Diamond Minds

This month I had the pleasure of sitting down with Robert Randolph for a close-up interview. Rolling Stone magazine calls Robert Randolph one of the top 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time! He is an inspiration to the likes of Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana and Derek Trucks, all of whom have played with him and studied his technique. Look for his new album release “Brighter Days” produced by Dave Cobb.

to play and scream up to the house, “Turn that off! Come outside and play. Get in trouble with us!” My friends would come over playing video games and I would just be happy providing the entertainment music while I was waiting for my next turn. They would say, “Oh man! You’re getting pretty good on that thing!”

BF: So you lived and breathed the music and instrument every day?

RR: Yes, every day I lived and breathed it and it helped keep me out of trouble when I was a teenager. Growing up in Irvington there was a lot of stuff going on. Playing basketball, playing the guitar, playing video games and going to church. Those activities kept me busy, kept my mind busy and kept me out of trouble.

BF: You’re in an industry where lots of people would like to breakthrough like you’ve done. Talk to me about what you’ve learned about adversity and dealing with pressure over the years and how you look at it today? Barry Farber so they’re always saying, “Where are you? I need you to come to church this weekend.” Or my Aunt’s will say, “Hey, I need you to come change my battery in the car, take out the trash, take me to Home Depot.” All of those things keep you together, rooted and grounded. So for me I can never really go too far away from family. In this day and age the family has sort of been forgotten about. I keep my family close.

BF: Who do you look up to as role models?

RR: My two role models are Bruce Springsteen and BB King. BB King has done everything a man can possibly do. He continued to tour until the day he died. Bruce Springsteen is a New Jersey guy, he’s a regular guy and down to earth. He’s comfortable in his own shoes and rooted and grounded.

BF: What’s your definition of success?

Barry Farber: Tell me about your passion for the music and how it all got started.

Robert Randolph: In the very beginning I was learning how to play the lap steel, pedal steel guitar. I was just trying to be as good as the guys I was watching play in church. My church has a long history of all the guys playing lap steel, pedal steel guitar. All my friends would hear me trying RR: What’s funny now is realizing I’ve been in the mix of everything you could imagine… Sex, drugs, rock ‘n’ roll! All of the sketchy characters and parties in the Hollywood hills and the penthouses in Manhattan. Late nights. I’ve seen so much sketchy stuff. A very different world… It’s called the world that doesn’t sleep. My secret is I always have my family and they call me all day long. I have a big family that’s spread all across the US RR: My definition of success is to really make people happy, make music and obviously get paid while you’re doing it. Ultimately one day ending up in the rock ‘n’ roll Hall of Fame. For a kid like me playing this instrument where people say you can’t be a main stream artist just playing that instrument, it would be a great accomplishment.

Barry Farber is a radio and television host with expertise in sales and marketing topics, as well as a marketing consultant for corporations, professional athletes, and entertainers. He is the creator and marketer of the FoldzFlat® Pens that can be seen at www.makemypen.com. Learn more about this author at www.BarryFarber.com and follow on Instagram @barryfarberofficial.

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