Randolph Charles Bachman OC OM FRCMT(hon) (/ˈbækmən/ BAK-mən; born September 27, 1943) is a Canadian guitarist, singer, and songwriter.

He was the writer and singer of several hit rock songs, including American Woman, Takin' Care of Business, and You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet.

Bachman also recorded as a solo artist and was part of a number of short-lived bands such as Brave Belt, Union and Ironhorse.

[3] In 1959, Bachman bought a ticket to see Les Paul in concert at a Winnipeg supper club but could not get in as he was too young.

He was expelled from West Kildonan in the middle of that year because of his "lack of studiousness", and finished his schooling at Garden City Collegiate.

In early 1969, the group finally broke through internationally with the hit song "These Eyes", co-written by Bachman and Cummings.

The Guess Who released three successful albums over the next two years: Wheatfield Soul (1969), Canned Wheat (1969), and American Woman (1970), which brought them mainstream attention.

A group composition, the song critiques the "ghetto scenes" and "war machines" of the US, reflecting the Guess Who's experiences of extensive touring in large American cities.

[8] He was also suffering health problems related to his gall bladder and needed to be under a doctor's care, something that was difficult to do while on the road.

Fred Turner subsequently joined Brave Belt on bass and vocals, resulting in the band evolving into a heavier sound, which led to the departure of Chad Allan.

This album brought the band greater commercial success than their debut, with hits such as "Takin' Care of Business" and "Let It Ride", which charted at Nos.

After BTO broke up in early-1980, Fred Turner and Randy formed a new band called Union, and released only one album titled, On Strike in 1981.

Later in the article From Rags to Riches and Back, Randy recalled building up a net worth of close to $10 million by 1977, only to go broke within four years, which he attributed to his divorce from his first wife Lorayne Stevenson and the court battles over custody of their children, as well as heavy investment in musical projects that did not become fruitful.

[10] Bachman rejoined The Guess Who in 1983 with Burton Cummings and other members of the American Woman era, for a publicized reunion.

The reformed band released the self-titled Bachman-Turner Overdrive in 1984, as well as a live album in 1986, after which they opened for Van Halen during the 5150 tour in 1986.

Randy returned to The Guess Who for a reunion performance in August 1999, in Winnipeg at the end of the XIII Pan Am Games.

In 2000, he made a guest appearance on The Simpsons in an episode as himself, in a fictionalized reunion with his former Bachman–Turner Overdrive band-mates, C. F. Turner and Robin Bachman.

The show ran for 16 seasons with its final episode on Canada Day, July 1, 2021, after it was cancelled by CBC, though Bachman said he planned to take the program to another broadcaster or turn it into a podcast.

[17] On July 2, 2005, Bachman performed at the Canadian leg of the global Live 8 mega-concert organized by Bob Geldof.

The pair launched a two-year world tour (2010–11) under their Bachman & Turner moniker, beginning at the Sweden Rock Festival in June 2010.

[21] In 2014, he released a home video package of his "Every Song Tells A Story" performances, which includes an occasional accompanying symphonic orchestra.

The album was influenced by classic 1960s blues rock and features musical contributions from other musicians including: Neil Young, Joe Bonamassa, Peter Frampton, Robert Randolph, and Jeff Healey.

[22] Bachman appeared in a CBC television broadcast benefit called "Stronger Together, Tous Ensemble" on April 26, 2020, featuring various Canadian musicians and entertainers.

[23] Bachman made a brief one-minute appearance to thank the front-line Canadian workers and proceeded to play a short parody of "Taking Care of Business".

"[25] He has mentioned in interviews that his guitar influences include Lenny Breau, Leslie West, Wes Montgomery,[26] George Peterson,[27] and Hank Marvin.

[28] During his early Guess Who years, Bachman's Mormon religious beliefs conflicted with the sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll lifestyle of the other band members.

He became aware of the threat his obesity posed to his health during a performance at Winnipeg Stadium for the 1999 Pan American Games, realizing that his weight-induced back and knee pain was making touring impossible.

[32] During an extended ground time[clarification needed] following the September 11, 2001 attacks, Bachman began overeating again.

[32] Bachman also had a successful operation on his shoulder in November 2007 to repair a torn rotator cuff, which he has blamed on his decades-long use of heavy guitars.

"[36] Despite German-Canadian custom, Bachman says his surname is pronounced /ˈbækmən/ (with a short 'a' sound as in "back"), and he uses this pronunciation when referring to himself.