Robert Randolph & The Family Band is a multicultural American funk and soul band composed of Robert Randolph, Marcus Randolph (drums), Danyel Morgan (bass), Jason Crosby (keyboards & fiddle), Lenesha Randolph (vocals and rhythm), as well as three rotating rhythm guitarists, Joey Williams of Blind Boys of Alabama, "Shmeeans", and Cousin Ray-Ray. Frontman Robert Randolph was trained as a pedal steel guitarist in the House of God Church, Keith Dominion, and makes prominent use of the instrument in the band's music. Randolph, a native of Irvington, New Jersey, began playing the steel guitar in the House of God Church, which used steel guitars in worship services. The instrument is referred to in many African American Pentecostal style churches as Sacred Steel. Randolph was discovered while playing at a sacred steel convention in Florida. Randolph himself cites the late Stevie Ray Vaughan as a primary influence in his own technique and style. The group's sound is inspired by successful 1970s funk bands such as Earth, Wind & Fire and Sly & the Family Stone, another multicultural band comprised of former members of the Church of God in Christ. Randolph himself has explained that in his adolescent years before his discovery by the secular community, he was almost completely unaware of non-religious music, saying "I never heard of the Allman Brothers, Buddy Guy, Muddy Waters, none of them. I wasn’t into that music, only the church thing."
The first Robert Randolph & the Family Band album, Live at the Wetlands, was released in 2002, recorded live 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 British blues guitarist. Clapton also featured on the new album Colorblind on the track "Jesus Is Just Alright".
Before releasing albums with The Family Band, Randolph was selected by avant-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 this album, Randolph was brought to the attention of some music fans through an enthusiastic reviewblank">http://select.nytimes.com/search/restricted/article?res=F20917F6355D0C738FDDAD0894D9404482 by Neil Strauss in the New York Times in April 2001. On that first non-church tour of the East Coast, the new band led in for the North Mississippi Allstars and then rejoined the musicians after their set, with Medeski, as The Word.
In September of 2003 Randolph was listed as #97 on _Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time list. 100_greatest_guitarists_of_all_time" target="_blank">http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5937559/the_100_greatest_guitarists_of_all_time
In 2002, they were hired by _ABC to make the network's new NBA theme song. The song, "We Got Hoops", was only used for three telecasts, though it was used throughout both the NBA and WNBA seasons during promotions for both leagues.
In February of 2002 Robert Randolph & the Family Band along with the band O.A.R. released a cover version of Led Zeppelin's Fool in the Rain, which can be purchased in the iTunes Music Store.
The third album, Colorblind, was released October 10, 2006. The song "Ain't Nothing Wrong With That" is used on many commercials for NBC.
