Robert Randolph & The Family Band

Biography

Robert Jermaine Randolph, born August 8, 1977, in Irvington, New Jersey, grew up in a cloistered environment within the House of God Church, an African-American Pentecostal denomination in Orange, New Jersey, where he was trained as a pedal steel guitarist playing 'sacred steel'—gospel music on the pedal steel guitar—without exposure to secular music during his childhood and adolescence[2][1][3]. He learned by observing other church musicians and began performing in church services as a teenager, developing virtuoso skills on an instrument traditionally linked to country but infused with gospel fervor in this context[3][4]. Discovered at a sacred steel convention in Florida around 2000 by manager Jim Markel, Randolph transitioned to secular music, forming Robert Randolph & The Family Band with family members including cousins Danyel Morgan (bass) and Marcus Randolph (drums), and later additions like his sister Lenesha Randolph (vocals)[2][3][6].

The band's debut, Live at the Wetlands (2002), captured a performance at the iconic New York club just before its closure, marking their explosive entry into the jam band and blues scenes, followed by studio albums like Unclassified (2003), Colorblind (2006), and We Walk This Road (2010), blending sacred steel with rock, funk, soul, and blues for an 'irresistible rock 'n' roll swagger' as described by NPR[2][1][3]. Early collaborations, such as joining John Medeski and the North Mississippi Allstars in the jam project The Word (2001), and opening for acts like the North Mississippi Allstars, propelled them to festival circuits including Bonnaroo and Jazzfest, while tours with Eric Clapton expanded their reach; Clapton guested on Colorblind's cover of 'Jesus Is Just Alright'[2][4][7]. Grammy-nominated four times, the band signed with Blue Note Records and continued releasing albums like Brighter Days with producer Dave Cobb, circling back to gospel roots[2][3][6].

Randolph's innovative pedal steel style earned him #97 on Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Guitarists list in 2003 and acclaim from artists like Clapton, Dave Matthews, and Jack White, cementing the band's legacy as pioneers fusing gospel traditions with modern blues, jam, and rock, influencing multicultural audiences through tireless touring and high-energy live shows[2][4].

Fun Facts

• Randolph grew up hearing no secular music due to his cloistered church upbringing, only transitioning to clubs in 2000[1].
• In 2002, the band created ABC's short-lived NBA theme 'We Got Hoops,' used in promotions for NBA and WNBA[2].
• Randolph sat in with O.A.R. on Led Zeppelin's 'Fool in the Rain' during live performances in 2009[2].
• The Family Band includes actual blood relatives: cousins Danyel Morgan, Marcus Randolph, and sister Lenesha Randolph[6].

Members

• Jason Crosby (from 2004)
• John Ginty - original
• Brett Haas
• Danyel Morgan
• Lenesha Randolph
• Marcus Randolph
• Robert Randolph - original

Original Members

• Jason Crosby

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• House of God Church musicians - Trained by observing church pedal steel players in sacred steel tradition (Church services) [1970s-1990s]

Key Collaborators

• John Medeski - Avant-garde jazz organist who invited Randolph to jam project The Word with North Mississippi Allstars (The Word album (2001)) [2000-2001]
• Eric Clapton - Toured as supporting act; guest appearance on album (Colorblind album ('Jesus Is Just Alright', 2006)) [2003-2008]
• Danyel Morgan - Cousin and longtime bassist in the Family Band (All band albums since 2002) [2000-present]
• Marcus Randolph - Cousin and longtime drummer in the Family Band (All band albums since 2002) [2000-present]
• Lenesha Randolph - Sister and vocalist in the Family Band (Later albums including Brighter Days) [2000s-present]
• T-Bone Burnett - Producer for album (We Walk This Road (2010) with guests Ben Harper, Leon Russell, Doyle Bramhall II) [2010]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #funk, #gospel, #jam-band