{{Short description|American country music singer and actor (1953–2021)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2019}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Randy Parton | image = | background = solo_singer | birth_name = Randle Huston Parton | birth_date = {{birth date|1953|12|15}} | birth_place = Sevierville, Tennessee, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|2021|01|21|1953|12|15}} | death_place = Sevierville, Tennessee, U.S. | genre = Country | instrument = Bass guitar | occupation = {{hlist|Singer-songwriter|actor}} | years_active = 1977–2021 | label = RCA | website = }}

'''Randle Huston "Randy" Parton''' (December 15, 1953 – January 21, 2021) was an American country music singer-songwriter, actor, and businessman.

==Life, career and death== Randle Huston Parton was born in Sevierville, Tennessee, the eighth of twelve children<ref name="people">{{cite web |url=https://people.com/country/dolly-partons-brother-randy-dead-at-age-67/ |title=Dolly Parton's Brother Randy Dies of Cancer at 67: 'He's Shining in Heaven Now'|last=Rice|first=Nicholas |date=January 21, 2021|accessdate=January 22, 2021|website=People}}</ref> born to Avie Lee Caroline (née Owens; 1923–2003) and Robert Lee Parton Sr. (1921–2000). He was a younger brother of singer-songwriters Dolly and Stella Parton and an older brother of former actress Rachel Parton George.

Parton was the first person to record the song "Roll On (Eighteen Wheeler)" in 1982. Two years later, in 1984, the band Alabama recorded it, and became the group's 12th straight No. 1 single. Also in 1984, Parton sang a song for the ''Rhinestone'' soundtrack; his sister Dolly starred in the film. He also played bass for his sister.<ref name=Goldsmith>{{cite news | first=Goldsmith | last=Thomas | title=Roanoke Rapids OKs electronic gambling at landmark theater | date=July 13, 2012 | url=http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/07/13/2197729/roanoke-rapids-oks-internet-gambling.html | work=News & Observer | accessdate=14 July 2012 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120715080735/http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/07/13/2197729/roanoke-rapids-oks-internet-gambling.html | archivedate=July 15, 2012 }}</ref>

Parton is also known for the theater that once bore his name in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina. In 2007, he signed a deal worth over $1.5&nbsp;million yearly to manage and perform in a new theater bearing his name in the Carolina Crossroads entertainment and shopping complex.<ref name='Carolina Journal'>{{cite news | first=Don | last=Carrington | title=Parton to Get $1.5 Million Per Year | date=April 25, 2007 | work=Carolina Journal | url =http://www.carolinajournal.com/exclusives/display_exclusive.html?id=4031 | accessdate = 2 May 2008 }}</ref>

The relationship between Parton and the city soured as the theater struggled to attract customers<ref>{{cite news | title=Randy Partons Divorce | work =News and Observer | url =http://www.newsobserver.com/2711/story/891846.html | accessdate = 20 January 2008 }} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> and questions arose concerning Parton's use of a nearly $3&nbsp;million fund for personal travel and entertainment.<ref>{{cite news | title=N.C. town finds in Parton brother a tale of woe | date=December 23, 2007 | work =The Baltimore Sun | url =http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nation/bal-te.parton23dec23,0,6482394.story | accessdate = 20 January 2008 }} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> Parton was also questioned by city leaders for unauthorized events held at the theater including a wedding reception for his daughter along with details about who would be marketing the theater.<ref>{{cite news| title=Documents reveal Parton, advisers expected the city to market the theater| work=Roanoke Daily Herald| url=http://www.rrdailyherald.com/articles/2007/12/22/news/news.txt| accessdate=20 January 2008}}{{Dead link|date=May 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Throughout the controversy, Parton maintained that his actions were within the contract and that the theater would be successful given time.<ref>{{cite news | title=Randy Parton press conference | via =YouTube | url =https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSJMbVUUFE4 | accessdate = 2 May 2008 }}</ref> Parton's contract with the city was terminated on January 8, 2008, and the theater was renamed the Roanoke Rapids Theater.<ref>{{cite news | title=Randy Parton Theater Officially Changed To Roanoke Rapids Theater | publisher=WITN | url =http://www.witntv.com/home/headlines/13549267.html | archive-url =https://archive.today/20130209092559/http://www.witntv.com/home/headlines/13549267.html | url-status =usurped | archive-date =February 9, 2013 | accessdate = 20 January 2008 }}</ref> The city took over the theater and in July 2012 voted to allow electronic gambling to help pay expenses and possibly attract a buyer.<ref name=Goldsmith/>

Randy Parton died of cancer on January 21, 2021, at age 67.<ref>{{cite news|url = https://tasteofcountry.com/dolly-partons-brother-randy-parton-dead-dies/|title = Dolly Parton’s Brother, Singer Randy Parton, Has Died|last = Dukes|first = Billy|work = Taste of Country|date = January 21, 2021|access-date = January 21, 2021}}</ref>

==Discography== ===Albums=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |- ! Title ! Details |- ! scope = "row" | ''There Was a Dream'' | *Released: 1978 *Label: Meteor *Format: LP |- ! scope = "row" | ''Shot Full of Love'' | *Released: 1981 *Label: Electric *Format: LP |- ! scope = "row" | ''America, From Where I Stand'' | *Released: 1991 *Label: Randy Parton *Format: Cassette |- |}

===Singles=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |- ! rowspan="2" style="width:18em;"| Title ! rowspan="2"| Year ! colspan="1"| Peak chart<br />positions ! rowspan="2"| Album |- style="font-size:smaller;" ! width="45"| US Country<br><ref name="whitburn">{{cite book|last=Whitburn|first=Joel|title=Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008|publisher=Record Research, Inc|year=2008|page=318|isbn=0-89820-177-2}}</ref> |- ! scope="row"| "Tennessee Born" | rowspan = "2" | 1975 | — | rowspan = 9" {{n/a|Non-album single}} |- ! scope="row"| "Losing Everything" | — |- ! scope="row"| "Down" | 1977 | — |- ! scope="row"| "Hold Me Like You Never Had Me" |rowspan=3|1981 | 30 |- ! scope="row"| "Shot Full of Love" | 30 |- ! scope="row"| "Don't Cry Baby" | 80 |- ! scope="row"| "Oh, No" | rowspan = "2" | 1982 | 76 |- ! scope="row"| "Roll on Eighteen Wheeler" | — |- ! scope="row"| "A Stranger in Her Bed" | 1983 | 92 |- |}

===Other album appearances=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |- ! Title ! Year ! Other artist(s) ! Album |- ! scope = "row" | "Holdin' on to You"{{note|A}} | 1977 | rowspan = "3" | Dolly Parton | ''New Harvest...First Gathering'' |- ! scope = "row" | "Old Flames Can't Hold a Candle to You"{{note|A}} | 1980 | ''Dolly, Dolly, Dolly'' |- ! scope = "row" | "Tennessee Homesick Blues"{{note|A}} | rowspan = "3" | 1984 | rowspan = "3" | ''Rhinestone'' |- ! scope = "row" | "Too Much Water" | {{n/a}} |- ! scope = "row" | "What a Heartache"{{note|A}} | Dolly Parton |- ! scope = "row" | "You Are My Christmas" | 2020 | Dolly Parton, Heidi Parton | ''A Holly Dolly Christmas'' |- |}

'''Notes''' :1.{{note|A}}Parton provided backing vocals on this track.

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{IMDb name|0664015}} * {{Discogs artist|Randy Parton}} * [https://www.45cat.com/artist/randy-parton Entry at 45cat.com]

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Parton, Randy}} Category:1953 births Category:2021 deaths Category:20th-century American businesspeople Category:20th-century American male actors Category:20th-century American male singers Category:20th-century American singer-songwriters Category:21st-century American businesspeople Category:21st-century American male singers Category:21st-century American singer-songwriters Category:American country singer-songwriters Category:American male film actors Category:American Pentecostals Category:Christians from Tennessee Category:People from Sevierville, Tennessee Category:Singer-songwriters from Tennessee Category:Deaths from cancer in North Carolina Category:American male singer-songwriters Randy