Randy Dougherty

Encouraged by active dancing parents at age nine, Randy has enjoyed the wonderful world of square dancing for almost 50 years. A football injury (broken leg) at age 15 created a boring six-month lay-up. During this time, he was inspired to give calling a try. He first occupied his time practicing singing calls. Feeling good about the fun he was helping dancers to have, he attended the 1967 Central Iowa Callers Clinic in Des Moines, Iowa. In the next six years, Randy called square dances in Minnesota and surrounding states while he finished high school and college. In 1972, Randy took on a teaching position at Fridley Grace High School. During his summer breaks, he found himself traveling farther and farther from home. In 1979, he left his teaching position to devote full time to his professional calling career.

From 1979 to 1986, he called on a regular basis for seven home clubs in the Twin Cities area, and broadened his traveling circuit to include much of the United States and many foreign countries.

In 1986, Randy left Minnesota for the warmer climate of Arizona where he ran a busy dance program in Mesa during the winter season. In 2009 Randy moved his winter program to Pharr, Texas, where he calls all levels from Beginners through C3A for the many friendly Winter Texans that flock to the Square Dance Capital of the World.

In the summer he tours the United States and books many foreign calling trips; recently including such countries as Canada, Mexico, Sweden, Denmark, Netherlands, Japan, Saudi Arabia, England, Germany, Australia and New Zealand.

Throughout his career, Randy has recorded hits for many record companies and is currently on the very popular Royal Records label. Some of his more recent recordings consist of: Wings of a Dove, Sally Was a Good Ol' Girl, Yellow Polka Dot Bikini, This Train, It's Who You Know, Irresistible You, Angels Among Us, That's The Kind Of Woman I Like, and My Daddy Was an Old-Time Preacher Man.

To date he has attended, and called for, nearly 40 National Conventions. Over the years, Randy has put his teaching skills to work inspiring thousands of newer dancers, and has also contributed time and energy in working with several beginning callers as an Accredited Callerlab Caller Coach.

Randy has been an avid supporter of Callerlab since it's inception. In the late 70's he became a member and was able to attend his first convention is 1981. Since that time, he has served three terms on the Board of Governors of Callerlab, served on the Executive Committee for two years, and many instructional panels. Randy has been honored with a Special Recognition Award from Chairman Mike Seastrom for his assistance in taping all the session at the 1993 National Convention in order to establish the frequency count in use today.