RANDY & THE ROADRUNNERS
Alexander City, AL.
Around 1959 Randy Mann and close friend, Wayne Woodfin, began entertaining at parties singing and playing guitar in the Alexander City area. Eventually Ray Stewart joined the group on keyboard with an occasional saxophone solo. Later John Blair followed on bass guitar and Crayton Forbus joined on drums. Over the years the group changed drummers twice with the other two being Adrain McCollough and Lewis McLeod.
The band was quite popular playing for birthday parties, political rallies, and club organizations around the area. In the beginning, the guys booked jobs themselves. Later, bill Moody of WBAM Radio heard of them and became interested in helping them find jobs, many in south Alabama. Randy said one memorable club they played was the Canebreak Club in Birmingham.
Their talent at songwriting was quite a success with the song "Starvin" written by Randy Mann and Ray Stewart. This song weent on the A side of their record and "I Broke A Rule, written by Randy Mann and Wayne Woodfin went on the B side.
In 196-67 Randy Mann, Wayne Woodfin, Ray Stewart, John Blair, and Lewis McLeod recorded their two songs at Fame Records in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Fame Records became very famous and was responsible for hits with artists Aretha Franklin, Percy Sledge, Boy Dylan and many others. The Roadrunners recorded on the lable RANCO RECORDS so as to secure copyrights on the songs. The record gained moderate success with local radio stations giving airtime, especially WBAM and WRFS.
But as with many groups, Rand and the Roadrunners eventually disbanded and focused on family life and pursuing other careers. But for a few short years the group provided quality entertainment around Alabama. The fifties and sixties were the heyday of music and Randy and the Roadrunners were right there in the middle of it.
(submitted by Ed Cook)