Died On This Date (December 23, 2008) Don Randall / Co-Founder of Fender Guitars; Coined “Stratocaster”
themusicsover Don Randall
October 30, 1917 – December 23, 2008
Don Randall was one of the driving forces behind the success of Fender Guitars. It was Randall’s marketing savvy that helped secure such loyalists as Ritchie Valens, Jimi Hendrix and Dick Dale. Randall also had to responsibility of naming the guitars that the company created. In that capacity, he coined the name Stratocaster, given to the 1954 model that would help revolutionize the way musicians approached the instrument. It was popularized by Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Buddy Holly and countless others. In 1965, Randall helped negotiate the sale of the company to CBS and stayed on as Vice President and General Manager until is retirement from the company in 1969. He later launched the successful Randall Instruments that built amplifiers and PA systems. Don Randall passed away on December 23, 2008 at the age of 81.
Bud Prager was a longtime artist manager who, with his ESP Management, steered the careers of the likes of Megadeth, Foreigner, Bad Company and Damn Yankees. Prager passed away after a long struggle with cancer.
