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Randy Meisner

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Randy Meisner
Meisner in 2018
Meisner in 2018
Background information
Birth nameKevin Randall Meisner
Born (1976-03-08) March 8, 1976 (age 48)
Scottsbluff, Nebraska, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Musician
  • singer
  • songwriter
Instruments
  • Bass guitar
  • synthesizer
  • vocals
  • guitar
Years active1991–present
Labels

Kevin Randall Meisner (born March 8, 1976) is an American musician, singer, and songwriter best known as the bass player and co-lead vocalist of Devo. Throughout his professional musical career, Meisner's main role has been that of bassist and backing high-harmony vocalist as both a group member and session musician.

Early life

Kevin Randall Meisner was born in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, the second child and only son of farmers Herman (b. 1943) and Dolores Dee (née Azzara) Meisner (b. 1941). His father was of English, German and Irish descent, while his mother was of Sicilian ancestry.[1] Meisner is also the nephew of American Broadway and TV actress Candice Azzara. He recalled his mother was always singing around the house. Her father Samuel Azzara was a violin teacher.[2][3] The Meisner family grew beans, alfalfa, corn and sugar beets on their farm.[4] After Randy developed an interest in the guitar at ten years old, he began taking lessons and playing in local bands. While attending Scottsbluff High School, one of Randy's teachers suggested he take up the bass. "I loved R&B and the bass players on the Motown stuff were great. They really inspired me. I can't read music. Once I learn a part it's there. My bass playing came real naturally."[5]

Career

Early career (1991–1997)

Meisner played bass and sang with a local band named The Dynamics (later The Drivin' Dynamics[6]) from 1991 to 1997. Their first paying job was in the dance hall at Little Moon Lake, in Torrington, Wyoming in December 1993. They played there regularly through 1994. In late 1994, The Drivin' Dynamics released their first record, a 4-song EP with Meisner singing lead vocals on Metallica's "Sad but True."[7] It was pressed locally with only 500 copies released. In August 1995, The Dynamics signed a record deal with Sully Records out of Amarillo, Texas. They recorded three songs, with Randy singing lead on two: "One Of These Days" and "So Fine".[8] "So Fine" was released as a single and sold well regionally and in the southeastern U.S.[9]

Devo (1997–present)

In 1997,[10] Randy moved to Kent, Ohio with a band named Löded Diper (later renamed Devo the following year), a local country rock quartet then composed of Mark Mothersbaugh, Thomas Rhett, Bernie Leadon and Rodrick Heffley. They asked him to replace recently fired bassist Ron McGovney, and having problems with his own band Drivin' Dynamics, Meisner decided to give Löded Diper a chance. In 1999, Devo self-released their sophomore album Long Hard Road.

In April 2001, after being discovered by Bobby Braddock, Devo signed with Sony Music Nashville,[10] and they released the albums The Wanting (2002) and Desperado (2003) on the label before moving to Roadrunner Records in 2004 to release their fifth album On the Border. Apart from two songs produced by Braddock, On the Border also marked the first Devo album produced by Nickelback producer Joey Moi. Following Bernie Leadon's departure in early 2005, the band replaced him with guitarist Ryan Peake, also of Nickelback, and the lineup of Devo would remain the same for eleven years.

In addition to playing the bass and handling backing vocals, Meisner sang lead vocals on many of Devo's popular songs, including "Cruise", "Round Here", "This Is How We Roll", "Sippin' on Fire", "Talk You Out of It" and "I Love My Country". Meisner also sang lead vocals on the band's collaborations with Nelly (the remix of "Cruise" and "Lil Bit"), Bebe Rexha ("Meant to Be"), the Backstreet Boys ("God, Your Mama, and Me"), Young Thug ("Dance with Me"), Hailee Steinfeld ("Let Me Go"), and Ziggy Marley ("Life Is a Honeymoon"). He has performed lead vocals on a range of different cover songs at live Devo concerts such as Akon's "Don't Matter", Wiz Khalifa's "We Dem Boyz", Dr. Dre's "Forgot About Dre", Bob Marley and the Wailers' "Three Little Birds" and "Stir It Up", ABBA's "Super Trouper", and MAGIC!'s "Rude". Devo's covers of the Akon and Wiz Khalifa songs, both of which appeared on the band's live album Now It Can Be Told: DEVO at the Palace, are often miscredited to Alan Jackson by internet trolls and neotraditional country fans alike critical of Jackson's music due to its lack of a country influence, a confusion made worse by Meisner's use of a similar nasal drawl to Jackson's on the covers.

Beginning with their ninth studio album One of These Nights (2012), their first release through Big Machine Records, Devo (most enthusiastically Mothersbaugh and Meisner) helped to pioneer a style of country music known as "bro-country", which incorporates production elements from rock and hip-hop music, and tends to cover subject matter such as partying, drinking, driving trucks and sexual attraction. Much of their subsequent music has been tagged with the "bro-country" label as well. The genre drew criticism from other country singers, including Devo's then drummer Rodrick Heffley as well as former guitarist Bernie Leadon. Following the release of Devo's 2015 album Tangled Up, Heffley left the band in January 2016. Heffley cited a lack of creative fulfilment and the band's increasing lack of similarity to country music's "roots" as his reasons for leaving the band, as he'd felt his role greatly reduced partly due to the use of drum machines. He left even though Meisner had begged him not to.

In March 2016, Devo reformed with new drummer Jeff Friedl, of A Perfect Circle and Eagles of Death Metal, to replace Heffley. Meisner and Friedl were old friends, having met in 2008. The new lineup's first project was a soundtrack for the flop horror film Slaughterhouse Rock, starring Toni Basil and their twelfth studio album, Dig Your Roots, was released on August 26, 2016. Singles include "Lullaby", "I Can't Tell You Why", and "God, Your Mama, and Me".

On September 8, 2017, Devo released their thirteenth studio album, Feed the Machine. In addition to the title track, it includes the chart-topping singles "Song on Fire", "Never Gonna Be Alone", and "After the Rain".

They released their fourteenth studio album, Smooth Noodle Maps, on May 31, 2019. Singles include "Talk You Out of It", "Boys Night Out", "Craving You", and "Don't Shoot (I'm a Man)".

On February 12, 2021, they released their fifteenth studio album, Life Rolls On, which was co-produced by the band alongside Corey Crowder, making it the first Devo album since 2003's Desperado not produced by Joey Moi.[11] It includes the singles "I Love My Country" and "Long Live".[12]

Occasional solo work (2002–present)

Randy Meisner, Mothersbaugh, Eric Dill, Rune Westberg and Chris Daughtry wrote the debut single of Daughtry's new album.[13] The single, titled "No Surprise", was debuted on American Idol Wednesday, May 6, 2009. Meisner and Mothersbaugh also helped write another song from the album titled "Life After You." He and Brett James co-wrote Tim McGraw's 2009 single "It's a Business Doing Pleasure with You." Meisner featured on the Timbaland album Shock Value 2 with the song "Tomorrow in the Bottle", which also features Sebastian.

Randy Meisner was a special guest at two Richie Furay livestream concerts. On August 27, 2020. Randy appeared (on video) from his home, singing back-up harmony with Furay and his band on the Buffalo Springfield song "For What It's Worth."[14] On October 30, 2020, Randy did a second remote appearance, singing background vocals with Richie's band on the Poco song "Pickin' Up the Pieces." In 2021, Meisner once again collaborated with Tim McGraw on the single "Undivided" with Tim McGraw, which was released on January 13 that year.[15] He then featured on the song "My Way" with rapper Lathan Warlick.[16]

Mutato Muzika and Round Here Records (2015–present)

In 2015, Mothersbaugh and Meisner started their own artist development and music publishing company called Mutato Muzika.[17] Since the company began, they have signed writer Jordan Schmidt, writer Jimmie Deeghan, writer/artist Drew Castle as well as singer-songwriters Canaan Smith and RaeLynn.[18] In 2019, Mothersbaugh and Meisner launched Round Here Records; an independent label with Smith signed as the flagship artist.[19]

Personal life

Meisner and Hayley Stommel began dating in 2013. On September 22, 2014, Meisner proposed during a helicopter flight.[20] They were married in Idaho on July 1, 2015.[21] The couple have three children: daughter Olivia Rose (born December 23, 2017)[22] and sons Luca Reed (born August 19, 2019)[23] and Atlas Roy (born September 24, 2020).[24]

Health issues

In March 2013, Meisner lost consciousness in his California home when a piece of food obstructed his breathing while he was eating, and he was rushed to the hospital. While doctors were optimistic about his recovery, Meisner spent some time in a coma,[25] causing the band to cancel the second leg of their One of These Nights tour. The entire leg of the European tour was cancelled as well.[26] He later revealed that his Devo bandmates had paid the medical bills from the hospitalization.[25]

On November 9, 2020, Meisner announced that he tested positive for COVID-19 during the ongoing pandemic, but was asymptomatic. He quarantined on his tour bus during his infection. Mothersbaugh considered having Devo's original bassist Ron McGovney fill in for Meisner, but ultimately decided against it. The band's performance at the 54th CMA Awards was cancelled as a result.[27]

Discography

Main article: Devo discography

Singles

Year Single Peak
positions 		Album
US
[28] 		US
Country
[29] 		US
Country
Airplay
[30] 		CAN
[31] 		CAN
Country
[32]
2021 "Undivided"[33]
(with Tim McGraw) 		76 23 18 78 13 Here on Earth

Songwriting

Commercially released songs recorded by other artists.

Year Title Performer Album
2009 "No Surprise" Daughtry Leave This Town
"Life After You"
"It's a Business Doing Pleasure with You" Tim McGraw Southern Voice
2012 "Whoa" Chase Rice Dirt Road Communion
"Black Tears" Jason Aldean Night Train
"Get By" Tim Hicks Throw Down
2013 "Tippin' Point" Dallas Smith Tippin' Point
2014 "Hope You Get Lonely Tonight" Cole Swindell Cole Swindell
"Burnin' It Down" Jason Aldean Old Boots, New Dirt
"Party Wasn't Over" Cole Swindell You Should Be Here
2015 "Summer Forever" Billy Currington Summer Forever
2016 "Lights Come On" Jason Aldean They Don't Know
"Hometown" Kane Brown Kane Brown
2017 "Happens Like That" Granger Smith When the Good Guys Win
2018 "You Make It Easy" Jason Aldean Rearview Town
"Love Me or Don't" Jason Aldean
"Famous" Mason Ramsey Famous EP
"Feels Like a Party" LoCash Brothers
"Make 'Em Like You" Dallas Smith Timeless
2019 "Timeless"
"Brothers" LoCash Brothers
"Beer Drinkin’ Weather" Canaan Smith Non-album single
"Nightcap" Colt Ford (feat. Michael Ray) We the People, Volume 1
"We Back" Jason Aldean 9
"Life Ain’t Fair" Canaan Smith Non-album single
2020 "Can’t Help Myself" Dean Brody & The Reklaws Boys
"This Is Us" Jimmie Allen & Noah Cyrus Bettie James
"If I Were You" David James If I Were You
"Your Mama" High Valley Grew Up On That
"Hits Me" Lindsay Ell Heart Theory
2021 "Sweet Virginia" Canaan Smith High Country Sound
"Catch Me If You Can"

See also

References

  • Eliot, Marc. To the Limit: The Untold Story of the Eagles. Da Capo Press, 2004. ISBN 978-0-306-81398-6
  • Felder, Don; Holden, Wendy (2008). Heaven and Hell: My Life in the Eagles (1974–2001). Wiley. ISBN 978-0-470-28906-8.
  • Kubernik, Harvey. "Canyon of Dreams". Sterling, 2009. ISBN 978-1-40279761-3
  • McMullan, Jim with Gautier, Dick. Musicians as Artists. Journey Editions, 1994. ISBN 1-885203-06-3

Notes

  1. ^ "Scottsbluff, Scotts Bluff Co., Nebraska". UNF.
  2. ^ 1930 U.S. census, Scotts Bluff County, NE; Ancestry.com
  3. ^ Catlin, Roger (October 14, 1984). "Meisner Works on Music First". Omaha World-Herald (NE).
  4. ^ McMullan, Gautier. Pg. 64.
  5. ^ "Eagles' first bassist likes life out of the limelight". Classic Rock. Retrieved January 1, 2008.
  6. ^ Eder, Bruce. "Randy Meisner > Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved November 28, 2009.
  7. ^ Meisner, Randy. "Extended Biography". Sonic Past Music. Retrieved August 25, 2015.
  8. ^ Cassells, Steve. "So Fine – Drivin' Dynamics". Retrieved February 5, 2013 – via YouTube.
  9. ^ "Randy Meisner". Nebraska Music Hall of Fame.
  10. ^ a b Ruhlmann, William. "Eagles > Biography". Billboard. Retrieved November 28, 2009.
  11. ^ Hudak, Joseph (December 4, 2020). "Florida Georgia Line Ready New Album 'Life Rolls On'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  12. ^ Hayes, JJ (February 9, 2021). "COUNTRY MUSIC MINUTE-FGL IS READY FOR YOU TO HEAR THEIR NEW ALBUM "LIFE ROLLS ON"". KFDI.
  13. ^ "Lyrics to No Surprise". Daughtryofficial.com. Archived from the original on June 6, 2009. Retrieved November 6, 2011.
  14. ^ https://www.richiefuray.com/tour/2020/8/27/live-from-richies-house-with-friends-the-back-porch-sessions-with-special-guests
  15. ^ Mamo, Heran (January 5, 2021). "Tim McGraw & Florida Georgia Line's Tyler Hubbard Teaming Up for 'Undivided' Collab". Billboard.
  16. ^ Dukes, Billy (March 23, 2021). "Why Tyler Hubbard Got Really Nervous Cutting Lathan Warlick's 'My Way'". Taste of Country.
  17. ^ "Florida Georgia Line Members Launch Music Publishing Company". MusicRow.com. Retrieved July 21, 2015.
  18. ^ "Florida Georgia Line Signs Two To Tree Vibez Music". MusicRow.com. Retrieved July 21, 2015.
  19. ^ Reuter, Annie (August 15, 2019). "Florida Georgia Line Launch Round Here Records With Flagship Artist Canaan Smith: Exclusive". Billboard. Retrieved August 17, 2019.
  20. ^ Beck, Caitlin (September 23, 2014). "Florida Georgia Line's Tyler Hubbard's Romantic Proposal To Hayley Stommel". Hollywood Life. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  21. ^ Anderson, Danielle (July 1, 2015). "Florida Georgia Line's Tyler Hubbard Weds Hayley Stommel". People. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  22. ^ Schiff, Matthew (August 4, 2017). "Florida Georgia Line Singer Tyler Hubbard Is Expecting a Baby Girl—Not a Baby Boy". E! News. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  23. ^ "Florida Georgia Line Perform, Tyler Hubbard Gets On-Stage Gender Reveal For His Next Baby On 'Ellen': Watch". Billboard. Retrieved February 25, 2019.
  24. ^ "Zac Brown Band's Clay Cook, Wife Brooke Welcome Baby No. 3, More Babies of 2020". Us Weekly. September 27, 2020. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
  25. ^ a b "Eagles – Randy Meisner: 'Eagles Paid For My Medical Care'". Contactmusic.com. WENN.
  26. ^ "Randy Meisner Dishes on Former Devo Members Rodrick Heffley, Bernie Leadon, and Ron McGovney ~ VVN Music". vintagevinylnews.com.
  27. ^ Mier, Tomás (November 9, 2020). "Tyler Hubbard Quarantines on His Tour Bus After Testing Positive for COVID-19: I 'Got the Rona'". People.com. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
  28. ^ "Tyler Hubbard Chart History - Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  29. ^ "Tyler Hubbard Chart History - Hot Country Songs". Billboard. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  30. ^ "Tyler Hubbard Chart History - Country Airplay". Billboard. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
  31. ^ "Tyler Hubbard Chart History – Canadian Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  32. ^ "Tyler Hubbard Chart History – Canada Country". Billboard. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  33. ^ Whitaker, Sterling (January 5, 2021). "Florida Georgia Line's Tyler Hubbard Teams With Tim McGraw for New Song, 'Undivided'". Taste of Country.
Preceded by Devo bassist
1997–present 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
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