About

“Four years. Thatʼs how long the Wintons–Randy and his two sons, Cody and Jesse–
have been playing gospel and bluegrass music together.

Randy had changed careers and started a business so he could spend more time working with and discipling his boys, but when some medical issues and new additions to their family forced them all to spend much more time together than they ever expected, it was a blessing in disguise. Being homebound meant there was time to develop their musical abilities through practice, practice, practice. A band was born, and a ministry grew out of the trials that proved the strength of God truly is perfected in weakness.

Both young men sing and play various instruments with their trademark high-energy style, and Jesse and Cody have won several major awards for their mandolin and banjo picking, including first and third places respectively in the 2011 California State picking championships, open adult division. Randy is guitarist and lead singer for the band, and his easy humor and loving interaction with his sons is evidence of the reward of a fatherʼs investment in the lives of his children.” ~Adapted from the liner notes by Carmon Friedrich

Guitarist and lead singer, Randy began playing the guitar at the age of twenty-one,  three years after he was saved by the grace of Christ. After this he went on into the vocational ministry and served for sixteen years at various churches, six of them as a worship pastor. His hard driving rhythm style and great lead vocals are a big part of The Wintons distinctive sound.

Cody (banjo, fiddle, rhythm guitar, bass, dobro, lead and harmony vocals) took up the guitar when he reached the 5th grade, and soon branched out to other stringed instruments, beginning with the fiddle in July of 2006, taking lessons with the 2007 National Fiddle Champion. In January of 2007, Cody began the banjo, and soon had developed into a fantastic player, also taking up dobro in early 2009. That same year in the California State Competition he took 3^rd place for his age group on banjo, in 2010 was awarded first place in the same division, and was given 3^rd place in the Open Division for 2011.

Jesse (mandolin, rhythm and lead guitar, lead and harmony vocals) began playing rhythm guitar at the age of 10, after being inspired to begin that instrument by his brother and Dad. He became interested in bluegrass music in the summer of 2006, began playing fiddle and quickly added mandolin and flat-picking to his repertoire. In 2008, Jesse was awarded 1^st place in the Western Open U.S. Championship for his age group on the mandolin, in 2009 took the California state picking championship for his age group, and in 2010 and 2011, was awarded 1^st place in the Open Division of the California State Picking Championship.

 
The Wintons have had the opportunity to open for or play on stage with such top IBMA award-winning groups as Newfound Road, Russell Moore and IIIrd Tyme Out, The Kenny and Amanda Smith Band and The Kingsmen Quartet.