Robert Randolph & The Family Band

Robert Randolph, born Robert Jermaine Randolph on August 8 1977 in Irvington, New Jersey, is a pedal‑steel guitarist and frontman of the American gospel‑blues band Robert Randolph & The Family Band. He was trained in the House of God Church, where the instrument is called “sacred steel,” and was discovered while performing at a Florida sacred steel convention. The group’s first public release was the live album Live at the Wetlands (2002), was followed by the studio debut Unclassified (2003). Subsequent albums-Colorblind (2006), We Walk This Road (2010), Got Soul (2017), Brighter Days (2019), and Preacher Kids (2025)-showed a steady output, with singles such as "Squeeze" (2003) and "Thrill of It" (2006). Robert Randolph has collaborated with Eric Clapton, John Medeski, and Sly & The Family Stone, toured with Eric Clapton’s 2004 Crossroads Guitar Festival, and performed at major festivals including Bonnaroo and Austin City Limits. He received five Grammy nominations and won the 2026 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album for Preacher Kids.