Robert Randolph and the Family Band is an American

gospel Gospel originally meant the Christian message (" the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words a ...

band led by

pedal steel guitar The pedal steel guitar is a console-type of steel guitar with pedals and knee levers that change the pitch of certain strings to enable playing more varied and complex music than any previous steel guitar design. Like all steel guitars, it can ...

ist Robert Randolph (Robert Jermaine Randolph, born August 8, 1977, Irvington, New Jersey). NPR has described the band as one with an "irresistible rock 'n' roll swagger". ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...

'' included Randolph upon their list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time. The band has released six studio albums and has been

Grammy The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...

nominated four times.

Band history

Frontman Robert Randolph was trained as a

ist in the House of God Church and makes prominent use of the instrument in the band's music. The instrument is referred to in many African-American Pentecostal churches as " sacred steel". Randolph was discovered while playing at a sacred steel convention in

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and ...

. The group's sound is inspired by legendary funk bands such as Earth, Wind & Fire and Sly & the Family Stone. Randolph himself has explained that in his adolescent years before being discovered by the secular community, he was almost completely unaware of non-religious music. He went on exclaim in an interview that "I grew up and saw a lot of older guys playing lap steels and pedal-steel guitars in my church. I had never heard of the Allman Brothers, or even Buddy Guy or Muddy Waters." Before releasing albums with The Family Band, Randolph was selected by avant-garde jazz organist

John Medeski Anthony John Medeski (born June 28, 1965) is an American jazz keyboard player and composer. Medeski is a veteran of New York's 1990s avant-garde jazz scene and is known popularly as a member of Medeski Martin & Wood. He plays the acoustic piano ...

to join him and the

North Mississippi Allstars North Mississippi Allstars is an American blues and southern rock band from Hernando, Mississippi, founded in 1996. The band is currently composed of brothers Luther Dickinson (guitar, lowebow, vocals) and Cody Dickinson (drums, keyboards, elec ...

on their 2001 jam project, The Word. Just prior to the release of The Word's debut album, Randolph was brought to the attention of music fans through a review by

Neil Strauss Neil Darrow Strauss, also known by the pen names Style and Chris Powles, is an American author, journalist and ghostwriter. He is best known for his book '' The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists'', in which he describes his ...

in ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' in April 2001. On their first non-church tour of the East Coast, Randolph's new Family Band opened for the North Mississippi Allstars and then rejoined the musicians after their set, with Medeski, as The Word. The first Robert Randolph and the Family Band album, '' Live at the Wetlands'', was released in 2002 on Family Band Records, recorded live on August 23, 2001, just prior to the club's closing. The band released their studio debut, ''

Unclassified Classified information is material that a government body deems to be sensitive information that must be protected. Access is restricted by law or regulation to particular groups of people with the necessary security clearance and need to know, ...

'' on August 5, 2003. They attracted the attention of

Eric Clapton Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is often regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s list o ...

, and have subsequently toured as a supporting act with the English

blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the ...

guitarist. Clapton later guested on their 2006 album '' Colorblind'', playing on a

cover Cover or covers may refer to: Packaging * Another name for a lid * Cover (philately), generic term for envelope or package * Album cover, the front of the packaging * Book cover or magazine cover ** Book design ** Back cover copy, part of copy ...

of " Jesus Is Just Alright". In 2002, they were hired by ABC to make the network's new NBA theme song. The song, "We Got Hoops", only appeared in three telecasts, though it was used throughout both the NBA and WNBA seasons during promotions for both leagues. In September 2003 Randolph was listed as No. 97 on '' Rolling Stone's'' 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time list. Robert entered the list following Leigh Stephens and directly preceding

Angus Young Angus McKinnon Young (born 31 March 1955) is an Australian musician, best known as the co-founder, lead guitarist, songwriter, and only remaining original member of the hard rock band AC/DC. He is known for his energetic performances, schoolbo ...

. In February 2004 Robert Randolph and the Family Band along with the band O.A.R. released a cover version of

Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. With a heavy, guitar-driven sound, they are ...

's " Fool in the Rain", which was made available for online purchase through

iTunes iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mu ...

. This version was played live with O.A.R. at their June 18, 2009 show at Charter One Pavilion in Chicago. Their third album, '' Colorblind'', was released October 10, 2006. The song "Ain't Nothing Wrong With That" was used in several commercials for NBC, and used in Katherine Jenkins and Mark Ballas' jive on Dancing with the Stars. In June 2008 the

Discovery Channel Discovery Channel (known as The Discovery Channel from 1985 to 1995, and often referred to as simply Discovery) is an American cable channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav. , Discovery Chan ...

used this same song in a popular promo entitled "It's All Good" for their summer lineup. The song "Thrill of It" was used throughout the 2007 college football season by ABC during their College Primetime games. They worked with producer

T-Bone Burnett Joseph Henry "T Bone" Burnett III (born January 14, 1948) is an American record producer, guitarist and songwriter. He rose to fame as a guitarist in Bob Dylan's band during the 1970s. He has received multiple Grammy awards for his work in fil ...

on their fourth studio album '' We Walk This Road'', released in 2010. They released the supposed first single from that album entitled "Get There" but this song did not appear on the album. The first official single from the album is "If I Had My Way." Randolph used his steel guitar with a wah-wah pedal Their 2019 recording, ''Brighter Days'', was chosen as a 'Favorite Blues Album' by

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Music ...

Live appearances

Randolph's concerts are known for their lively stage performances, with Randolph content to let the rest of the band play on while he dances. Dance is an integral part of the concerts. During "Shake Your Hips", women are encouraged to dance onstage. Other noteworthy concert regulars involve the entire band trading instruments allowing each member to show off their musical proficiency. When he becomes completely enthralled by his music, Randolph will kick the chair away from his

and dance while he plays. A microphone is occasionally passed around the front row of the audience, so they can sing during the song "I Need More Love". Audience members are also called up on stage to sing ("

Purple Haze "Purple Haze" is a song written by Jimi Hendrix and released as the second single by the Jimi Hendrix Experience on March 17, 1967. The song features his inventive guitar playing, which uses the signature Hendrix chord and a mix of blues and Ea ...

") or be a guest guitarist for one song. The band made its first television appearance on ''

Late Show with David Letterman The ''Late Show with David Letterman'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS, the first iteration of the ''Late Show'' franchise. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and was produced by Letterman's production ...

'' on August 5, 2003, performing "I Need More Love". In 2004, Robert Randolph and the Family Band was the opening act on the

tour. They are featured prominently in the Clapton's '' Crossroads Guitar Festival'' DVD (2004). The band also appears on

Bonnaroo Music Festival The Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival is an American annual four-day music festival developed and founded by Superfly Presents and AC Entertainment. Since its first year in 2002, it has been held at what is now Great Stage Park on a farm in ...

DVDs. The length of the concerts can vary greatly depending on what songs are played (the band does not use a set list) and how long jams last. Concerts go over the allotted time if the band and the audience are having fun. Most concerts don't have an intermission; instead, band members will exit the stage leaving one or two members a chance to shine with solos. The one time the band does stop is so the band can relax, get hydrated, and plan the encore. On October 9, 2004, Robert Randolph and the Family Band appeared on the PBS television show Austin City Limits. Robert Randolph and Eric Clapton 31May2008

Robert Randolph and Eric Clapton 31May2008

On January 24, 2007, they played in Dallas at Victory Plaza outside of the American Airlines Center as part of the 2007 NHL All Star game festivities. The band also played before the start of the

2007 NHL All-Star Game The 2007 National Hockey League All-Star Game was held in Dallas, on January 24, 2007. The Western Conference was victorious, defeating the Eastern Conference 12–9. On January 23, 2006, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced that the event ...

. The Family Band has opened for Dave Matthews Band for some shows on their 2002–09 tours. In 2005 Robert Randolph appeared on the Dave Matthews Band release ''

Weekend on the Rocks ''Weekend on the Rocks'' is a live album by Dave Matthews Band. It contains highlights of the four shows in four days the band performed at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado on September 9–12, 2005. The set is packaged on two CDs ...

''. Robert Randolph has performed as a guest during the Dave Matthews Band set on songs such as " All Along the Watchtower", "Louisiana Bayou", "Stand Up", "Smooth Rider", "You Might Die Trying", and "Two Step", among others. In 2007, Robert Randolph and the Family Band played at the inaugural

South Padre International Music Festival South Padre International Music Festival (also known as SPI Music Fest) is an annual 3-day music festival held on South Padre Island, Texas. The event features international and national artists, encompassing a wide range of musical genres includi ...

. In 2008, they opened for

and were also one of four featured artists on the Music Builds Tour. Robert Randolph and the Family Band played in Oxford, Mississippi on April 25, 2009, as part of the 14th annual Double Decker Arts Festival. In 2009 Randolph also sat in on two live performances of

's "Fool In The Rain" with the band O.A.R. Also, on June 22, 2014, Robert Randolph and the Family Band played at the TD Toronto Jazz Fest, welcoming a new "cousin" Andrew Prince to the stage for two songs. Robert Randolph and the Family Band played the 10th annual Rooster Walk Music and Arts Festival in May 2018. On July 30th, 2022 Robert Randolph and the Family Band opened for

Zac Brown Band Zac Brown Band is an American country music band based in Atlanta, Georgia. The lineup consists of Zac Brown (lead vocals, guitar), Jimmy De Martini ( fiddle, vocals), John Driskell Hopkins (bass guitar, guitar, baritone guitar, banjo, ukul ...

outside the Soaring Eagle Casino in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan.

Accolades

Grammy Awards

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, ''Got Soul'' , Best Contemporary Blues Album , , - , align="center" , 2020 , ''Brighter Days'' , Best Contemporary Blues Album , , -

Discography

Studio albums

Live albums

* '' Live at the Wetlands'' (2002) * ''Live in Concert'' (2011)

Guest appearances on albums

*2001: "Garden of Love" and "Opportunity" – Demolition String Band on ''Pulling Up Atlantis'' *2002: "

Cissy Strut "Cissy Strut" is a 1969 funk instrumental by The Meters. Released as a single from their eponymous debut album, it reached No. 4 on the R&B chart and No. 23 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. The song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 20 ...

", "Ruler of My Heart" and " Tell It Like It Is" – Dirty Dozen Brass Band on ''Medicated Magic'' *2004: "Mas Y Mas" –

Los Lobos Los Lobos (, Spanish for "the Wolves") are an American rock band from East Los Angeles, California. Their music is influenced by rock and roll, Tex-Mex, country, zydeco, folk, R&B, blues, brown-eyed soul, and traditional music such as cu ...

on '' Live at the Fillmore'' (DVD version) *2004: "The Good Life" –

Rachael Lampa Rachael Maureen Lampa (born January 8, 1985) is an American contemporary Christian singer, songwriter and record producer. At age 15, she rose to fame and critical acclaim in 2000 with the release of her debut album, '' Live for You''. Early ...

on ''

'' *2005: " Crosstown Traffic" –

Soulive Soulive is a funk/jazz trio that originated in Woodstock, New York, and is known for its solos and catchy, upbeat songs. The band consists of Eric Krasno (guitar), Alan Evans (drums) and Neal Evans (Hammond B3 organ, bass keys, clavinet). Althoug ...

on '' Break Out'' *2005: "Exodus" and "Louisiana Bayou" – Dave Matthews Band on '' Complete Weekend on the Rocks'' *2005: "I Am an Illusion" – Rob Thomas on '' ...Something to Be'' *2005: "

I Want to Take You Higher "I Want to Take You Higher" is a song by the soul/ rock/funk band Sly and the Family Stone, the B-side to their Top 30 hit "Stand!". Unlike most of the other tracks on the ''Stand!'' album, "I Want to Take You Higher" is not a message song; inst ...

" – Sly & The Family Stone on ''

Different Strokes by Different Folks ''Different Strokes by Different Folks'' is a Remix album, remix and Cover version, cover album by American funk, and Soul music, soul band Sly and the Family Stone. Description Released first as a Starbucks-exclusive in 2005, this version (reco ...

'' *2005: "

Lay Lady Lay "Lay Lady Lay", sometimes rendered "Lay, Lady, Lay", is a song written by Bob Dylan and originally released in 1969 on his '' Nashville Skyline'' album. Like many of the tracks on the album, Dylan sings the song in a low croon, rather than in the ...

" – Buddy Guy on '' Bring 'Em In'' *2005: "Mission Temple Fireworks Stand" –

Sawyer Brown Sawyer Brown is an American country music band. It was founded in 1981 in Apopka, Florida, by Mark Miller (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Gregg "Hobie" Hubbard (keyboards, vocals), Bobby Randall (lead guitar, vocals), Joe "Curly" Smyth (drums), an ...

on '' Mission Temple Fireworks Stand'' *2005: "Oh My Lord" –

Ringo Starr Sir Richard Starkey (born 7 July 1940), known professionally as Ringo Starr, is an English musician, singer, songwriter and actor who achieved international fame as the drummer for the Beatles. Starr occasionally sang lead vocals with the ...

on ''

Choose Love ''Choose Love'' is the 14th studio album by Ringo Starr, released in 2005. Background and recording Recorded throughout 2004 into 2005, using the same team that created ''Vertical Man'' (1998) and ''Ringo Rama'' (2003), Starr produced the set wi ...

'' *2005: "Trinity" – Santana and Kirk Hammett of

Metallica Metallica is an American heavy metal band. The band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...

on '' All That I Am'' *2005: "21st Century Schizoid Man" –

Ozzy Osbourne John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born 3 December 1948) is an English singer, songwriter, and television personality. He rose to prominence during the 1970s as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, during which period he adop ...

on ''

Under Cover ''Under Cover'' is the ninth solo studio album by English heavy metal vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. The album consists entirely of cover songs, with an emphasis on rock music from the 1960s and 1970s. This is Osbourne's first and only album to fe ...

'' *2008: "Otherside" –

Third Day Third Day was a Christian rock band formed in Marietta, Georgia during the 1990s. The band was founded by lead singer Mac Powell, guitarist Mark Lee (both of whom were the only constant members) and Billy Wilkins. Drummer David Carr was the ...

on ''Revelation'' *2008: "Out in the Woods" and "That's My Home" – Buddy Guy on '' Skin Deep'' *2008: "Train's A Comin'" – JD & The Straight Shot on ''Right On Time'' *2010: "There's No Tomorrow" –

Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...

Leon Russell Leon Russell (born Claude Russell Bridges; April 2, 1942 – November 13, 2016) was an American musician and songwriter who was involved with numerous bestselling records during his 60-year career that spanned multiple genres, including rock and ...

on '' The Union'' *2011: "Straight Down the Line" –

Robbie Robertson Jaime Royal "Robbie" Robertson, OC (born July 5, 1943), is a Canadian musician. He is best known for his work as lead guitarist and songwriter for the Band, and for his career as a solo recording artist. With the deaths of Richard Manuel i ...

on ''

How to Become Clairvoyant ''How to Become Clairvoyant'' is the fifth solo release from Canadian singer-musician Robbie Robertson. It was released on April 5, 2011, and peaked at No. 13 on the US ''Billboard'' 200 albums chart. Critical reviews were generally positive. Th ...

'' *2015: "Oh My Lord" - Randy Bachman on '' Heavy Blues''

Guest singles

Guest appearances on soundtracks

*2002: '' NBA on ABC'' – "We Got Hoops" *2004: ''

ATV Offroad Fury 3 ''ATV Offroad Fury 3'' is a racing video game developed by Climax Racing and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for PlayStation 2. The game was succeeded by ''ATV Offroad Fury 4'' in 2006. Gameplay Expanding from its predecessor, ''ATV Off ...

'' – "Squeeze" *2006: '' NBA Live 07'' – "Thrill of It" *2007: ''

Grey's Anatomy ''Grey's Anatomy'' is an American medical drama television series that premiered on March 27, 2005, on ABC as a mid-season replacement. The series focuses on the lives of surgical interns, residents, and attendings as they develop into s ...

'' – "Ain't Nothing Wrong with That" *2007: '' Stomp the Yard'' – "Ain't Nothing Wrong with That"

Other appearances

In 1999, Arhoolie Records released ''Sacred Steel – Live!'' including performances recorded live in two House of God churches in 1998 and 1999, one of which was Robert Randolph performing "Without God". In 2001, they released ''Train Don't Leave Me: The 1st Annual Sacred Steel Convention'' including performances recorded live March 31–April 1, 2000, one of which was Robert Randolph performing "I Feel Like Pressing My Way". In 2002, they released ''Recorded Live At The 2nd Sacred Steel Convention'' including performances recorded live March 30–31, 2001, one of which was Robert Randolph performing "You've Got To Move". In 2004, Robert Randolph and the Family Band covered "

" for the album '' Power of Soul: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix''. In 2009, Robert Randolph, along with The Clark Sisters, released a version of the song " Higher Ground" on the compilation album '' Oh Happy Day: An All-Star Music Celebration''.

Music videos

References

External links

*
Robert Randolph and the Family Band collection
at the

Internet Archive The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, ...

's live music archive
Interview: Robert Randolph
December 28, 2006
Interview with Robert Randolph
Ace Weekly, October 17, 2010
"Pedal power: Can Robert Randolph steel success?"
The Hook No. 515, April 13, 2006 {{DEFAULTSORT:Randolph And The Family Band, Robert American funk musical groups American soul musical groups Funk rock musical groups Jam bands Jammy Award winners Warner Records artists Randolph, Robert Provogue Records artists