It’s 10 p.m. in a bitterly cold New York City. As light and excitement pour out from the windows of a late-night diner, a growing crowd flows into the establishment. Inside, surrounded by dozens of his former BYU students, sits Randy Boothe. It is Boothe’s last night in the city, and he makes it a point to take advantage of every chance to catch up with his graduates.
For the last 35 years, Boothe has blessed the lives of his performers as director of the Young Ambassadors. “The amazing thing about Randy Boothe is that he is everyone’s dad,” said Annalece Misiego, Boothe’s youngest daughter. “I always felt like I had hundreds of brothers and sisters growing up because they would be everywhere during the holidays.” The oldest of seven children, Boothe came to BYU expecting to be a piano performance major. However, after a serendipitous encounter in the Skyroom, he was offered a full-ride scholarship to BYU—Hawaii, where studied for a degree in composite arts. While there, he directed the university’s singing and dancing showcase group, a foreshadow to his career. After graduating, Booth returned to BYU for his master’s degree, during which he built on his work at BYU—Hawaii by running the student musical group Young Ambassadors. What started as a short-term graduate project with the group has spanned nearly the entire career of the talented director and pianist. His impact and reach have also been deeply felt during those years by audiences around the world. “What Randy has done is remarkable. This ensemble has touched millions of lives. His influence in China alone has reached 320 million people,” said Stephen Jones, dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communications. Boothe, now an associate dean of the college, has had ample opportunities to work for other organizations throughout the years. However, he always felt a connection to the university. “I just felt like I was supposed to be here at BYU,” Boothe said. He remembers accompanying a faculty member on the piano at a university conference when Elder James E. Faust approached him about his recent decision to turn down a job at Disney. “Elder Faust told me, ‘I want you to know you made the right decision,’” Boothe said, smiling at the memory. “It certainly didn’t hurt to have an apostle telling us that!” Time would prove Elder Faust’s intuitions correct. In the following years, Boothe was integral in organizing and directing the Olympic Spectacular in Salt Lake City in 2002. He directed tours across 65 countries. He created the music dance theatre major at BYU and advised the Church in the design of the Conference Center in order to facilitate future shows. “It has been interesting how it seems I have been at the right place at the right time for these wonderful opportunities,” Boothe said with his usual humility. Perhaps more remarkable than his successful career is his character and the impression Boothe has left on former students. “Randy helped me to develop a stronger testimony and a spiritual grounding that I have built on to help me to stay true to what I believe, (which) has made a big influence on my career choices,” said Dallyn Bayles, former Young Ambassador and successful traveling Broadway performer. Sharlene Hawkes, former Miss America, cites Boothe’s tutelage as the primary source for her ability to be comfortable in front of an audience. “It was that year as a Young Ambassador that I learned how to communicate from the stage, not just perform,” Hawkes said. “(Randy) has an amazing ability to communicate with every person in the audience . . . when he performs.” Many say that Boothe inspires the best in people, sometimes even helping them exceed their own aspirations. “Randy encourages me to really shoot for my dreams and that I shouldn’t be scared to chase something I’m passionate about,” said Tanner De Waal, current Young Ambassador. The scene at the diner speaks for itself. No matter where Boothe’s students are in their respective walks of life, they will do anything to see and talk to the humble man behind the music. “That,” Misiego said, “is his greatest tribute.”