Rusty was born Jan. 3, 1959. He was six years old when his father, William Lee, joined the Oak Ridge Boys. It didnt take long before Rusty was following in his Dads footsteps. He was on the road at age 13 playing drums for Gospel music legends, The Rambos (featuring Dottie Rambo). When he was 15, Rusty spent the summer playing acoustic guitar, synthesizer and percussion with the Oaks. He was performing with the Oaks band during their first headliner gig in Las Vegas at the Landmark Hotel. During this time, he performed with them on all the talk shows of that era, which included: Merv Griffin, Mike Douglas, Dinah Shore and Jim ("Gomer") Nabors Show to name a few. After finishing high school, he went on the road playing piano for Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers. Rusty had the opportunity to perform on the Grand Ole Opry, and NBCs “The Tonight Show,†while touring with them across the US, Caribbean and Wembley Arena in London, England. He also played on his first number one record; The Gatlin Brothers “Love Is Just A Game.†While performing with Gatlin, Rusty started writing his own songs and recording them in hopes of getting his own record deal.
At age 20, ABC Records in Los Angeles (now MCA) gave Rusty a developmental deal letting him produce and perform his own songs. He recorded 3 songs for ABC at Nashvilles legendary Quadrafonic Studio. After shopping his material at the MIDEM festival in Cannes, France, Golden traveled on to Stockholm, Sweden to record an album at Europa Film Studios. Later he and his Dad came up with the idea of starting a band, “THE BOYS BAND†along with childhood pals, Greg Gordon and B. James Lowry. Within 2 years the band was signed to Elektra/Asylum. Their debut single “Dont Stop Me Baby (Im On Fire)†spent 8 weeks on the Billboard Top 100 Pop Charts. Their self-titled LP was recorded at super studio Caribou Ranch in Nederland, Colorado. The orchestral arrangements were written and conducted by Oscar Winning composer, Lalo Schiffrin, who wrote the legendary theme to “Mission Impossible.†In 1984, Rusty along with his brother, Chris, and friend, Marc Speer, formed Golden Speer. CBS Records sent the group to Muscle Shoals Sound Studios to record some songs produced by Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section members, David Hood and Roger Hawkins. After many years of touring Rusty and Chris decided to form their own group, THE GOLDENS. The brothers recorded one album for Epic Records (produced by James Stroud) releasing two singles, “Put Us Together Again†and Rustys composition “Sorry Girls.†THE GOLDENS recorded “Rush For Gold†for Capitol Records which was produced by Blake Chancey ( Dixie Chicks, Montgomery Gentry & others). These projects yielded 5 Billboard chart singles and three music videos. While performing on mega-festivals, Rusty has shared the stage with many superstars including chiildhood hero Elton John, Guns N Roses, Don Henley, Garth Brooks, Miley Cyrus and Shania Twain. They were also featured in Hank Jr.s “Young Country†video. In 1996-97, Rusty toured the USA, Australia and Jamaica with Curb/Island recording artists Dallas County Line. They opened shows for Lynyrd Skynyrd, Alabama, Brooks and Dunn, Oak Ridge Boys and many more.
As a songwriter, Rusty has exclusive song catalogs with Warner/Chappell, E.M.I. and Polygram (now Universal). He received his first gold record at age 24; his songs are played all over the world and have been recorded in different languages. He has promoted and hosted his own Songs On The Beach Show-which is part of the Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama, an annual event held in November-since 1994. Rusty also played piano on Marty Stuart’s critically acclaimed MCA album, “The Pilgrim.†Many music critics have hailed it the best Country album of 1999. Rusty was voted Best Keyboardist at the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame on October 5, 2002 at the prestigious FORTUNE Magazine Show.
Two days later, on October 7, he checked himself into the hospital. Within 3 days he would undergo many tests then on the 10th, underwent heart bypass surgery. Little did he and the doctors know, Rusty was still bleeding inside after he was released from the hospital. Within 2 weeks, while trying to recuperate at his mothers home down in Alabama, he was back in the hospital undergoing an upper endoscopy to fix the stomach bleeding (he had lost over 9 units of blood)...This is what almost killed him...Not the heart bypass but the loss of SO much blood from what his doctors determined as a severe stress ulcer. Doctors informed him had he not checked himself back into the hospital when he did, he would not have lasted another week. It was THAT close. But through sheer will and determination, he was still able to attend his 10th Anniversary of the SongFest that November. Only this year he could sit on the sidelines while friend and cowriter Jimbeau Hinson hosted the shows for him.
Fast forward a few months. The first gig he played after all the health issues was with JEFFREY STEELE ( one of Nashville’s most successful songwriters...EVER!!! ). Since that concert in Georgia , Rusty has performed lots more concerts with Steele all over the United States, the Caribbean and Canada. Some of which were taped for television and shown globally.
The first song that Rusty wrote after his surgery was with his longtime friend Jerry Salley. The title of that song is “JOHN IN THE JORDAN†and within a year was breaking all kinds of records. It was the highest debut ever by a gospel group (ERNIE HAASE & SIGNATURE SOUND)- the song also spent over a month at the 1 spot on all 4 major gospel charts. The CD & DVD called “Get Back Jordan†entered 2 seperate charts in the same issue of BILLBOARD magazine (the entire music industry’s standard) in the 1 position. In 2007 , after 20 years of writing for Nashville’s largest music publishers, Rusty started his own publishing company, RUSTY GOLDEN MUSIC (BMI). Most of 2008 was spent doing what Rusty sometimes refers to as the "same old, same old"...which in his life is writing songs, recording in the studio, playing concerts, doing TV and radio shows and magazine interviews, etc.
After a chance meeting with one of Gospel musics most successful songwriters (Dianne Wilkinson-- who wrote the classic "Boundless Love" along with hundreds of others that have been recorded by so many Gospel greats) Rusty found a new writing partner. One of their first compositions was recorded by Gospel Group of the Year THE BOOTH BROTHERS. The song, "WHAT SALVATION'S DONE FOR ME" along with 'I WANT TO THANK YOU" recorded by KAREN PECK & NEW RIVER (written with Jerry Salley) both spent weeks in the 1 spot. As a matter of fact, both songs were nominated for the 2009 GRAMMY AWARDS in the Country/Gospel Category. Also during 2008, Rusty accumulated many album cuts, some that are soon to be radio singles that will hopefully add to his ever growing list of 1's. All was not great in '08, as Rusty and his family said their final farewells to his beloved "Gaggie" (his last living Grandparent, his father's mother Ruth who's poems were Rusty's first attempt at writing songs when he added music to her prolific words...one of those songs were included in the ABC recording sessions back in 1979). Says Rusty..."She was the 'rock' that pretty much held the whole family together. There was no such thing as Christmas without a trip to the old homestead down in the Dixonviille community on the Alabama/Florida state lines. She lived a long 90+ years. I'm just so thankful and grateful that God allowed us to have her in great health until that last year and that she lived to see her first grandson, me, try to turn my life around and start trying to live a life that she and all my Christian ancestors would be proud of...oh, and after all the other accolades, people I had played with, places I had been...you know, all that world-ly stuff, she was most proud of my decision to write Gospel songs. She always wanted one of her "grands" as she called us grandkids, to be a preacher...I think that I do most of my 'preaching through song'. I hope so anyway" Another mentor, one of gospel music's greatest songwriters (and Rusty's boss at 13) DOTTIE RAMBO, passed away after a tragic tour bus accident. "I had just taped my 1st TBN show with her a few months before" says Rusty, "and we sang one of my favorites that she wrote titled "Build My Mansion". I had played it with her many times when I was a kid, and to do it on worldwide TV over 30 years later was awesome....little did I know that it would be the last time I would ever see her alive. We had even scheduled a songwriting session as soon as our schedules opened up. I am just so glad I was in town when they had her "HomeGoing Celebration" and got to sit in along with about 100 of Gospel Musics greatest singers in a "Heavenly Choir" led by BILL GAITHER. It's so wild how the Lord works, as it was Mr. Gaither (who has written so many gospel standards including "HE TOUCHED ME" and so many more) who first heard my demo of "JOHN IN THE JORDAN" and suggested that Signature Sound record it. Well, that completely started my Gospel songwriting career. He (Gaither) has been a strong supporter of all my songs. He asked me to send him a copy of every song I wrote as soon as it was finished. Needless to say, these days, he is MR. GOSPEL MUSIC....he's the only name in Gospel Music who ALWAYS sells out arenas all over the world. So yes, it's an honor to have him in my corner. I have seen doors open that i haven't even knocked on. There were years where I banged on any and every door I could. There were great ups and depressing downs....you know, peaks and valleys....my Mom calls it 'life' "
Rusty will be the first to tell you that he was put here for a reason. To minister to people through the power of words and music. He has performed on TBN ( the world’s largest Christian network) numerous times. Rusty Golden, musician, songwriter, performer and producer. He’s only just begun.
