RANDY CALIFORNIA (RIP) - HEY JOE (Night of the Guitar, 1988)

Randy California: guitar, vocals
Randy Craig Wolfe (February 20, 1951 - January 2, 1997), known as Randy California, was a guitarist, singer and songwriter and one of the original members of the rock group Spirit, formed in 1967.
In 1965, he was 14 years old when at Manny's Music in New York City, Randy met Jimi Hendrix and was asked to join his band. He played in Hendrix's band Jimmy James and the Blue Flames that summer.
The stage name "Randy California" was given to him by Hendrix to distinguish him from another Randy in the band, Randy Palmer, whom Hendrix dubbed "Randy Texas".
RIP: He drowned in the Pacific Ocean in 1997 at the age of 45 while rescuing his 12-year-old son Quinn from a rip current near the home of his mother, Bernice Pearl, at Molokai, Hawaii. He managed to push Quinn (who survived) toward the shore.
The Randy Craig Wolfe Trust was established after his death and, using royalties from California's recording contracts, financially supports the Randy California Project, an after-school music education program for underprivileged elementary school children in Ventura County.
Chris Bucknell: keyboards
Derek Holt: bass guitar (Climax blues Band)
Clive Mayuhu: drums
Recorded during the event "Night of the Guitar" at Hammersmith Odeon in London on Nov. 26, 1988.

[@vaneipontes3824]

Mr. James Marshall Hendrix 😢 Mr. Randy Califórnia 😢 I Miss Guys 🎸⚡️🔥😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢 I Was There, Simply Night Magic ⚡️🔥😎

[@Omega21456]

Brilliant bass playing by Derek Holt of The Climax Blues Band 👍🏻

[@trippcox2641]

❤Randy oh you’re humility is even greater than your musicianship❤

[@matthewbauer6532]

One of my all time favorite guitarist. Saw him twice. The second time was at the Golden Bear in Huntington Beach California, a really small club. The band starts to set up but no Randy. Then a beach looking hippie dude wearing sandals, swim trunks and tee shirt with a guitar slung on his back walks in the front door past all the tables, plugs in his guitar, tunes up for 30 seconds and starts to rip. One of the coolest things I ever saw. I really miss his playing.

[@susanmurray7654]

Mahalo Randy

[@guymontag349]

I could never understand why Spirit was such an underrated band. Their album "Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus" was one of the best albums in 1969-1970. It still sounds fantastic even today.

[@garyguest1999]

Brilliant. He really was an amazing guitarist.

[@billyshane3804]

Randy California - Champion and Legend RIP

[@c.thompson6638]

What a talent. Sad story of his life's ending saving his son.

[@richieranno5905]

Randy was my favorite guitarist. Had a tremendous impact on my style of playing. I'm so glad that I got to know him a bit.

[@andrewmuse6617]

Richie, Having just read your comment,I shall get Coliseum Rock out for the first time in years. Nice.

[@krisslloyd2280]

​@@andrewmuse6617❤

[@Axess-sv8nq]

Wow! No wonder Hendrix took a shine to him! He was incredible! Wow!

[@richardpekarek6360]

🙏 du warst ein wunderbarer 'vater und ein gottbegnadeter 'musiker 👼

[@nickrice7535]

Fabulous ❤

[@alanashworth3226]

Watched Randy andSpirit at the Rainbow late 70,s Best gig I ever saw. I watched Bowie and Mick Ronson on two tours and Randy,s gig just shaded it. Seen Zep twice but not a match on those two

[@jaytoppo1670]

My friend's went to watch this live back in 88, one my regrets in life, not going along with them, when I heard this some weeks afterwards this entire show blew me away and to this day, still blows me away!!!! Thank you Randy, RIP brother!!!

[@MichaelNowicki-n2m]

Outstanding

[@nikolaosmosxakis3395]

VERY VERY GOOD .MAN............................................

[@stevenkampmann9680]

❤️ love & respect 🙏

[@patriciacaruolo3132]

Awesome

[@murraypettinger7039]

Holy F__k. The man could play

[@Jesse-ef3np]

I saw him, Spirit (with Jay Ferguson and his step dad Ed Cassidy) tear it up one night. I think the highlight was All Along the Watchtower, I know this sounds like soo much bullshit and I was only 17 at the time, But I swear I closed my eyes and thought I was listening to Jimi

[@jeffcole9822]

I love this music

[@JoseSantos-eg2oz]

Awesome version.

[@buckeye795]

god damn amazing!

[@sethlamanna7996]

I agree , now we no why Hendrix loved this Chap pretty dam amazing ID say

[@peterjohnson617]

you mean" know "

[@brucestirling8215]

Ripping

[@san5a89]

the only one able to really reinterpret a jimi hendrix song

[@stuanhay]

SRV comes pretty close too San Sa, but I prefer Randys rockier style personally.

[@san5a89]

​@@stuanhay srv just copies jimi hendrix. I can do that too... reinterpret means do something in your own style. building up a unique style is one of the most difficult things in art

[@jeanjacqueslobit4287]

Pur guitaro

[@pkagtr11]

😮😮😮

[@dannymcrooster4089]

Only God knows where he is resting down the sea.

[@mrfabchild4188]

I was at the concert and although this was an excellent performance of Hey Joe the London audience couldn't take him seriously as he was dressed as an old hippy ..........very different to everybody else that performed.

[@dbrinkm1]

Yours is an nteresting comment. I have communicated with others who were at that same concert and they said Randy played his set with excellance and they were very impressed with his talent.They, in fact, compared him as an equal to the others who were on this same tour. [ I asked specifically how he compared with the others ] I could find no-one who downgraded Randy, even if his dress was not up to UK standards. Of course, I was not there and can only go on the comments of persons that were in attendance who were kind enough to answer my inquiries..best regards .Dana

[@dannymcrooster4089]

Randy didnt like the dumb interruption of the periodist. 🤣

[@wilburwokeii8298]

He’s dead

[@gilmaramaciel9739]

Ramones