Help me see the light on Robt. Randolph

Ron Whitfield · From: Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA

For a year now, I've been hearing big noise about RR and have yet to get a thrill. Just listened to the Wetlands CD the other night, no dice. The ACL gig, I keep falling asleep within minutes. He's good, but great? Maybe someday. Please, somebody lead me in the right direction towards the really good stuff. His band, while talented, features the current MOR style of psuedo hippy jammers that bores me to death. IN A LEAGUE WITH JIMI HENDRIX? Where, when, who, what, why?

Bill Hatcher · From: Atlanta Ga. USA

The light on RR is that he is really the first steel player who is black to get some serious recognition. Very cool. He has a great groove, his band funks out,he does not play the E9 crying steel guitar stuff and since 99.9% of steel players play this style and the rest play Hawaiian, he is totally baffling to them.

Look for the "light" in his groove and just the whole different presentation of the steel.

Roger Miller · From: Cedar Falls, Ia.

That's right Bill, of course you can play different styles of music with the Steel Guitar. Just don't wake some of these guys up and tell them. You have polka shuffles, waltz shuffles, Raggea shuffles, and can't forget the schottish shuffle. RR is got some reat blues and R&B licks, and steelers ought to be interested in someone busting into a new realm of music promoting the Steel. Now I'll go pick up my marbles and go home.

Jeff Strouse · From: Jacksonville, Florida, USA

Honestly, I'm not really into his "style" (I'm into more mellow stuff...and the crying country and Hawaiian categories), but he honks for the type of music he plays. I didn't get through the whole ACL segment either. But it's only because I'm into different music. Some of his licks I didn't even imagine ever coming out of a steel guitar...like the Hendrix licks for example(and I'm not into the psychedelic Hendrix stuff either...I can usually only take about 8-10 minutes of Hendrix). RR is taking steel guitar into uncharted territory, showing what it can do to audiences that probably haven't even seen one before. For that alone, he gets my kudos....

ebb · From: nj

i agree with the criticism only in that chuck campbell is better and gets no recognition

Ron Whitfield · From: Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA

Chuck Campbell, eh? Thanx ebb, I'll check him out. Now, how about Glenn Campbell of The Misunderstood! He was giving the steel a 'whole different presentation' well before RR was born. Hope to hear many more contributions from the SGF family on this. I'm totally open minded and just looking for proof as to what the rukus is all about, cause, I ain't heard it yet.

Stu Schulman · From: Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)

Well the way that I see it is,If you can only take Jimi Hendrix for about ten minutes Robert Randolph might not work for ya.I finally got to see the repeat of the Austin City Limits show that RR did,I loved it,I also loved David Lindley's playing on the show.You don't have to like it,But I've never seen anyone else play more from the Heart than RR.

Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

I'm still trying to figure out Santo and Johnnie.. Which one held the guitar?

At least he's ONE person.

Great kid. Big talent.

Sic 'em, I say.

I don't think he'd be smart to duck fame.

It sure wasn't my best decision...

I don't remember him saying that he was any kind of a "Jimi Hendrix".

Maybe he's the new "Jerry Garcia"...

EJL

[This message was edited by Eric West on 30 August 2003 at 04:49 PM.]

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Buck Dilly · From: Branchville, NJ, USA * R.I.P.

He's bringing the instrument out and to the front, and that is a good thing. His style and tone are both different. AND...he's from New Jersey. Give him a break, he's out there doin' it.

Jesse Pearson · From: San Diego , CA

I think RR is growing as a musician and will sound different and alot more clever in a few more years. Blues rock guitar playing country steel player's aren't gonna be that excited with RR' choice of Jam Tunes or his choice of notes (Duane Allman?) because it sounds predictable to us.

What I am starting to understand from listening to you guy's, is that RR is a good front man already and just has to grow a little in the sophistication of composition dept. I think he will get bored with the Jam band theme and want to be remembered for his compositional skill more then the minor pentatonic jamming over a vamp can afford. I think we will be hearing more young steel player's starting to compete for the brass ring because the record companies can see the juice that RR has generated.

[This message was edited by Jesse Pearson on 30 August 2003 at 06:59 PM.]

R. E. Klaus · From: Montana, USA

Mr. Randolph is bringing the steel guitar to an audience that didn't know that the instrument existed a couple of years ago. He is also inspiring a new batch of musicians to learn steel guitar. How many of us are ready to teach them what they want to learn?

David Rupert · From: Mesa, Arizona (via Mahopac, NY & Missouri).

CrowBear Schmitt · From: Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France

i agree w: many here that RR is a talented young man, that he's workin hard at doin' his thang and succeeding

have a look at his tour dates and one can see that he's giggin'like crazy
Give Robert a few more years and i'm sure he'll surprise us even more.
We know that RR plays Steel but the great public at large that is discoverin' Robert doesn't know that.
i'm tickled to think of the younger wannabee guitar players that are tryin' to cop his stuff and finally realizin' that it's done on a PSG
i prefer the Sacred Steel thang over RR+FB
Campbell Bros, Sonny Treadway and Aubrey Ghent, as well as that young steel army that is learnin in church are the ones that really get my attention
btw i'm an old Hendrix fan. His studio work was rather innovative was'nt it ? (Axis:Bold as Love-Electric Ladyland)
agreed that when Hendrix played live, he was often outta tune and could sound like Crimea.
Jimi's version of Red House on the Live in the West lp is a fine Xample of Jimi's playinLive(imho)
(yeah, i'm an Ol'Hippie too

)

[This message was edited by CrowBear Schmitt on 31 August 2003 at 02:18 AM.]

[This message was edited by CrowBear Schmitt on 31 August 2003 at 05:34 AM.]

HowardR · From: N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville

Robert Corwin · From: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

< I don't remember him saying that he was any kind of a "Jimi Hendrix".>

I recently photographed RR wearing a shirt emblazoned with a huge photograph of Hendrix.

But hey, I suppose my photos of JW's tatoos don't even prove that he liked tatoos...just that he wore them.

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Jeff Strouse · From: Jacksonville, Florida, USA

Stu is right about him playing from the heart...by watching him, he's playing with 110% feeling. He definitely has a great stage presence. I really enjoyed watching him on ACL (even though I didn't watch the whole segment). He uses a few effects pedals, which gives some sounds not typically heard in steel guitar. The crowds go wild with his music. In order for steel guitar to grow, it has to be taken out of its normal setting to new audiences by a talented innovator like RR.

No offense to Hendrix and hippies...I've been labeled a "tree-hugging" hippie many times before (even though I didn't live through that era)...but my cup of tea is the more mellow side.

I've always been fascinated by the the upbeat 'sacred steel' church services. How many of us in a more "traditional" church setting find it difficult to stay awake? I get up too darn early, dress up in a monkey suit, only to go sit down in an uncomfortable pew and feel like snoozing again. I used to find it so comical during readings, where the minister says something like, "Praise the Lord with all your heart", and the concregation replies (in a monotone, zombie-like state) "We are filled with joy and happiness." Really? You can't tell by looking and listening to us!

Switch the scene to the more upbeat non-traditional services, like the 'sacred steel' churches. The congregations are dancing, singing, and actively participating in the service. And the center of all..?....the most beautiful instrument in the world!

RR is only getting started. His audience will only grow by leaps and bounds. And the beauty of it, is that he'll be inspiring others to take up the steel in who knows what directions. He proves that *any* type of music can be played on the steel guitar. There will always be those of us (like myself), who are hardcore fans of Hawaiian, Western Swing, and country, where the steel guitar is already an established instrument. But if it is to expand and possibly go beyond the "hey-day" it once had in society, folks like RR are the ones who will do it!

Charles French · From: Ms.

I got a buddy of mine who's been playing like Robert for 25 years. Never could figure out why no one would hire him for any jobs. He can play traditional country and swing as good as you could wanna hear. But on a gig as the night goes on and the whiskey goes down the beast came out in him. It would be John Coltrane meets Hendrix on steroids.

Robert is an entertainer. The fact that he plays steel guitar and he's black is even more novel. I wouldn't say he's great, people use the term Great much to loosely. He's got a winning combination tho, a tight band and a black pedal steel player who is funky, smells like $$$$$ to me. Just think, if he really catches on, people will be coming up to you on gigs wanting you to play some of his tunes.haha. Remember those "Hey ya'll know any Skinnerd" Get ready!

Jesse Pearson · From: San Diego , CA

I bet RR reads the SGF and has probably gone through the archives more than once because it's a great way to learn. How old is he, 24 or 25 years old? RR is gonna grow and evolve as the coming years creep up, that's what a true artist does whether he becomes famous or not and RR' on a roll with all the publicity surrounding him. I was put off with alot of his jam band stuff at first because in my head I was comparing RR to guy's like "Carl Denson's tiny universe" or "Buddy Emmons", that's like comparing a Son House delta blues song with Jimi's "Little Wing" as far as note choices and composition. When I picture RR as a front man standing up and working the crowd while playing basically non pedal single note lines for speed, I am alot less critical of where he is at at the moment when it comes to the songs alone.

Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

RC

I tried an Eric West T shirt but I thought it was a bit pretentious.

I'm waiting for my Shania T shirt.

If it works, I'll be staying home a lot.

We'll see what it does.....

EJL

Bill Simmons · From: Keller, Texas/Birmingham, AL, R.I.P.

Incredible player who is expanding the possibilities of our great instrument!

Although it's not my "favorite flavour" as I grew up trying to imitate Green, Brumley, Emmons, Rugg etc, it's about time someone took our incredible instrument and demonstated how versitile it really is. I think it will be great to hear new, fresh and younger players become the musical guru's of the steel guitar to include all forms and styles of music.

As a country electric guitarist also, it would be a shame to limit the 6 string to one or two major forms of music and not include jazz, classical, flamingo, blues etc. In my opinion only, there is a big need to attract younger players and audience as the majority of players and attendees at the local steel clubs are generally older folks.

Looking forward to hearing more young creative steel players in the near future.

Steinar Gregertsen · From: Arendal, Norway, R.I.P.

Bill,- I couldn't have said it better!

The PSG is a musical INSTRUMENT not a musical STYLE isn't it?
I can thank David Lindley's overdriven lap steel work with Jackson Browne in the seventies for my interest in the Lap Steel guitar. Over the years I also discovered and learned to appreciate the traditions of the instrument as well.
Why shouldn't that be the case with RR's 'promotion' of the PSG to new audiences? I simply cannot understand how he can be seen as any kind of threat to the tradition of PSG at all, to me this looks like a win-win situation for everybody.

[This message was edited by Steinar Gregertsen on 31 August 2003 at 10:42 AM.]

ed packard · From: Show Low AZ

Good for RR, ..not my kind of sound but I can appreciate the technique and approach. Just to add to the pot, Here is a bit of trivia to show that all that can, don't. It was at the Anaheim NAMM show in the late 90's; I was at the Sierra booth. It was just behind and across the Isle from the Peavey folk. All day long they had the sound up at an Xtreme volume with Santana, Hendrix, etc wannabe's wailing away,.. driving the other display people to distraction. When the lights dimmed at the end of the day to signal that the floor should be evacuated, BILL STAFFORD who was demo'ing for Sierra said lets have some fun, ..he cranked on the distortion and power and let loose with some unbelievable wild rock starting at the bottom of his 14 strings and screaming up into the upper atmosphere of the 20th or so frets on the thin strings, ..the chaps from the Peavey place (and others) came out to see where & who the wild man was that was blowing so great. One might expect that type of sound from Lindley, or Joe Wright, ..but Bill Stafford, ..winner of the Jerry Byrd award???

I suspect that there are a bunch of others that can but don't.

Al Marcus · From: Cedar Springs,MI USA (deceased)

Ed, you said it. Aint it the truth....al

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My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus/

Ron Whitfield · From: Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA

Geez, plenty of input and not one suggestion of where I can find the examples of Robert's work that will finally do it for me, which was my entire point in posting. At this juncture, I haven't enuf interest in the guy to search the forum, but I certainly do appreciate what he does musically, and for the instrument. But I haven't yet had my big toe shoot up in my boot, and couldn't care less about his showmanship, or the fact that he's black. Jimi(the anti hippie) helped me get past that a long time ago. NOTE TO ROBERT RANDOLPH; if indeed you do read this, please do a gig on Oahu! NOTE TO CHARLES FRENCH; turn me/us on to your friend! What's his name, and where can he be heard? NOTE TO JESSE PEARSON; please elaborate on Carl Denson's Tiny Universe(yes, I'll do a search), to be mentioned with BE is intriguing. And I'm surprised not to hear any comeback about Glenn Campbell, he's still alive, still playing, and can still smoke the rats outta the barn. NOTE TO GLENN; please give us a gig in the islands! Meanwhile, since I don't have anything by Bill Stafford, I'm gonna put on some more outta tune Hendrix and watch the sun rise from the bottom of the sea.

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