Editing Randy Bachman (section)

== Early life and education ==
Born in [[Winnipeg, Manitoba]], to Karl (Charlie) Bachman and Anne (Nancy) Dobrinsky, Bachman is of half-[[German Canadians|German]] and half-[[Ukrainian Canadians|Ukrainian]] descent.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cbc.ca/whodoyouthinkyouare/2012/09/randy-bachman.html |title=Who Do You Think You Are? |publisher=CBC |access-date=August 28, 2013}}</ref> At age three, he won a singing contest on [[CKY-FM|CKY]]'s King of the Saddle program and age five he had started studying the violin in the [[The Royal Conservatory of Music|Royal Toronto Conservatory]] system.<ref name=VanSun>{{cite web |url=https://vancouversun.com/entertainment/Randy+Bachman+shows+grow+rock+star/1169377/story.html |title=Hey You! Randy Bachman shows how to grow a rock star |publisher=vancouversun.com |access-date=November 11, 2010 |author1=Shore }}</ref> He studied [[violin]] until the age of 12 when he grew dissatisfied with the structured lessons.<ref name=ClassicInt>{{cite web |url=http://www.guitarplayer.com/article/classic-interview-randy-bachman-from-the-july-1975-gp/883 |title=Classic Interview: Randy Bachman from the July 1975 GP |publisher=www.guitarplayer.com |access-date=November 11, 2010}}</ref> He found that while he could not read music, he could play anything if he heard it once; he referred to it as his phonographic memory.<ref name=VanSun />

At age 15, Bachman saw [[Elvis Presley]] play on [[Tommy Dorsey]]'s television show and the sight of the guitar around Presley's neck inspired him. He learned three chords from his cousin, then started practising on a modified Hawaiian [[Dobro]].<ref name=ClassicInt /> At age 16, Bachman met [[Lenny Breau]] and during the next two years Breau taught Bachman [[fingerstyle guitar|finger picking]]. Breau also introduced him to [[Chet Atkins]]' music.<ref name=VanSun />

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 instead helped Paul set up before the show and also helped him reload everything into the car after the show. Still a budding guitarist at this point, Bachman asked Paul if he could teach him a guitar lick; Paul ended up teaching his version of "[[How High the Moon]]".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.journalpioneer.com/Economy/2009-08-14/article-1398093/Randy-Bachman-recalls-playing-with-Les-Paul-calls-him-biggest-influence-on-rock/1 |title=Randy Bachman recalls playing with Les Paul, calls him 'biggest influence on rock – Economy – Business – The Journal Pioneer |publisher=www.journalpioneer.com |access-date=November 11, 2010}}</ref><ref name=GibsonPart2>{{cite web |url=http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/Features/randy-bachman-0616/ |title=The Gibson Interview with Randy Bachman (Part 2) |publisher=www.gibson.com |access-date=November 11, 2010 |author=Bryan Wawzenek |date=June 16, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100828093034/http://www.gibson.com/en%2Dus/Lifestyle/Features/randy%2Dbachman%2D0616/ |archive-date=August 28, 2010}}</ref>

He was initially a good student at school until he took up the guitar, when he focused on that instrument to the exclusion of his education. He passed Grade 9 at Edmund Partridge Junior High School, but repeated both the 10th and 11th grades, initially at [[West Kildonan Collegiate]]. In his second year of Grade 11, he was placed in a class of students who mostly either "flunked or dropped out and came back", and was asked to be class president by the teacher, who thought he had "discipline and determination" because he had been playing violin since the age of five. 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]]. He went on to study business administration at what is now [[Red River College]], but did not graduate.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mbteach.org/extras/teacher%20appreciation/randy%20bachman.html|title=randy bachman|publisher=The Manitoba Teachers' Society|date=January 2006|access-date=May 5, 2013|archive-date=October 21, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021191925/http://www.mbteach.org/extras/teacher%20appreciation/randy%20bachman.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>