Artist Profile: Nashville Guitarist Randy Stephens

By: Dr. Matt Warnock

Randy Stephens

Instrumental Rock Guitar has had its share of guitar heroes over the years. Steve Vai, Yngvie Malmsteen, Johnny A and Gary Hoey, just to name a few, have all left their stamp on the genre, changing the course of music in the process. While players like this make instrumental rock sound easy to do, releasing an instrumental guitar album is probably one of the most difficult challenges that a guitarist can tackle during their careers.

Not only does it require a high-level of musicality and ability, but any album in this genre will automatically be compared to the greats mentioned above. While many players have shied away from releasing instrumental albums, because of just those reasons, there are others that face the challenge head on and come out the other side with a noteworthy release that, though may not get the same recognition that the big names have, is just as enjoyable as any of the top-tier records in the genre.

Nashville guitarist Randy Stephens is a player who’s doing just that. With the release of is American Guitar, Stephens is putting his own unique take on the Instrumental Rock guitar genre, one that is at once a testament to those that came before him, and at the same time a vision into the future of the music.

Randy Stephens recently sat down with Guitar International to talk about his love of instrumental music, gear and of course his new album, American Guitar.

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Matt Warnock: Your playing and writing sounds like it melds a lot of diverse musical styles. How would you describe your music for those who haven’t heard you play before?

Randy Stephens: That’s a really good question Matt, and I’ll try to answer the best way I can. I say that, because while I’ve been heavily blues-rock, and I love to play that style, I also have a pop side to me, especially when I write lyrics. Then of course there’s rock and roll.

I think this is a part of being brought up in the ‘70’s and ‘80s music culture, you could’ve me listing to AC/DC or Rush one minute, then turn around and I could be immersed in James Taylor, or singing to something like England Dan & John Ford Coley’s “Love is the Answer.”

My style is definitely guitar driven blues-roots rock, but also like to have melodic flavor where Rock-n-Roll and Blues leave out.

Matt: With such a wide taste in music, who were some of your early influences?

Randy: In 1979 I was staying with my uncle in Franklin TN for the summer months when my cousin Bill broke out this LP and I heard this guitar player wailing from the speakers. I can still remember, I was trying to read the name as it was spinning I could see the song title was “Eruption” and the band Van Halen.

The guitar sounded like it was from outer space, man I never heard anything like that before in my life. It was very exciting. After that I was hooked onto anything guitar, especially if it was loud and fast. I started a listening appetite of Frank Marino, Jimi Hendrix, Robin Trower, Neal Schon, Angus Young, and even early Montrose records.

My older brother Chuck, who was a great air guitarist by the way, [Laughs], would tell me how I needed to play the blues and listen to players like B.B. and Albert King. I wouldn’t admit it at the time, but little did I know then how right he was.

Randy Stephens

Matt: What is it about the instrumental rock guitar style that drew you to write and record in this medium?

Randy: For one thing, in instrumental music there’s nothing being heard but the music itself. The music is telling the story through emotion, almost like a symphony would in its use of movements. Another thing that attracted me is the shear talent it takes to write a piece that draws the listener in.

For example, take Joe Satriani’s song “If I can Fly” from Is there Love in Space and Andy Timmons’ “Electric Gypsy” or Jeff Golub and his entire Soul Sessions Project. It seems these talented individuals have captured the emotional elements of music and fueled them with their unique personality. I can only hope my music does this for one person out there who’s listening. If I do that, then I’ve accomplished the goal as a musician.

Matt: What kind of guitars do you play and do you prefer to hang on to one or two at a time, or do you have a room full of axes that you choose from?

Randy: I will shamelessly quote guitar great Carl Verheyen, he said “the Stratocaster is ground zero for me.” I totally agree with that statement, not only because of the tonality, quality, and versatility of the instrument, but also in its ergonomics.

The Stratocaster is a utilitarian instrument by definition, a light weight, comfortable no frills machine. The Strat can either rip your face off when plugged into a Marshall or lay out smooth Jazz Chords with a Fender Twin. It has everything at your finger tips, multi-switching; a whammy bar and a belly cutout. I mean really what more could you ask for? I love ‘em.

My first Strat was a white Japanese ‘60’s model and I haven’t turned back since. I guess you could say once you go Strat you never turn back? [Laughs] My favorite Strat of all time is the one I currently use in Double Your Trouble. It’s a Fender Classic ‘60s “player’s Stratocaster,” best guitar I have ever owned.

It’s extremely loud acoustically and stays in tune all night long with the Stevie bends and whammy antics. It also has a big neck too. Next is a Texas roadhouse Strat with a maple neck. I like it a lot, but its tuning stability sucks. It needs some work. I also own a Peavey EXP signature model guitar that is excellent really rocks but alas, it just ain’t a Strat.

Randy Stephens

Matt: How important is the thickness of your strings in building your tone?

Randy: I used to drive myself nuts about this subject. Heavy string gauge is great, but your hands are even better to have. Allow me to clarify, if you’re using .11’s and your hands hurt, go to .10’s, and if you still have pain switch to .9’s.

No one ever said EVH or Neal Schon was a wimp and lacking tone, and coincidentally they both use .9’s. My main Strat is strung with boomer .11’s specifically for the SRV tribute thing, and I love the way it plays and sounds. It’s tuned to Eb and has a 12’ radius making the .11’s easier to use.

My Texas Roadhouse Strat is strung with .10’s and the Peavey has .9’s. To be honest, I can’t decide what to use, there’s always a give and take with everything you do.

Matt: Where do you go from here?

Randy: I just completed a CD project I’m excited about titled American Guitar, an eclectic group of songs some instrumentals, others with lyrical content. There’s everything I do on this project, Rock instrumental, Blues, some Jazz. There’s even a “Rap” song layered in Jazz guitar called “Jack the Rapper” featuring a special artist, this thing has it all.

I think going back to what I said in the first question about describing my music. I see myself gravitating into the contemporary jazz market and hope my music will be well received there. I want to always grow as a musician and I’m getting older and I like different things now, contemporary jazz being one of those.

A big influence for me in this media has been Jeff Golub, I love his music and his style. He’s really carved out his own niche in the contemporary jazz scene.