Randall Kromm

A lifelong musician, Randall Kromm reinvented himself as folksinger in 2009 and began playing regularly at coffeehouses, open mikes and clubs in the greater Boston area. Since then, he has performed sold-out shows at Club Passim, New England’s premier folk venue, released his first CD (Water Wheel), and received a multitude of accolades from the music community, including nationally-touring singer-songwriter Christine Lavin. In October 2011, Randall released a second CD of original seasonal songs, Holidays and Homecomings.

Why all the attention? Randall creates music that touches people. Combining the melodic flair and wit of an acoustic Elvis Costello with the lyric richness of a more optimistic Nick Drake, Randall writes and performs beautifully crafted songs that illuminate the joys and struggles of everyday life with insight and humor.

Randall's unique style shines on his debut CD, Water Wheel. In the title track, Randall uses the water wheel as a metaphor to express his appreciation of those whose “useful work in this one place” provides a solid foundation for their families, friends and communities. Christine Lavin has called the song a “modern classic” and "a new folk standard" and the song was covered by Don White, a New England performing legend, on his 2010 release, Winning Streak.

In his other songs, Randall uses a variety of styles to illuminate the experiences of ordinary life with insight and wit. In the wryly humorous “Forgetting on Purpose,” for example, he reflects on one of the inevitable consequences of getting older. In “Where I Raised You," Randall tells a haunting story of disappointment and self-reproach from the perspective of a parent whose child has led a troubled life. Other standouts include the brightly poetic "Speed of Time," which sounds like something Jim Croce might have written, and "Wishful Watchful Waiting," a thoughtful song about maintaining hope in difficult times.

Onstage, Randall brings his songs to life with a soaring voice, detailed guitar work, and a warm wit that leaves audiences wanting to hear more and know him better. A veteran Boston-area folksinger describes Randall's performances as "songs of common life, love, family, hopes, and uncertainty, presented like a conversation with a friend over a dinner table."

Raised in Manhattan, Kansas, Randall lives near Boston, Massachusetts with his wife, Pam, and their four children.