Robert Randolph learned pedal steel guitar the way most people learn to sing hymns: in church, surrounded by family, with no sheet music in sight. Raised in the House of God Church in New Jersey, he picked up the instrument at 15 and played in front of the congregation before he ever heard secular music. Stevie Ray Vaughan recordings changed that.
Six Grammy nominations. One win. Thirteen Emmy Awards for music scoring. Rolling Stone ranks him among the greatest guitarists alive.
By his early twenties, a talent manager spotted him at the first Sacred Steel Convention in Florida, and Robert Randolph and the Family Band were soon opening for Eric Clapton and sharing stages with Carlos Santana, Dave Matthews Band, and Taj Mahal. Albums like "Unclassified," "Got Soul," and "Brighter Days" earned him six Grammy nominations across rock, R&B, and blues categories.
His 2025 solo album "Preacher Kids," produced by Shooter Jennings, won the 2026 Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Album. The record features fellow musicians who grew up in church, and it captures that intersection of gospel intensity and blues grit that has defined Randolph's career from the start.
He closes out Island Grove on Saturday night. Bring a lawn chair and expect to stand up anyway.
Saturday, June 6 at Island Grove Regional Park. Gates open at 11 AM.
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