Robert Randolph and the Family Band is an American gospel band led by pedal steel guitarist 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 included Randolph upon their list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time. The band has released six studio albums and has been nominated for five Grammy Awards, winning the 2026 Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album for the album Preacher Kids.
Band history
Frontman Robert Randolph was trained as a pedal steel guitarist 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.
The group's sound is inspired by 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 to 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 to join him and the North Mississippi Allstars 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 in The New York Times 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 on August 5, 2003. They attracted the attention of Eric Clapton, and have subsequently toured as a supporting act with the English blues guitarist. Clapton later guested on their 2006 album Colorblind, playing on a cover 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. In June 2008 the Discovery Channel 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 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.
On March 28, 2025, Randolph announced his first solo album, Preacher Kids, set for release on June 27, 2025. The album won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album.
thumb|right|Robert Randolph, [[Doyle Bramhall II, and Eric Clapton performing "Got My Mojo Working" at Cuyahoga Falls, May 31, 2008]]
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 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. 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. In 2008, they opened for Eric Clapton 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 Led Zeppelin'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 30, 2022, Robert Randolph and the Family Band opened for Zac Brown Band outside the Soaring Eagle Casino in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan.
Accolades
Grammy Awards
|-
| align="center" | 2003
| "Squeeze"
| Best Rock Instrumental Performance
|
|-
| align="center" | 2003
| Unclassified
| Best Rock Gospel Album
|
|-
| align="center" | 2017
| Got Soul
|rowspan=3|Best Contemporary Blues Album
|
|-
| align="center" | 2020
| Brighter Days
|
|-
| align="center" | 2026
| Preacher Kids
|
Discography
Studio albums
{| class="wikitable"
!align="center" valign="top" width="40" rowspan="2"| Year
!align="center" valign="top" rowspan="2"| Title
!align="center" valign="top" colspan="4"| Peak chart positions
!align="center" valign="top" rowspan="2"| Label
|-
!align="center"|<small>US 200</small>
!<small>US Rock</small>
!<small>US Christian</small>
!<small>US Blues</small>
|-
|align="center"|2003
| Unclassified
|align="center"| 145
|align="center"|
|align="center"| 6
|align="center"|
| Warner Records
|-
|align="center"| 2006
| Colorblind
|align="center"| 75
|align="center"|
|align="center"|
|align="center"|
| Warner Records
Music videos
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Video
! Director
|-
| 2005
| "Mission Temple Fireworks Stand" <small>(w/ Sawyer Brown)</small>
| Shaun Silva
|}
References
External links
- Robert Randolph and the Family Band collection at the Internet Archive'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