HOW SPECIAL is ROBERT RANDOLPH

Henry · Post by **Henry** » 14 Jul 2001 12:51 am

FOR me, Randolph is FANTASTIC in what he is doiing......but (no need for that)if i try
it to compare with what we did hear the last
+-40 years on steel jazz/bluess/swing/pop and
COUNTRY....played ao by BE BC JD LG PF and all the others..........?? i don't (k)NO(W)
Find out for you self.....http://www.createavibe.com/rrvideo.htm

Ron Castle · Post by **Ron Castle** » 14 Jul 2001 2:19 am

If you look at Robert and just compare him to the greats you listed (BE BC JD LG PF)then he's not all that special... but you're really missing the point.
When is the last time you heard a PSG player
fronting and leading his own band, playing his own tunes, touring the US playing to packed audiences of mostly 20-30 year old folks?
This kid plays terrific and happens to be replacing the deeply ingrained lead 6str position with lead PSG.. thats something in my book.

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 14 Jul 2001 5:11 am

From over this side of the Waters i've been followin the Robert Randolph phenomena thanx to y'all + dis here Forum !
Thanx to the links, i've been able to visit and hear some of what he plays.
i really like what i heard !
Of course this isn't traditional Steelin but then Time has moved on and waited on None !
Ok it's Blues and not Country
ain't no drag / Poppa got himself a brand new bag
i am just everyday people....
For what i think, Robert is a grandson of Muddy Waters and plays the kind of Musik that contributes to making the good ol' Number 1.
Variety is the spice of Life and with all its facets, Amerikan Musik has, for almost a Century, been the greatest ambassador the good Ol'ever had. (along w: from Benjamin Franklin of course.)
so IMHO this Randolph cat is playin' traditional Musik and doin' it w: a Pedal Steel !
Now that's a new day in the mornin' !
Steelin in the name of the Lord ?
Go!Robert Randolph Go !
i mean heck, Hoboken is just a Subway ride from the Apple.
Get that Steel token hear ?

now if only he could come + play round here ...

Mike Cass · Post by **Mike Cass** » 14 Jul 2001 10:32 am

I dont remember where, but years ago in some PSG mag or another, a steel player said in an interview that he felt that the future of the PSG would be in the hands of someone who would lead their own band & bring the PSG to the forefront...exactly what Robert seems to be up to.
I often wonder where we would be by now if Buddy Emmons HAD accepted Johnny Carson's offer to appear on the "Tonight Show" as a featured Performer/guest..& then, after taking no prisoners with his playing, gone to panel with Johnny
& exchanged humorous asides...Knowing E's playing, humor & class Im sure we'd be much further along by now.
BTW, I was told by someone that E declined because being portrayed as a "star" just wasn't his cup of tea.....lotta real humility there

.
Good luck to you Robert Randoph & watch out for the snakes

.

Buck Dilly · Post by **Buck Dilly** » 14 Jul 2001 11:37 am

I have seen Robert live at the Stanhope HOuse in Stanhope, NJ. Robert is a very unusual player. His improvisation is very free. He plays with courage and conviction that I find rare among steel players. When he develops maturity and discipline- LOOK OUT!!! He was absolutely great to watch and hear. (He is also a real gentleman.) Buck[This message was edited by Buck Dilly on 14 July 2001 at 12:39 PM.]

Martin Abend · Post by **Martin Abend** » 14 Jul 2001 11:50 am

He hear the name pop up heren and there, but I have no idea who Randolph is. Seems like I've missed something...

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martin abend my homepage chicotarde@web.de
s-10 sierra crown gearless 3 x4 - Regal RD45 - fender hotrod deluxe

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 14 Jul 2001 12:27 pm

Robert is a very unusual player. His improvisation is very free. He plays with courage and conviction that I find rare among steel players.

Please don't take this the wrong way, Buck...but what does this really mean? I take it he's a young guy with a different style, a lot of energy and showmanship. But, does he have ability that would impress the average player? That's what we would like to know! Or, is he one of the players who plays so far "out of the box", it's difficult to tell if he's really any good or not?

(That's what it sounds like!)

Ron Castle · Post by **Ron Castle** » 14 Jul 2001 12:57 pm

Donny makes a good point...this could sometimes be true, but Roberts playing is really not very "far out of the box". He's basicly a blues player so the idiom is pretty much different but his technique is terrific.
He is a very very fast (& accurate) picker.
He has a great left hand as well, making big moves- landing right on the pitch.
Buck is right as well, he needs maturity, and I would add, a little broader harmonic understanding... but who doesnt/didnt at 23yrs old?
Its just my opinion, but the young fellow's on his way to becoming one of the alltime greats.

Sage · Post by **Sage** » 14 Jul 2001 7:29 pm

Robert Randolph only took up the steel guitar about seven years ago. I think that when comparing him with other great players, it would be good to consider what they were doing only seven years after they started. IMHO He doesn't play blues, per se. He plays gospel from a tradition which also gave birth to the blues. For me, Robert's greatness is not just his playing (which is astonishing), but also just the way he is. He is very engaging, welcoming, and knows how to raise good spirits when he is around. I met him for the first time at this years Sacred Steel convention. It is hard to describe the effect of his live playing, but he has the Gift. I can think of very few performers that have given me that rare feeling of both sacred time and excitement, all at once. Moments when you can feel the space change around you. OK, The Campbell Brothers had it when I saw them in 1999. Definitely Lloyd Green in 1990, Jerry Byrd, Buddy E. But Robert does that too. More than I saw at Stevie Ray Vaughn's last tour, more than most of the performers I've ever seen. He not only has the gift, but he works his a$$ off at practicing and learning new things. He is earning it as he goes. He is young, and it is a "big ol' goofy world" so my prayers continue to go out with him in mind.
BTW, Marcus Randolph (Robert's cousin, and the drummer in the family band) is a really great young PSG player himself. I hope he gets a chance to play it more with the band.[This message was edited by Sage on 14 July 2001 at 08:30 PM.][This message was edited by Sage on 14 July 2001 at 08:44 PM.]

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 14 Jul 2001 7:56 pm

It is an interesting fact that, in the sacred steel tradition, kids coming up start on drums before they "graduate" to playing steel guitar. That's not a knock on drummers, mind you, but it says a lot about the importance of driving rhythm in one's steel playing in this tradition.

Last year the Sedgwick Theater, in Philly, with which I'm associated, brought Calvin Cooke to town for a dynamite show, which was also attended by The Campbell Brothers plus Lonnie "Big Ben" Bennett, Dan Tyack, and others (all of whom jammed afterwards). Robert was in the audience that night but didn't join the jam. This year we're trying to book him for a show... before his price goes up waaay too high! Stay tuned![This message was edited by Jim Cohen on 14 July 2001 at 08:59 PM.]

Van Ertel · Post by **Van Ertel** » 16 Jul 2001 6:43 am

Donny's post should remind us that there is a difference between charisma and virtuosity. At a recent blues festival I saw one of the elderly "masters" bring down the house with a set that was played entirely in one key.

Dan Tyack · Post by **Dan Tyack** » 16 Jul 2001 2:09 pm

There is no question that Robert is a virtuoso, certainly one of the fastest steel players who has ever played the instrument. He doesn't have the bredth or depth of somebody like Chuck Campbell, but that's just a matter of time and opportunity.

There are three characteristics about Sacred Steel players that are most apparent to somebody from the 'country' steel world:

The steel is the lead voice in the music, so being able to lead the groove is imperative (unlike in most country music, where the steel plays a backup role).

The honesty of playing and the emotion is king, rather than simply technical dexterity.

There is a long standing tradition of striving for technical ability, unlike in say blues slide guitar. The areas of playing in which Sacred Steel players work to master their instrument aren't always the same as with country players, but make no mistake, these guys understand that you need to work hard on the instrument to master it.

I should also say for those people who are learning about this music through Robert, that as great as he is, he is only one of a bunch of great young players in the church. He's the most accomplished of all the young players, but there are some guys giving him a run for the money. Not to mention some of the older players like Chuck Campbell, who are right up there with Robert in terms of raw speed.

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www.tyacktunes.com

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 16 Jul 2001 4:23 pm

Chuck Campbell an "older player"? Man, now I feel really old!

Ron Castle · Post by **Ron Castle** » 17 Jul 2001 2:41 am

I guess compared to these really talented kids still in their teens, and guys like Robert in their early 20's, Chuck Campbell (still the king of Sacred Steel) is an "older player".

Did anyone see the interview with Robert on VH1- squeezed in between the usual R&R promos? Regardless of what you think of Roberts playing he's really becoming the "Johnny Aplleseed" of PSG. He's doing all steelers a favor- introducing PSG to a whole new (and very large ) crowd.
Cant take that away from him!

Dan Tyack · Post by **Dan Tyack** » 17 Jul 2001 2:53 am

I'm older than Chuck, so I can call him old. You guys need to come to the Sacred Steel convention. At Scotties, I feel like a younger player (at 45), at the Sacred Steel convention, not only are 90% of the players younger than me, but the young players are nice to me, which is a sure sign of being over the hill. Some of this interest in the steel from young players might be due to hormones (given that in their services, the steel player is the top dog, who everybody is looking at and listening to), but for whatever reason, their are more scary young (under 25 yo) steel players in the Sacred Steel churches than in every honky tonk in the country.

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www.tyacktunes.com

Sage · Post by **Sage** » 17 Jul 2001 12:21 pm

You are sure right about that, Dan. Robert is one amongst many gifted and hardworking young players, not to mention the great, gifted and hardworking older players. I hope that the success of the Campbell brothers and Robert Randolph will spread out to others in the tradition, giving more opportunities for others to be seen and heard.
As a player, I couldn't even tie their shiney wing tip shoes much less keep up with them. While I'm at it, Before Chuck and Darick Campbell get inducted into the SGHOF, I hope that 3 go before them- Willie Eason, Henry Nelson, and Calvin Cooke. You guys should come to next year's convention, Orlando, Springtime.
T. Sage Harmos

Russ Wever · Post by **Russ Wever** » 19 Jul 2001 12:33 am

Click for More

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 19 Jul 2001 2:07 am

I jave had the dual pleasures of both seeing Robert perform, and talking to him at length. Hos prowess as both a player and a performer has already been discussed, so I'll simply say despite for all the attention he has received, when we talked he came across as a very down to earth regular guy. Naturally we talked about steel guitars. He was very curious about my wrist lever.

I told him how much I enjoyed his show and that I thought he was destined to become a star, and he was quite modest about it. He told me how much he admired Buddy Emmons and LLoyd Green. He seemd like a really nice guy, and totally inaffected by all the allocades he has received.

Ropbert will be back in L.A. later this year and we will be getting together so I can show hime the wrist lever. I'm looking forward to seeing him again.

Jeff Lampert · Post by **Jeff Lampert** » 19 Jul 2001 5:14 am

I haven't seen RR play, but would like to comment on the aspect of age vis-a-vis talent that has been brought up in every thread on him that I have read. The fact that he is a super player, and that he, as well as other young Sacred Steel players are technically super-fast is not unusual. I remember when I started playing 6-string guitar in my teens seeing terrific players all over the place. Some players had tremendous natural ability and would be playing like lightning in a couple of years. When young people get into something, they have the energy and verve to become great in very short periods of time. It's one of the things us older players will have to adjust to if the steel gains a lot in popularlity. We will not be quite as "elite". It's always a two-edged sword, isn't it?

Ann Fabian · Post by **Ann Fabian** » 19 Jul 2001 6:57 am

Jeff Lampert ... if you feel like heading into Manhattan this weekend to see Robert play at a special performance, check this out.

Ann Fabian · Post by **Ann Fabian** » 19 Jul 2001 7:02 am

Also, those in the Upstate New York area, can see the Campbell Brothers perform this weekend. Dan Tyack will be playing with them.

Wish I was in NY this weekend!

Curt Langston · Post by **Curt Langston** » 2 Oct 2006 5:39 pm

But, does he have ability that would impress the average player? That's what we would like to know!

I know one thing, he has the crowd on their feet! He gets more steel guitar exposure in one concert than a lot of us do in a year.

This kind of stuff is needed. This will help keep the instrument alive!

Jim Sliff · Post by **Jim Sliff** » 2 Oct 2006 6:31 pm

"But, does he have ability that would impress the average player?"

Wow - how irrelevant.

Who CARES what the "average player" thinks? Well, I guess Donny does, but I don't know who the "we" is that he mentions....most players I know are not out to impress other players.

Do musicians play for other musicians, or do they play 1) for their own enjoyment, and/or 2) for the enjoyment of an audience?

When you play a gig it may be amazing - but the audience isn't full of pedal steel players.

"Or, is he one of the players who plays so far "out of the box", it's difficult to tell if he's really any good or not?"

No, he's not "out of the box", and it's not a "different" style - it's "another" style.

"Different" from what?

He plays a fairly popular style, and one that draws large crowds - sacred steel. It may be "out of the box" to you, but that's your issue, not his. If you can't recognize whether it's good or not, try getting more familiar with it - or just ignore the subject altogether if it's something you know nothing about and don't CARE to know about..