Randall William "Randy" Rhoads (December 6,
1956 – March 19, 1982) was an American heavy metal guitarist who is
best known for playing with Ozzy Osbourne. Despite his short career,( he
was killed in a plane crash in March 18 1982)he is cited as an influence by many
contemporary heavy metal guitarists. His unique neo-classical metal style
of playing set him apart from other guitarists of the early 1980s. He was a
devoted student of classical guitar, and he used this talent in rock guitar
studies. While on tour with Ozzy Osbourne, he would often seek out
classical guitar tutors for lessons.
Randy started taking
guitar lessons around the age of 6 or 7 at a music school in North Hollywood called Musonia (pictured),
which was owned by his mother. His first guitar was a Gibson (acoustic)
that belonged to Delores Rhoads’ father. Randy and his sister (Kathy)
both began folk guitar lessons at the same time with Randy later taking
piano lessons (at his mother’s request) so that he could learn to
read music. Randy’s piano lessons did not last very long. At the age
of 12, Randy became interested in rock guitar. His mother, Delores, had an
old semi-acoustic Harmony Rocket, that at that
time was "almost larger than he was". For almost a year Randy
took lessons from Scott Shelly, a guitar teacher at his mother’s
school. Scott Shelly eventually went to Randy’s mother explaining
that he could not teach him anymore as Randy knew everything that he (Scott
Shelly) knew. When Randy was about 14, he was in his first band,Violet Fox, named after his mothers middle name,
Violet. With Randy playing rhythm guitar and his brother Doug playing
drums, Violet Fox were together about 4 to 5 months. Randy was in various
other bands, such as "The Katzenjammer Kids" and "Mildred
Pierce", playing parties in the Burbank area before he formed Quiet Riot in
1976 with longtime friend and bassist Kelly Garni.
