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The DWHQ

 

The DIGNUS Whirled Headquarters was established in 1997 to provide a very early online home for Perkins' Nashville Folk-Funk band DIGNUS. As "Diggy" expanded his musical endeavors, The DWHQ became an "umbrella" that included DIGNUS; Diggy as a performing solo singer/songwriter and  bands including Diggy Band, The DOG & PONY Show (duo), the powerful 7-piece tribute CRAZY FACE: The music of Van Morrison, The EARLY RIDERS (a tribute to the originators of Country-Rock music 1965-1975), and the powerful Christian-based SAINTS OF WOODBINE (tap the PLAY button below to hear SAINTS OF WOODBINE). All Randall S Perkins songs are copyrighted and published by Drop of Rain Publishing - BMI.

Since the age of 11, singer/songwriter RS "Randy" Perkins has performed as, first, a drummer and then a guitar-playing front man. As performers in his bands, Perkins has worked with some of the music industry's very best artists like Tim Reynolds (Dave Matthews), Keith Howland (Chicago), Mark W. Winchester (Emmy Lou Harris & Brian Setzer), John Jackson (Bob Dylan), George Marinelli (Bruce Hornsby & Bonnie Raitt), Garry Tallent (Bruce Springsteen), Keith Horne (various), Jeff Coffin (Dave Matthews/Bela Fleck) and he has shared the stage with musical greats like The Wallflowers, Keb Mo, Chris Whitley, Tori Amos, Chris Hillman, Gov't Mule, Jars of Clay and many, many more.

 

defy mediocrity

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RS (Randy "DIGGY") Perkins

 

Born and raised in Portsmouth, Ohio, DIGNUS, SAINTS OF WOODBINE frontman and solo artist Randy Perkins {aka Diggy) has performed music for fun and profit since the age of eleven. He began as a drummer, but after three years, changed to bass and then guitar. With his soulful 3 ½ octave voice, Diggy has always been designated as a lead vocalist. A Nashville, Tennessee DJ once introduced Perkins to his SRO NEW MUSIC FESTIVAL audience as "the white Jackie Wilson".

From Ohio, he headed out for the eastern USA and Canada eventually taking up residence in Roanoke, and then Richmond, VA where he quickly built a musical name for himself. Perkins' songwriting and performing skills attracted many of the area’s top musicians. Tim Reynolds (Dave Matthews), Keith Horne (Trisha Yearwood), and Keith Howland (Chicago) performed in the highly acclaimed "Randy Perkins Project", but after viewing the more direct and less cumbersome concerts of Bob Dylan in his "Don’t Look Back" video, Perkins set the band aside and began performing solo three hours a night/four nights a week. He became a favorite college circuit performer and frequently requested solo opener for shows such as The Wallflowers, Tori Amos, and Chris Whitley.

At the urging of his ex-bandmate Keith Horne, who was now in Nashville playing bass for Tanya Tucker, Perkins traveled west to Nashville to investigate the town’s burgeoning Folk/Rock - Pop scene. After only 9 months of constant performing in Music City, Perkins caught the ear of Tim Coats who was forming a new record label with veteran Bruce Springsteen bassist Garry Tallent and songwriter Ron LaSalle. Garry, Tim, and Ron signed Perkins to a multi-record deal with their D’Ville Record Group. He named his band DIGNUS (hence his nickname Diggy . . . hey, it just stuck) and IN YOUR WORLD, 12 Perkins songs produced by Garry and featuring George Marinelli (Bruce Hornsby and the Range/Bonnie Raitt) on additional guitars, was released in the Spring of 1996 to positive national reviews.

 

The soulful and tight "Folk-Funk" trio burned up the eastern United States performing for The MacFEST in New York City and touring with The Screamin’ Cheetah Wheelies. DIGNUS would open shows for headliners such as GOV'T Mule, Duncan Sheik, Jars of Clay, and headline medium-sized venues throughout the East. The song Savhanna Lily Jones from IN YOUR WORLD was being added to college radio playlists throughout the USA and Canada, but just as things were looking up, D’Ville was "going down", unable to survive a devastating financial setback. The promising Indie label closed leaving DIGNUS without the muscle needed to continue promoting the well-received recording.

Since the D’Ville demise, Perkins has continued to build his name by writing and performing his own brand of soulful, "thought-provoking" music and releasing it through his website and most on-line stores. Through the early two thousands, the majority of his performances were solo/acoustic, but he occasionally formed DIGNUS variations with musical luminaries like John Jackson (Bob Dylan/Lucinda Williams/Shelby Lynn), George Marinelli, Terry Thomas (The Cheetah Wheelies), and Mark W. Winchester (Emmylou Harris/ Brian Setzer) when there was a need. His November 1999 release LOOKING FOR A NEW WAY, featuring an appearance by Dave Matthews/Bela Fleck sax man Jeff Coffin, also earned great reviews but only received minor airplay without a label. Perkins hosted and performed for both the 2001 and 2002 TIN PAN SOUTH (Nashville’s premiere annual songwriter showcase) Festivals and was a featured BMI performer at the 2002 Folk Alliance in Jacksonville, FL. The Nashville music community continued to hold Perkins/Diggy and his music in high regard.

An all acoustic DIGNUS CD, Mudhouse Serenade, was released in March of 2002. It features 12 new Perkins songs performed with all the soul and passion that he is known to deliver. His relentless one-man "Mudhouse Tour" started in November of 2001, earning him repeat invitations to Chicago, New York City, Atlanta, Charlotte, Annapolis, Cleveland, Morgantown, Bryn Mawr and many other great towns and cities east of the Mississippi. The tour successfully created a devout grassroots following, as designed, and delivered opening slots for Keb Mo, Alejandro Escavedo, Chris Whitley, legendary folk singer Eric Andersen, The Maryjanes, and Those Darn Accordions.

In February of 2003, RS Perkins was saved by the blood of Jesus Christ. After steeping himself in the word of God in the Holy Bible, Perkins is writing and recording the same passionate and consuming music, but his lyrics herald the message of the love, grace, and mercy of Jesus and how that relationship affects everyday life. Not satisfied with simply "singing to the choir", this Christian-fueled music of RS Perkins is very accessible to those not familiar with Christ. His rhythms and chord structures are still distinctly Folk-Funk Perkins and laced with his powerful and soulful voice still soaring over top. Now, though, his lyrics communicate to the world the possibility of a sweeter life through Christ. Not wanting to take any light away from the message, Perkins foregoes his name, and shares the lead vocals with his group of stellar musicians and singers SAINTS OF WOODBINE (S.O.W.). Listen to their first two songs HERE and on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, iTunes, and most online platforms. Ask "Alexa" to play SAINTS OF WOODBINE and watch for the COMPLETE ALBUM expected to drop in the Fall of 2022!

 

MEDIA REVIEWS -

Winston-Salem/Greensboro ESP Magazine writer Anise Cerra wrote "What keeps (Mudhouse Serenade) jumpin' is that Diggy never quite lets the ear rest. There's always some little hairpin turn musically to catch the breath or a fine lyric to stick in the mind.

" In the April 2002 Music Row Magazine, contributor and music historian Robert K. Oermann said "the benefit of the all-acoustic production of Mudhouse Serenade " . . . is that you get to hear how cool Perkins' lyrics are."

In the May 2002 issue, Music Row Magazine's record reviewer John Hood said Diggy "is in fine voice throughout (Mudhouse Serenade), cementing his status as one of Nashville's most compelling vocalists."

 

defy mediocrity