Best-selling and award winning master storyteller Randy Willis—books about adventure, family, and faith.
by Randy Willis Introduction June 17, 1994, was a Friday. The event was the Ben Crenshaw, Willie Nelson, Darrell Royal Youth Classic at the Woodlands Country Club near Houston. Two days of golf followed by two nights of music. It would be one of the most memorable weekends of my 60-year friendship with Johnny Rodriguez. …
As I spoke with Coach Royal and Coach Phillips, one of the TVs suddenly switched to a scene in California. Within minutes, the ballroom almost emptied into the lobby. O.J. Simpson was leading police on a wild chase in a white Bronco driven by his former teammate, Al Cowlings. O.J. had a gun to his head.
Johnny Rodriguez married Willie Nelson’s daughter, Lana Nelson, at Willie’s movie set within sight of Willie’s colossal log home on a hill overlooking Luck, Texas. I was Johnny’s best man. The date was January 10, 1995.
I first met John Rodriguez at Garner State Park in the mid-1960s. I'd been told he could sing, so I asked him to sing a song when we were introduced. He almost always had his guitar with him. As I sat atop a concrete picnic table, he sang passionately Marty Robbins' hit "You Gave Me a Mountain."
Randy Willis reflects on his life experiences and friendships, particularly his encounters with singers Johnny Rodriguez and Dolly Parton. Their camaraderie began in Garner State Park during the 1960s and evolved through shared experiences including a memorable Mardi Gras trip in New Orleans in 1974. Randy Willis shares anecdotes about their musical journeys, the charm of Louisiana, and the creation of songs and books inspired by their experiences. Randy Willis emphasizes his connection to storytelling, influenced by his ancestors and significant cultural events, ultimately linking his writing to themes of adventure, family, and faith encapsulated within his memoir and award-winning books.
https://randywillisbooks.com/2025/01/13/faith-and-football/ On November 7, 1944, incumbent Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected to an unprecedented fourth term as President of the United States. On the same day, a boy was born in the tiniest Louisiana village of Dido. Dido was once in the heart of the outlaw and pirate-infested "No Man's Land." The boy's father was overseas fighting for his country in World War II. The following year, the boy's parents divorced. His mother remarried, and the family moved to what amounts to project housing in Orange, Texas. He faces disappointment, heartbreak, and tragedy. But his faith sustains him through it all. At age ten, he accepts Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior and surrenders his life to Christ. The boy becomes the winningest coach in Texas A&M history and serves that great university for 53 years. He wins countless awards and accolades and becomes friends with Presidents. How does a poor kid from nothing more than a spot on a red dirt road do all that? By the rich mercy and grace of his Lord and Savior. Today, at age 80, he stands with his "Proverbs 31" wife and helpmate of 25 years at his side. He is a shining example to football players and coaches and exemplifies excellence and character. His name is Coach R.C. Slocum. —Randy Willis
Randy Willis and Darrell Royal Master storyteller Randy Willis—books about adventure, family, and faith. Randy Willis is as much at home in the saddle as he is in front of the computer, where he composes his family sagas.
Randy Willis Texas Longhorn Football