY TREE PEER PRESSURE |
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NEW COUNTRY MINSTRELS
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AIN'T THAT HAPPY ~ PAYIN' YOUR DUES AGAIN ~ SOMETHING THAT NOBODY WANTS ~ YOU MAKE IT LOOK SO EASY ~ ONE GOOD SONG
SAD SONGS AND LOVE SONGS ~ NOW AND THEN ~ MACK THE TRUCK ~ BACK IN BAKERSFIELD AGAIN ~ LET THE LOVE LIGHT SHINE
SILVER THREADS AND GOLDEN NEEDLES
| You may assume the album title NEW COUNTRY MINSTRELS
is simply a clever play- on- words involving RANDY SPARKS' first successful
group THE NEW
CHRISTY MINSTRELS. This is not the intent. Whereas it's
true most people
who think of RANDY SPARKS recall the Christies and their
Sparks-penned hits
(Green, Green, Saturday Night, Today, etc.), this new
effort is a departure
from the pop-folk medium of the mid sixties. It's a
genuine "country" album
recorded in Nashville; it's the "new country"
in that the pop sounds of the
seventies are also much in evidence. The new minstrels
are RANDY AND THE
BACK PORCH MAJORITY, one time farm team for the NCM. Special bouquets of gratitude are extended to: SCOTT TURNER, Canadian hillbilly and Randy's co-producer STEVE MESSER, engineer; Nashville Musicians JIMMY BRYANT,DAVID BYRD, ARLAN ELLIS, BOBBE SEYMOUR, ZEKE SHEPPARD All the other sounds on the record were uttered, plucked, plunked, and percussed by MARV ALLIN, MARY LEE DUVAL, (Sunseri), DAN GLADISH, NANCY HOOPER (Stewart), ROSS SEARS, and RANDY SPARKS; That's RS and the BPM. Recorded at LSI Sound Studio, mastered by Masterphonics. |
$20.00 includes postage in the U.S.
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Sheet Music $7.50 EACH (INCLUDES POSTAGE)
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To order, call Barb Evans at (406) 543-1268or write to:
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