Redstone Room Opening Night with Robert Randolph, August 20

Thursday, August 20, 8 p.m.

Redstone Room at Common Chord, 129 Main Street, Davenport IA

With its special August 20 event celebrating the opening of Common Chord's new Redstone Room facility, the Davenport venue's staffers are proud to host the area return of River Roots Live favorite Robert Randolph, his electrifying blend of gospel and blues signaling the return of a space that has helped shape the Quad Cities music scene for decades.

For years, Randolph has been renowned as a pedal-steel guitar virtuoso whose music blurs the lines between gospel, rock, blues, and soul. Raised in the House of God Church in New Jersey, he first made his mark channeling the ecstatic energy of worship through his instrument—known in his tradition as “Sacred Steel.” Early in his career, the musician was selected by avant-garde jazz organist John Medeski to join him and the North Mississippi Allstars on the group's 2001 jam project The Word. Just prior to the release of The Word's debut album, however, Randolph had been brought to the attention of music fans through a rave review of his guitar skills in the New York Times.

Now, with his new album Preacher Kids on Sun Records, Randolph steps into a bold new chapter. Produced by Shooter Jennings, the album features fellow musicians who, like Randolph, are preachers’ kids bridging the church and the secular stage. Recorded in Los Angeles and Nashville, the project began as jam sessions that evolved into fully formed songs, retaining the spirit and spontaneity of their origins.

Randolph is known for his Grammy Award-nominated work with The Family Band, whose 2017 album Got Soul was praised by The Pop Break's reviewer Andie Howie as “so powerful and joyous that you start dancing in your living room by yourself to the bewilderment of your dogs.” The artist has also enjoyed collaborations with legends including Eric Clapton, Santana, Norah Jones, and Beyoncé (on the Grammy-winning Cowboy Carter). Through the years, Randolph has earned 13 Emmy Awards for his work in sports broadcasting and created the theme for Amazon Prime’s Thursday Night Football. With Preacher Kids, he returns to his roots while pushing the boundaries of where gospel-inspired music can go next.

Robert Randolph performs his Redstone Room opening-night concert on August 20, admission to the 8 p.m. concert event is $35-45, and more information and tickets are available by calling (563)223-8642 and visiting CommonChordQC.org.