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| Robert Randolph's nine-week tour Pedal steel guitarist Robert Randolph with his Family Band, will hit the road this summer as special guests of The Black Crowes. The nine-week tour, which launches June 10th in Seattle, will criss-cross the U.S. into mid-August and play to more than 400, 000 fans over thirty-eight dates. Following the tour with The Black Crowes, The Family Band will also join Dave Matthews Band on the road for several shows, including stops in California, Utah, Colorado, and the two final sold-out shows of the tour at the new John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, Virginia. In addition, Randolph and the band will perform at this year's Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival on June 16th in Manchester, Tennessee, along with Radiohead, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Elvis Costello & The Imposters, and Bonnie Raitt. The Family Band has appeared at Bonnaroo every year since the festival's inception in 2002, except for last year when Randolph performed with Luther Dickinson, Chris Crew, and Cody Dickinson of North Mississippi All-Stars and John Medeski of Medeski, Martin & Wood as part of The Word. Critics have waxed lyrical about The Family Band's jubilant, roof-raising live shows, praising Randolph's "raucous showmanship" in Daily Variety, and calling him "an energetic and inspiring presence...a time-stopping, trouble-erasing wizard who engages his listeners to march, press on, stomp their feet, clap their hands, and scream, " in Rolling Stone. The summer tour dates lead up to the fall release of Randolph's as-yet-untitled new album, the follow-up to "Unclassified, " his Grammy-nominated 2003 debut on Dare/WBR. The new album is said to be a potent mix of rock, funk, country, blues, and gospel, showcasing The Family Band's dazzling musicianship, as well as Randolph's powerful vocal chops. It is being produced by studio vets Mark Batson (Dave Matthews Band, Dr. Dre, 50 Cent, Gwen Stefani) and Drew & Shannon (The Temptations, India.Arie, Johnny Lang, Marc Broussard), as well as top gospel producer/songwriter Tommy Sims (Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton). write your comments about the article :: © 2006 Jazz News :: home page |