Steely Dan's ELLIOTT RANDALL: Guitar Virtuoso Unleashed

Elliott Randall is one of the greatest guitarists of the Rock era. His solos on Steely Dan’s hit “Reelin’ In The Years” and Irene Cara’s “Fame” are nothing short of iconic. To the uninitiated, it might seem like Elliott has made a career out of saying no to great opportunities. Steely Dan, The Doobie Brothers, The Blues Brothers and Toto all asked him to join their bands and he said no. But Elliot is different. He has always trusted his intuition. Known as one of the greatest session musicians around, he's the man behind that renowned Reelin' In The Years Steely Dan solo (which is said to be Jimmy Page's favourite ever lead guitar break) among literally hundreds, if not thousands, of other cuts. He also continues to write, produce, consult, engineer, tutor and perform to this day. In this interview we turn back the clock to learn about his upbringing in NYC and his passion for music ignited at a young age. During his formative years, Elliott immersed himself in the vibrant musical culture of the 50s and 60s. He took guitar lessons, honed his skills and his dedication caught the attention of instructors and peers alike. By the time he had ended his teens, Elliott had already been a pro' player for four or five years. In 1967, Musicor Records (who gave the world Gene Pitney) offered him a role as a Staff Musician. He then joined the roots fusion act Seatrain briefly in 1969, and signed as a solo artist, releasing his debut album in 1970. It was the death of his good friend Jimi Hendrix that helped Elliott realise he didn't need to be the rockstar or the centre of attention so he began working with other artists and clients, providing solutions for their musical and commercial success. The most well known four-and-a-half minutes of his guitar life became the lead breaks he added to Steely Dan's megahit Reelin' In The Years in 1972. It has received acclaim from other players and audiences alike. Since then Elliott Randall has played with Joan Baez, Chuck Berry, Kate Bush, The Doobie Brothers, Peter Frampton, Art Garfunkel, Albert Hammond, Bob Marley, Yoko Ono, Gene Simmons, Loudon Wainright III, Gary Barlow of Take That fame, and many, many more. He has also soundtracked jingles for some of world's biggest brands including Coca-Cola, Budweiser, McDonald's, Citi Bank, Procter & Gamble, MTV, ESPN and BBC TV. He's also performed for musicals like Jesus Christ Superstar on Broadway, and has been a musical consultant for Saturday Night Live and the film director Oliver Stone. Elliott's passion for music continues unabated today. His story is fascinating and I hope you will enjoy every minute of it. To learn more about Elliott Randall head for his website https://elliott-randall.com/ To contact me head for my website https://www.abreathoffreshair.com.au