The New Christy Minstrels®

Under the Direction of Randy Sparks

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Schedule | Randy Sparks' Cancer Story | What's Old Is New RECYCLED |The Store | The Store 2 | Photo Gallery | Fan Mail | Chat Room |

New Christy Minstrels Foundation | Been to Kansas lately? | Notes From Randy | Favorite Instruments | Sheet Music| Albums Through the Years

The Palm Springs Walk of Stars | A Worthy Cause| The Cockamamie Quartette (with 3 people)

FOR BOOKING INFORMATION CONTACT

Producers, Inc.
(813) 988-8333

producers

This is now the OFFICIAL website of

The New Christy Minstrels®

Under the Direction of Randy Sparks

There's only one such group in the whole world, and you've reached the one and only place we are now OFFICIALLY located in the cyber-world of the Internet.

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artie

 

 

Eddie Boggs
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RS & THE NCM R&D Department

When Dolan Ellis "retired" to become Arizona's Official Balladeer, RS & his Minstrels were left flatfooted with no replacement member up-to-speed not even one in mind. They knew they had a problem. Recruiting began immediately. Randy brought Gene Clark from Kansas City, then somebody suggested Doug Brookins. Trial by fire was hardly an acceptable way to replace the irreplaceable Dolan Ellis, so Randy created Ledbetter's, a rehearsal hall with an audience on Westwood Blvd. near UCLA in West Los Angeles.

MANY MORE DISCOVERIES WERE MADE HERE: SUCH AS:

John Denver

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Click on above photo for John Denver, speaking at Burl Ive's memorial service.

 

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George McKelvey
with Randy Sparks at George's
70th Birthday party.

Click here for Tribute to George McKelvey.

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stars in collage

Ralph Grasso
star of stage and screen.

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Ralph Grasso top left in 1961
with Paul Sykes, and front row, Randy Sparks, and Jackie
(now known as Jackie Miller Davidson).

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Shown above from left to right, during the recording of the first NCM Christmas album,
Ralph Grasso, Larry Ramos, Nick Woods, and Clarence Treat.

 

The Palm Springs Walk of Stars

Randy Sparks And The New Christy Minstrels To Be Honored With 318th Star On Palm Springs Walk Of Stars
By Staff 03.JAN.09
Palm Springs, CA- Grammy winning, ground-breaking singers and musicians, Randy Sparks and The New Christy Minstrels, will be honored with the 318th Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars.The star will be unveiled inside the McCallum Theater on Monday January 12, 2009 at 7:00 PM, with placement in the sidewalk at 538 N. Palm Canyon Dr. at a later date. Robert Alexander, President of the Palm Springs Walk of Stars, will preside over the event. The public and media are invited to attend.A groundbreaking folk ensemble with a rich, robust vocal blend, The New Christy Minstrels has entertained millions of fans around the world since they were first assembled by visionary folk singer Randy Sparks over forty seven years ago. Under Sparks' astute leadership, the "Christies" have scored major success in recordings, on television and-most significant-on the concert circuit. Their innovative sounds were a major influence on popular and folk music in the Sixties. People of all ages were so captivated by their rich harmonies and robust energy that the Christies' career skyrocketed in record time.In 1962, their debut album, "Presenting the New Christy Minstrels", earned a Grammy for Best Performance by a Chorus. With weekly appearances on the debut season of The Andy Williams Show, they soon attracted a legion of fans across the country. Before year-end, they were appearing at Carnegie Hall, followed by appearances at The Greek Theatre, The Coconut Grove, The Latin Quarter, The Copacabana, and The Hollywood Bowl just to name a few. In 1964, they made their first appearance at the White House before then President Lyndon Johnson.Between 1962 and 1968 they released sixteen albums. Their "Ramblin'" album went gold and became a folk classic, garnering rave reviews and featured their first major hit single, "Green, Green". The group enjoyed other chart successes with "This Land is Your Land", "Denver", and "Chim Chim Cher-ee", which the group preformed onThe Academy Awards ceremony the evening the song won "Best Song of 1964. And they are still at it. With Randy Sparks at the helm, the group continues performing with the refreshing Christy sound that has left an enduring legacy on the music world. - Desert Local News©

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martin

Visit Martin Guitars

jackie with deering

Visit Deering Banjos

 

Kala is the official brand of ukuleles
used by The New Christy Minstrels ®

becky jo with kala uks

Visit Kala

Why wait for the Holidays? Get your Kala ukulele today!

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Photo by Jeff Jacobs December 2009. From left to right:
Vecca-The-Show-Dog, Becky Jo Benson, Clarence Treat.
Clarence is holding his new Kala!

Life on the Road

Message from Randy, April 9th, 2009

What am I doing? I have made elaborate plans to escape the chill of winter, but here I am in Rock Springs, Wyoming, and it's snowing. I was relatively happy being home in sunny California for no longer than 24 hours, but here we go again. Do you have any idea how many summers and winters I have been through in this year alone? We began in South Texas where it was summer, then went to Northern CA for a taste of mild winter, then back to Palm Springs where it was summer. From there we went to Arizona for a mix of summer and winter, then back to the north again (winter). Our next stop was sunny Florida, but we had come from Northern Florida where it was winter. Tampa was sunny and summery, ditto the East Coast and the South of FL, but then we had to go back to the north. Alabama was a taste of summer, then on to Tyler, TX where it was nearly winter. From there, I dropped Becky Jo at the airport in KC, and that was definitely winter, an ice storm. I went south, hoping to reach Harlingen and Hargill (where it was summer), but only got as far as Tyler again, and that was pleasant enough, but I was ill from all the many summer and winter combinations. My next stop was Russell, KS, and it was summer, but then it turned to winter in less than a day, and when I arrived in KC to retrieve BJB from the airplane, it was a mix of summer and winter. We went on to Toledo (where it was winter), then farther east to PA (winter). Coming back, Smethport, PA was cold enough to break pipes, and Sylvania, OH suddenly became summer again. Missouri and Kansas were pleasant enough for a while, but then it became the dark days of winter in Russell KS, and we didn't escape that wrath until we got all the way to Tumcumcari and Albuguerque, NM. After that, we were in the grand blizzard and horrendous dust storms of Arizona, and then, very suddenly, it was summer again in Lake Havasu City. California was pleasantly summery all the way to the north, even over the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Then came Eastern Nevada....and on to Wyoming.
This is ridiculous!
Cheers! RS

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Schedule

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2010
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Friday, February 5, 2010

Concert 6:30 P.M.

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The United Methodist Church
1210 Del Webb Blvd. West
Sun City Center, Florida 33573

Tickets and Information are posted:

Please click here

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Saturday, February 6, 2010

Concert 8:00 P.M.

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Schein Hall

900 Dunlop Road

Sanibel, Florida 33957

Tickets and Information will be posted:

Please click here, and go to February 6, 2010.

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Monday, February 15, 2010

Concert 7:30 P.M.

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Burnt Store Presbyterian Church

11330 Burnt Store Road

Punta Gorda, Florida 33955-1402

Click here for Winter Series Tickets and Information

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Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Concert 7:00 P.M.

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Travelers Rest Resort
29129 Johnston Road
Dade City, Florida 33523

Please click here for tickets and information.

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Friday, March 5, 2010
Concert 8:00 P.M.

Saturday, March 6, 2010
Concert 2:00 P.M. & Concert 8:00 P.M.

Sunday, March 7, 2010
Concert 2:00 P.M.

Old School Square
Cultural Arts Center
51 North Swinton Avenue
Delray Beach, Florida 33444

For Tickets and Information Click here.

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Friday, March 19, 2010
Concert 7:00 P.M.

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ZWERMANN ARTS CENTER THEATER
LINCOLN TRAIL COLLEGE
11220 State Highway 1
Robinson, Illinois 62454-5707
For tickets call Midwest Transport (618) 544-3399 ext 324,
or Lincoln Trail College Foundation (618) 544-2373

For map to Lincoln Trail College, please click here.

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Friday, March 26, 2010

Concert 8:00 P.M.

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Midland Theatre

36 North Park Place

Newark, Ohio 43055-5517

Midland Theatre Tickets and Information

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Saturday, March 27, 2010

Concert 7:00 P.M.

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Sunday, May 2, 2010

Concert 2:00 P.M.

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Haugh Performing Arts Center

Citrus College

1000 West Foothill Blvd.

Glendora, California 91741

For Tickets and Information:Please click here.

 

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Saturday, May 8, 2010

Concert 8:00 P.M.

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James R. Armstrong Theatre

3330 Civic Center Drive

Torrance, California 90503

For Tickets and Information please click here.

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JANUARY 14, 2011

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LOOKING FOR YOUR FAVORITE ALBUMS?

THE STORE

 

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list of songs

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MERRY CHRISTMAS

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NEW MERRY CHRISTMAS ALBUM 45 YEARS LATER

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merry christmas vol 2 back cover

SANTA RIDING A HARLEY

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RANDY'S THOUGHTS ON THE NEW CD

I am feeling the need to mostly congratulate Clarence Treat for his brilliant sweetening with the use of the real NCM voices and Jason Barney for excellent juggling of parts, perfecting of notes, and making this recording one of the best Christmas music offerings I have ever heard. I love the songs, naturally, that comes with the territory. I'm biased, but even if I hadn't manufactured these ditties, I would respect what they are saying and the BEAUTIFUL and EXCITING way each story is told. I've elimiated the explanation of each solg from the liner notes, and I fully expect folks from all around the world to ask what the songs are about. I have heard the enhanced recording for the first time just tonight, and I am THRILLED beyond belief. Great! Cheers! RS

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THE FIRST TWO CLASSIC ALBUMS BY THE NEW CHRISTY MINSTRELS

$20.00 INCLUDES POSTAGE IN THE U.S

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TALL TALES AND LAND OF GIANTS (TWO FER)

$20.00 includes postage in the U.S.

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TODAY AND RAMBLIN'

TWO ALBUMS ON ONE CD.

Songs 1 through 12 are the sound track for

ADVANCE TO THE REAR

$20.00 INCLUDES POSTAGE IN THE U.S

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THE DEFINITIVE CHRISTY MINSTRELS

TWO DISC COLLECTION

$30.00 includes postage in the U.S.

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GREEN GREEN

$20.00 INCLUDES POSTAGE IN THE U.S.

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RANDY SPARKS SINGS SOLO

TODAY AND OTHER OLD FASHIONED LOVE SONGS

Contents

TODAY

IT'S ALL IN THE GAME

WATCH WHAT HAPPENSWHEN SUNNY GETS BLUE

TRY TO REMEMBER

JULIE KNOWS

LITTLE GIRL

I WILL WAIT FOR YOU

MY ONE AND ONLY LOVE

WHERE CAN I GO WITHOUT YOU?

RECORDED BY COLUMBIA

NEVER

RELEASED

SUNG WITH A FULL ORCHESTRA

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OH YES, I'M A WONDERFUL PERSON

And OTHER MUSICAL ADVENTURES FOR THOSE OF US IN SEARCH

OF GREATER SELF ESTEEM

Contents

OH YES, I'M A WONDERFUL PERSON

I'M GOOD

FOLLOWING THE RUTS IN THE ROAD

I LIKE ME

THE PRINCESS AND THE TOAD

A PICKUP IS A TRUCK

THE BAND

TO THE POETS OF THE WORLD

FAM'LY TREE

PEER PRESSURE

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NEW COUNTRY MINSTRELS

AIN'T THAT HAPPY ~ PAYIN' YOUR DUES AGAIN ~ SOMETHING THAT NOBODY WANTS ~ YOU MAKE IT LOOK SO EASY ~ ONE GOOD SONG

SAD SONGS AND LOVE SONGS ~ NOW AND THEN ~ MACK THE TRUCK ~ BACK IN BAKERSFIELD AGAIN ~ LET THE LOVE LIGHT SHINE

SILVER THREADS AND GOLDEN NEEDLES

You may assume the album title NEW COUNTRY MINSTRELS is simply a clever play- on- words involving RANDY SPARKS' first successful group THE NEW CHRISTY MINSTRELS. This is not the intent. Whereas it's true most people who think of RANDY SPARKS recall the Christies and their Sparks-penned hits (Green, Green, Saturday Night, Today, etc.), this new effort is a departure from the pop-folk medium of the mid sixties. It's a genuine "country" album recorded in Nashville; it's the "new country" in that the pop sounds of the seventies are also much in evidence. The new minstrels are RANDY AND THE BACK PORCH MAJORITY, one time farm team for the NCM.

Special bouquets of gratitude are extended to: SCOTT TURNER, Canadian hillbilly and Randy's co-producer STEVE MESSER, engineer; Nashville Musicians JIMMY BRYANT,DAVID BYRD, ARLAN ELLIS, BOBBE SEYMOUR, ZEKE SHEPPARD All the other sounds on the record were uttered, plucked, plunked, and percussed by MARV ALLIN, MARY LEE DUVAL, (Sunseri), DAN GLADISH, NANCY HOOPER (Stewart), ROSS SEARS, and RANDY SPARKS; That's RS and the BPM.

Recorded at LSI Sound Studio, mastered by Masterphonics.

$20.00 includes postage in the U.S.

 

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(Click here for web site)

The Cockamamie Quartette (with three people)

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Ruidoso - A Worthy Cause

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Sheet Music

Christmas Sheet Music

now available

Beautiful City

Christmas Trees

Christmas Wishes

One Star

Parson Brown

Shepherd Boy

Sing Along with Santa

Sing Hosanna Hallelujah

Tell It On The Mountain

Tell Me

$7.50

Not ALL titles are available.

To order, call Barb Evans at (406) 543-1268

or write to:

The Store
Barb Evans
5953 Haugan Drive
Missoula, MT 59803
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FOR OTHER FEATURES RETURN TO

Home

The Store | The Store 2 | Photo Gallery | Fan Mail | Chat Room | Schedule

Notes From Randy | Randy Sparks' Cancer Story | Sheet Music| Albums Through the Years

The Palm Springs Walk of Stars | A Worthy Cause

The Cockamamie Quartette (with 3 people)