{{short description|Rock and roll musician and composer}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2020}} {{Infobox person | name = Randy Oda | image = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = | birth_place = El Cerrito, California | alma_mater = Kennedy High School<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/42204490/tom-fogerty-invites-you-to-dance/|title=Tom Fogerty Invites You to Dance|date=1976-10-23|work=The Berkeley Gazette|access-date=2020-04-14|pages=20}}</ref> | occupation = Guitarist, composer | known_for = Rock and roll }}
'''Randy Oda''' is a composer and musician who performed with Tom Fogerty and the band Ruby, recording the albums ''Ruby'', ''Rock & Roll Madness'' and ''Sidekicks''. He co-composed the 1982 Eddie Money hit song, "Think I'm in Love", which Arnold Schwarzenegger also used on an exercise video. His "BART" instrumental was used by BBC School Music during intervals. His latest band is 'OPO.
== Personal life and education == Randall Keith Oda was born in 1953 in Alameda County, California.{{Cn|date=August 2023}} He attended Kennedy High School in Richmond, California.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/42204490/tom-fogerty-invites-you-to-dance/|title=Tom Fogerty Invites You to Dance|date=1976-10-23|work=The Berkeley Gazette|access-date=2020-04-14|pages=20}}</ref> Oda married Michelle Jean Nugent in 1985, and their son Daniel Thomas Oda was born in 1990.{{Cn|date=August 2023}} In 2017 he married Theresa Michele Barranco.{{Cn|date=August 2023}}
== Career == Beginning in late 1971, Randy Oda, his brother Kevin Oda, Art Pantoja, and Kyle Schneider formed the band "Oda", producing two albums on the Loud Phonograph Albums label.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/42203935/oda_likes_its_records_loud/|title=Oda Likes Its Records Loud|date=1973-03-17|access-date=2020-01-13|pages=24}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/2069706-Oda-4|title=Oda (4)|website=Discogs|language=en|access-date=2020-04-20}}</ref> A local Bay Area band, they played gigs in Berkeley.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/42204665/keystone_date/|title=Keystone Date|date=1980-08-29|access-date=2020-01-13|pages=19}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/42203521/oda_joy_of_it/|title=Oda Joy of It|date=1983-01-14|work=The Berkeley Gazette|access-date=2020-01-13|pages=19}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/43651601/rocker_randy_oda_plays_at_keystone/|title=Rocker Randy Oda plays at Keystone Wednesday|date=1981-12-25|work=The Berkeley Gazette|access-date=2020-02-05|pages=48}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/43651584/oda_headlines_keystone_friday/|title=Oda headlines Keystone Friday|date=1983-02-03|work=The Berkeley Gazette|access-date=2020-02-05|pages=14}}</ref> They also played a reunion benefit at Concord in 2015.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2015/01/21/chris-treadway-world-series-trophies-playland-reading-benefit-and-garage-band-reunion/|title=Chris Treadway: World Series trophies, Playland reading benefit and garage band reunion|date=2015-01-21|website=East Bay Times|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-12}}</ref>
In the early 1970s, Oda joined Tom Fogerty in the band Ruby, with Oda on guitar, Anthony Davis on bass, and Bobby Cochran on drums. Reviewer Phillip Elwood of the ''San Francisco Examiner'' wrote, "...when Randy Oda, nominally the band's solo guitar, gets into an extended theme the band backs him with all the flair of a seasoned jazz-blues-rock orchestra."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/42204168/ruby_is_a_futuristic_gem_of_electric/|title=Ruby Is a Futuristic Gem of Electric Rock|date=1976-01-09|work=The San Francisco Examiner|access-date=2020-01-13|pages=25}}</ref>
A 1978 Santa Cruz Sentinel review of Ruby said Oda was:
{{Quote|text=...a session musician prior to joining Ruby, playing on television and radio commercials, including those for McDonald's. His sounds transcends the Big Mac, though, as he is a sensitive and hot guitarist. His instrumental composition "BART" (after Bay Area Rapid Transit) immediately picked up the show and shook up the crowd Friday night. Oda's instrumental compositions are not unlike Jeff Beck or Pablo Cruise in the way they build up to a whining crescendo.|author=Greg Beese<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/42202906/ruby_pleasant_surprise_for_civic/|title=Ruby Pleasant Surprise for Civic|date=1978-04-02|work=Santa Cruz Sentinel|access-date=2020-01-13|pages=17}}</ref>|title=|source=}}
Oda's "BART" instrumental was used by the BBC during school intervals in the 1970s and 1980s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://viralhub.video/video/vfC8M-mTBMM/bbc-schools-music-bart-by-ruby-on-pages-from-ceefax-18th-november-2005|title=BBC Schools Music Bart By Ruby On Pages From Ceefax 18th November 2005|website=viralhub.video|language=en|access-date=2020-04-20}}</ref>
Ruby released two studio albums, ''Ruby'' in 1976<ref>{{Citation|title=Ruby - Ruby {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits {{!}} AllMusic|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/ruby-mw0000846581|language=en-us|access-date=2020-04-20}}</ref> and ''Rock & Roll Madness'' in 1978,<ref>{{Citation|title=Rock'n'Roll Madness - Ruby {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits {{!}} AllMusic|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/rocknroll-madness-mw0000848018|language=en-us|access-date=2020-04-20}}</ref> and then disbanded. They released ''Precious Gems'', a compilation album, in 1984. Oda and Fogerty's ''Sidekicks was'' released in 1992 after Fogerty died,<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/43648477/rockin_island_style/|title=Rockin' island style|date=2015-06-18|work=Rapid City Journal|access-date=2020-02-05|pages=32}}</ref> with Oda's credits on the album listed as "Arranger, Composer, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Keyboards, Primary Artist, Producer".<ref>{{Citation|title=Sidekicks - Tom Fogerty {{!}} Credits {{!}} AllMusic|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/sidekicks-mw0000094869/credits|language=en-us|access-date=2020-04-20}}</ref>
Oda co-wrote with Eddie Money the 1982 single, "Think I'm in Love", which Money recorded, taking the song to #1 on the ''Billboard'' Top Tracks chart.<ref>Whitburn, Joel (2004). ''The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits'', 8th Edition (Billboard Publications), page 433.</ref> It appeared on Money's 1983 album, ''No Control'',<ref>{{Citation|title=No Control - Eddie Money {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits {{!}} AllMusic|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/no-control-mw0000191044|language=en-us|access-date=2020-04-20}}</ref> as well as ''Arnold Schwarzenegger's Total Body Workout'' video,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/arnold-schwarzeneggers-total-body-workout-mw0000324378|title=Arnold Schwarzenegger's Total Body Workout - Arnold Schwarzenegger {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits|website=AllMusic|language=en-us|access-date=2020-04-14}}</ref> and multiple compilation albums.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/randy-oda-mn0000397161/credits|title=Randy Oda {{!}} Credits|website=AllMusic|language=en-us|access-date=2020-04-14}}</ref>
Oda joined his brother Kevin Oda on drums and Michael Politeau (bass) in the band 'OPO, an acronym for its members (Oda, Politeau, Oda), which also means "to lay a foundation" in Hawaiian.<ref name=":0" /> 'OPO produced the album ''Getaway'' in 2011.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/getaway-mw0002200311|title=Getaway - 'Opo {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits|website=AllMusic|language=en-us|access-date=2020-04-14}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/getaway-mw0002200311/releases|title=Getaway - 'Opo Releases|website=AllMusic|language=en-us|access-date=2020-04-14}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links ==
* [http://oposongs.com/bio.html 'OPO band website] *{{YouTube|id=FCLM-p-EjU4|title=Think I'm in Love}} (video, 5:00 minutes) * {{YouTube|title=Oda - I Got a Mind to Give Up Living|id=wiQjBcViiYI}} (audio, 6:25 minutes) * {{YouTube|id=vfC8M-mTBMM|title=BART on BBC}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oda, Randy}} Category:year of birth unknown Category:20th-century American guitarists Category:20th-century American musicians Category:21st-century American guitarists Category:21st-century American musicians Category:American male guitarists Category:American musicians of Japanese descent Category:American rock guitarists Category:Guitarists from California Category:People from Richmond, California Category:Rhythm guitarists Category:Living people Category:20th-century American male musicians Category:21st-century American male musicians Category:John F. Kennedy High School (Richmond, California) alumni