Randy Sparks Dies: New Christy Minstrels Founder & TV Star Was 90

Grammy-winner and singer-songwriter Randy Sparks, who founded the folk music ensemble New Christy Minstrels, died on February 11 at age 90. The musician in an assisted living facility in San Diego.

Sparks, renowned as an American musician and songwriter, made significant contributions to the revival of folk music in the 1960s with the formation of New Christy Minstrels. This musical group, best known for its melodic harmonies and folk-pop sound, was formed in 1961, with Sparks leading the way. The New Christy Minstrels achieved remarkable success with hit songs, including “Today,” “Denver,” and “Green, Green,” which Sparks co-wrote with future “Eve of Destruction” vocalist Barry McGuire.

The New Christy Minstrels were also a mainstay on television between 1962 and 1963, appearing on 26 episodes of The Andy Williams Show on NBC and eight episodes of ABC’s Hootenanny. The group even got its own NBC show in the summer of 1964 titled Ford Presents the New Christy Minstrels.

In 1963, they won a Grammy Award for Best Performance by a Chorus for their debut album, Presenting the New Christy Minstrels. This record went on to achieve a two-year run on the Billboard chart.

Sparks was a formidable presence in the folk music scene. He wrote songs for other artists in the music industry and took part in various musical projects throughout his career. He helped boost the careers of Steve Martin, John Denver, and Kenny Rogers, who went on to be the double bass player for New Christy Minstrels in 1966.

Around the mid-1960s, Sparks sold his interest in New Christy Minstrels for $2.5 million. He moved to rural California, where he started a 30-year collaboration with Burl Ives and opened a nightclub called Ledbetter’s in Los Angeles.

Sparks began his career in the 1950s performing as a solo folk singer in California by playing in coffeehouses and clubs before his major success in New Christy Minstrels.

Sparks is survived by his sons, Kevin and Cameron, his daughters, Melinda and Amanda, his sister, Naomi Allen and his four grandchildren.