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Sowing Seeds

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Ephesians 5:18-20

I am a songwriter of Christian based songs with a great desire to spread the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ. Music is the best way I know how to reach people and communicate the message. I am not a preacher or a teacher but a singer, guitarist and songwriter. To glorify the Lord with the time and respect that is due Him, for all He does for me, I would like to make a master recording of 9 songs, 7 of mine and 2 written by others, with some of the finest musicians in Nashville. Thank you and God bless you!

For those of you who don't know much about me, here is my music bio:

Randy Perkins music B I O G R A P H Y

Born and raised in Portsmouth, Ohio, band frontman and solo artist Randy Perkins  (aka Diggy) has performed music for fun and profit since the age of eleven. He began as a drummer, but after three years, changed to bass and then guitar. With his soulful 3 ½ octave voice, Randy was always the designated lead vocalist. A Nashville, Tennessee DJ once introduced Randy to his SRO NEW MUSIC FESTIVAL audience as “the white Jackie Wilson”.

From Ohio, Randy headed out for the eastern USA and Canada eventually taking up residence in Richmond, VA where he quickly built a musical name for himself. Randy’s songwriting and performing skills attracted many of the area’s top, and then unknown, musicians. Tim Reynolds (Dave Matthews), Keith Horne (Hot Apple Pie), and Keith Howland (Chicago) performed in Diggy’s highly acclaimed “Randy Perkins Project”, but after viewing the more direct and less cumbersome concerts of Bob Dylan in his “Don’t Look Back” video, Randy set the band aside and began performing solo three hours a night/four nights a week. He became a favorite college circuit performer and frequently requested solo opener for shows featuring such artists as The Wallflowers, Tori Amos, and Chris Whitley.

At the urging of his ex-bandmate Keith Horne, who was now in Nashville playing bass for Tanya Tucker, Randy traveled to Nashville to investigate the town’s burgeoning Folk/Rock - Pop scene. After only 9 months of constant performing in Music City, Randy caught the ear of Tim Coats. Tim, veteran Bruce Springsteen bassist Garry Tallent and songwriter Ron LaSalle were forming a record label and signed Randy to a multi-record deal with their D’Ville Record Group. Randy named his band DIGNUS ( hence his “Diggy” nickname . . . hey, it just stuck ) and IN YOUR WORLD, 12 Diggy songs produced by Garry and featuring George Marinelli (Bruce Hornsby and the Range/Bonnie Raitt) on additional guitars, was released in the Spring of 1996 to positive national reviews and the song Savhanna Lily Jones was being added to college radio throughout the USA and Canada. The soulful and tight “Folk-Funk” trio burned up the eastern United States performing for The MacFEST in New York City and touring with The Screamin’ Cheetah Wheelies. DIGNUS would open shows for headliners such as GOV'T Mule, Duncan Sheik, Jars of Clay, and headline medium-sized venues throughout the East.  Just as things were looking up, D’Ville was “going down”, unable to survive a devastating financial setback. The promising Indie label closed leaving Randy without the muscle needed to continue promoting his recording.

After the D’Ville demise, Randy continued to build his name by writing and performing his own brand of soulful, “thought-provoking” music and releasing it through the DIGNUS website, ITunes and most on-line music outlets. Though the majority of Randy’s performances were solo/acoustic, he  followed his tradition of forming DIGNUS variations with musical luminaries like John Jackson (Bob Dylan/Lucinda Williams/Shelby Lynn), George Marinelli, Terry Thomas (The Cheetah Wheelies), and Mark W. Winchester (Emmylou Harris/ Brian Setzer) when the notion arose. His November 1999 release LOOKING FOR A NEW WAY, featuring an appearance by Bela Fleck/Dave Matthews sax man Jeff Coffin, also earned great reviews. As host and performer for the 2001 and 2002 TIN PAN SOUTH (Nashville’s premiere annual songwriter showcase) and a featured BMI performer at the 2002 Folk Alliance, the Nashville music community continued to hold Randy “Diggy” Perkins and his music in high regard.

An all-acoustic DIGNUS CD, Mudhouse Serenade, was released in March of 2002. It features 12 new Randy Perkins songs performed with all the soul and passion that he is known to deliver. His relentless one-man "Mudhouse Tour" started in November of 2001, earning him repeat invitations to Chicago, New York City, Atlanta, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Charlotte, Annapolis and many other great towns and cities east of the Mississippi. The tour successfully created a devout grassroots following, as designed, and delivered opening slots for Keb Mo, Alejandro Escavedo, Chris Whitley, legendary folk singer Eric Andersen, The Maryjanes, and Those Darn Accordions.

In the April 2002 Music Row Magazine, contributor and music historian Robert K. Oermann said the benefit of the all-acoustic production of Mudhouse Serenade " . . . is that you get to hear how cool Randy Perkins’ lyrics are."  Winston-Salem/Greensboro ESP Magazine writer Anise Cerra wrote "What keeps (Mudhouse Serenade) jumpin' is that Diggy never quite lets the ear rest. There's always some little hairpin turn musically to catch the breath or a fine lyric to stick in the mind."  In the May 2002 issue, Music Row Magazine's record reviewer John Hood said Diggy "is in fine voice throughout (Mudhouse Serenade), cementing his status as one of Nashville's most compelling vocalists."

During his grueling 2 year Mudhouse tour, Randy had lots of time to himself. He had time to think and time to understand that, what he was doing, was not satisfying and only part of his story. There was an emptiness that was becoming much bigger than any of the small gains he was making. In January of 2003, Randy Perkins asked Jesus Christ to be Lord of his life and everything changed.

Randy stopped traveling and began to study the Bible. He thirsted for The Word, just as he had heard from his grandfather when Randy was a boy. After two years of study, new songs began to flow, only now, the lyrics were praising Jesus and telling stories about his new life. Randy “Diggy” Perkins had become a “new creature” in Christ.

Randy is now delivering The Lord’s message through song and has begun a music and message ministry. To help his ministry, you may donate at www.GoFundMe.com/SowingSeedsWithMe .  Watch for new recordings by his band The Saints of Woodbine and for their traveling ministry to come to your town.

DEFY MEDIOCRITY

The DIGNUS Whirled HeadQuarters, the SOW ministry and all of Randy's projects can be reached via the following:

P.O. Box 121955  Nashville, TN  37212

[email redacted]
www.TheDWHQ.com

Organizer

Randy Perkins
Organizer
Nashville, TN

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