Randy Jones (singer)
Randy Jones | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Born | Raleigh, North Carolina, United States | September 13, 1952
Genres | Disco, pop, R&B |
Occupation(s) | Singer |
Years active | 1977–present |
Website | randyjonesworld |
Randy Jones (born September 13, 1952) is an American disco and pop singer and best known as the cowboy from Village People from 1977 to 1980, and again from 1987 until 1990.
Early life
He attended William G. Enloe High School in Raleigh, North Carolina and graduated in 1970. While there, he was a founder of Enloe's Drama Club, which was then called Amicus Scaena, Latin for "friend of scene" or "friend of theatre." He then studied at North Carolina School of the Arts before moving to New York.
Personal life and career
Jones had a marriage ceremony with his boyfriend of 20 years, Will Grega, at a New York City club on May 7, 2004. Although the marriage was not legally binding at the time, as gay marriage was still illegal in New York State, Jones commented, "It's only a matter of time before the courts rule in favor of what's morally right and humanly decent."[1] The pair had published a book together in 1996, titled Out Sounds: The Gay and Lesbian Music Alternative.[2]
In 2007, he released a disco and pop solo album Ticket to the World. In 2009, he appeared on Flight of the Conchords in their music video for "Too Many Dicks".
Jones appears as himself in the 2011 video game Postal III.[3]
In 2017, he released "Hard Times," the first single from the full-length album, Still Makin' Noise. The single reached #42 on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart, and was the first chart placement from any member of the Village People as a solo artist.[4][5]
References
- Menconi, David (August 7, 2005). "The cowboy way". Raleigh News and Observer, p. G1.
- ^ Rashbaum, Alyssa (May 11, 2004). "Village People's Cowboy Ropes Himself A Husband". mtv.com. Retrieved November 28, 2010.
- ^ Grega, Will; Jones, Randy (1996). Out Sounds: The Gay and Lesbian Music Alternative. New York, NY: Pop Front Books. ISBN 0-9639871-7-8.
- ^ POSTAL 3 Characters Archived February 15, 2012, at the Wayback Machine at Running with Scissors official website.
- ^ "Chart History: Randy Jones". Billboard. Retrieved October 5, 2017.
- ^ "Randy Jones riding high in the saddle again". Los Angeles Blade: LGBT News, Rights, Politics, Entertainment. September 6, 2017. Retrieved October 5, 2017.
External links
- 1952 births
- American disco musicians
- American male singers
- American pop singers
- Gay musicians
- LGBT musicians from the United States
- LGBT people from North Carolina
- LGBT singers
- Living people
- Musicians from Raleigh, North Carolina
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill alumni
- University of North Carolina School of the Arts alumni
- Village People members
- William G. Enloe High School alumni