Episode #22 – Randie O’Neil
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Randie O’Neil was born in Allentown, PA and the city of her youth was captured in the Billy Joel song, “Allentown”. That was a time of transition in that proud city and the strength required to adapt to significant change has infused Randie’s musical journey.
8th Grade, a time that can be challenging for most people, dealt Randie a particularly tough blow when her guitars were sold out from under her.
After high school her resolve pointed her to Moravian College in Bethlehem, PA where she found a supportive roommate who told her she should be singing and the explosion of New Wave music on the scene.
In the mid- 90’s she helped create a band named AMA “Against Medical Advice” (cool name by the way!) and they worked their way into some legendary NYC clubs including Kenny’s Castaways and CBGB’s! A few years later she endured a serious car accident and the doctor’s told her she would not be able to sing! That is the kind of thing that could knock many people out for the count but Randie enrolled in graduate school at Montclair State University for addiction counseling and works to help people to this day.
The London Olympics in 2012 might seem an odd place for a musical rebirth but Randie felt something was missing in her life and bought a guitar. She even did some busking on the streets of London! She gave herself one year to find her musical footing and in 2013 she played at a showcase in the lower East Side of NYC and hasn’t looked back.
Randie is having her CD release party this Friday, July 12th at the Folk Project in Morristown, NJ!
Enjoy this episode as Randie closes it by playing “Keep Me In Mind” and the title track from her new CD “I’m Not That Girl”.
Find Randie and her music at www.randieoneil.com