Randy Goodrum is an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 songwriter

Songwriter

A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...

. Goodrum has written (or co-written) numerous popular songs, including Anne Murray

Anne Murray

Morna Anne Murray CC, ONS is a Canadian singer in pop, country and adult contemporary styles whose albums have sold over 54 million copies....

's #1 hit "You Needed Me

You Needed Me

"You Needed Me" became the second single for Irish Boyband Boyzone from their album By Request. The single became number #1 on the UK Singles Chart, beating the debut solo single of Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, outselling her by just 700 copies...

" (1978) and "Broken Hearted Me

Broken Hearted Me

"Broken Hearted Me" is a country and adult contemporary song recorded by Canadian singer Anne Murray. Released in 1979, the song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in December, and was the third chart-topper for her during the year....

" (1979), Michael Johnson

Michael Johnson (singer)

Michael Johnson , is an American pop, country and folk singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is best known for his 1978 hit song "Bluer Than Blue". To date, he has charted four hits on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, and nine more on the Hot Country Songs charts, including two Number One country hits...

's "Bluer Than Blue

Bluer Than Blue

"Bluer Than Blue" is the title of a 1978 song recorded by Michael Johnson. The song was written by noted pop and country music songwriter Randy Goodrum. Goodrum says that the song came to him while driving down the road, so he pulled into a Wendy's, ordered a hamburger and wrote the verses down...

" (1978), England Dan & John Ford Coley

England Dan & John Ford Coley

England Dan & John Ford Coley was an American pop rock duo composed of Danny Wayland "England Dan" Seals and John Edward "John Ford" Coley. Native Texans, the duo released eleven albums and nine singles in their career and are best known for their 1976 single, "I'd Really Love to See You Tonight"....

's "It's Sad to Belong

It's Sad to Belong

"It's Sad to Belong" was a song written by Randy Goodrum and performed by England Dan & John Ford Coley on their 1977 album, Dowdy Ferry Road. Called a "timeless classic", it peaked at #21 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and #1 on the easy listening chart...

" (1977), Steve Perry

Steve Perry (musician)

Stephen Ray "Steve" Perry is an American singer and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Journey from 1977–1987 and 1995–1998. Perry had a successful solo career throughout the late 1980s and early '90s.Perry's voice has garnered acclaim from musical peers and music...

's "Oh Sherrie

Oh Sherrie

"Oh Sherrie" is a song written by American singer Steve Perry, Randy Goodrum, Craig Krampf, and Bill Cuomo. It was recorded andreleased on Perry's Street Talk album in 1984, his first solo album which he released while still a member of Journey...

" (1984), DeBarge

DeBarge

DeBarge was a sibling music group of American origin whose repertoire included R&B, soul, funk, and later gospel. Active as a professional recording group from 1979 and 1989, the group was one of the few recording acts to bring success to the Motown label during the 1980s.-Background:Hailing from...

's "Who's Holding Donna Now

Who's Holding Donna Now

"Who's Holding Donna Now" is a 1985 hit single recorded by DeBarge for the Gordy label. It was their second consecutive top ten U.S. hit after the release of "Rhythm of the Night"....

", cowritten with David Foster and Jay Graydon

Jay Graydon

Jay Graydon is a Los Angeles songwriter, recording artist, guitarist, singer, producer, arranger, and recording engineer. He is the winner of two Grammy Awards with twelve Grammy nominations, among them the title "Producer of the Year" and "Best Engineered Recording". Jay Graydon has mastered many...

, Toto

Toto (band)

Toto is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1977. The group currently consists of Joseph Williams , David Paich , Steve Porcaro , Steve Lukather , Mike Porcaro , and Simon Phillips . Toto is known for a musical style that combines elements of pop, rock, soul, funk, progressive rock, hard...

's "I'll Be Over You

I'll Be over You

"I'll Be over You" is a hit single by the American pop-rock band Toto. Taken as a single from their 1986 album, Fahrenheit, the song reached number eleven on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in late 1986...

" (1986) and Chicago

Chicago (band)

Chicago is an American rock band formed in 1967 in Chicago, Illinois. The self-described "rock and roll band with horns" began as a politically charged, sometimes experimental, rock band and later moved to a predominantly softer sound, becoming famous for producing a number of hit ballads. They had...

's "If She Would Have Been Faithful...

If She Would Have Been Faithful...

"If She Would Have Been Faithful... " is a song written by Steve Kipner and Randy Goodrum for the group Chicago and recorded for their album Chicago 18 , with Jason Scheff singing lead vocals. The third single released from that album, it was a Top 10 adult contemporary hit and also reached #17 on...

" (1987). He also co-wrote with Brent Maher a number of Dottie West

Dottie West

Dottie West was an American country music singer and songwriter. Along with her friends and co-recording artists Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn, she is considered one of the genre's most influential and groundbreaking female artists...

's hits in the late 1970s and early 1980s, including her No. 1 Country hit in 1980, "A Lesson in Leavin'". He also has performed as a keyboardist on recordings by Amy Grant

Amy Grant

Amy Lee Grant is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, media personality and actress, best known for her Christian music. She has been referred to as "The Queen of Christian Pop"...

 and other artists.

Randy Goodrum toured extensively with guitarist Chet Atkins

Chet Atkins

Chester Burton Atkins , known as Chet Atkins, was an American guitarist and record producer who, along with Owen Bradley, created the smoother country music style known as the Nashville sound, which expanded country's appeal to adult pop music fans as well.Atkins's picking style, inspired by Merle...

 and performed and produced cuts on many of Atkins’ albums. As a co-writer with Chet Atkins

Chet Atkins

Chester Burton Atkins , known as Chet Atkins, was an American guitarist and record producer who, along with Owen Bradley, created the smoother country music style known as the Nashville sound, which expanded country's appeal to adult pop music fans as well.Atkins's picking style, inspired by Merle...

, Randy wrote “To B or not to B” and “Waltz for the Lonely” among others. Goodrum’s song “So Soft Your Goodbye” won a Grammy award for Chet Atkins

Chet Atkins

Chester Burton Atkins , known as Chet Atkins, was an American guitarist and record producer who, along with Owen Bradley, created the smoother country music style known as the Nashville sound, which expanded country's appeal to adult pop music fans as well.Atkins's picking style, inspired by Merle...

, and Mark Knopfler

Mark Knopfler

Mark Freuder Knopfler, OBE is a Scottish-born British guitarist, singer, songwriter, record producer and film score composer. He is best known as the lead guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter for the British rock band Dire Straits, which he co-founded in 1977...

, in 1991.

Anne Murray

Anne Murray

Morna Anne Murray CC, ONS is a Canadian singer in pop, country and adult contemporary styles whose albums have sold over 54 million copies....

 won the Grammy for Best Female Vocal with Goodrum’s song "You Needed Me." The song was also awarded song of the year from the Academy of Country Music

Academy of Country Music

The Academy of Country Music was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Whereas the Country Music Association, founded in 1958, was based in Nashville, the Academy sought to promote country music in the western states. Among those involved in the...

, and has received numerous other accolades. A 1999 remake of the song by Boyzone

Boyzone

Boyzone are an Irish boy band comprising Keith Duffy, Mikey Graham, Ronan Keating,Shane Lynch, and formerly Stephen Gately. Boyzone have 19 singles in the top 40 UK charts and 21 singles in the Ire charts. The group currently have 6 UK number one singles and 9 number one singles in Ireland with 12...

, reached #1 in Europe.

Goodrum has been awarded “Arkansan of the Year” from the Arkansas Broadcasters Association and was the 1981 American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers Country Songwriter of the Year. Goodrum is a 1996 inductee to the Arkansas Entertainment Hall of Fame, one of the 2010 Hendrix Odyssey Award Winners at Hendrix College, and a 2000 inductee to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Goodrum and his wife, Gail, met at Hendrix College, where he received his bachelor’s degree in music. They have two daughters, Julia and Sarah.