Pedal-steel virtuoso ROBERT RANDOLPH fields a few questions.

Robert Randolph

I understand your father was a deacon in the House Of God Church in East Orange, New Jersey. What kind of effect did that church environment have on you?

Robert: I am a Christian and I grew up in the faith. As a child I always had a love for going to church. My parents taught me never to stray too far away.

But, when your parents divorced, you did get into drugs and crime didn't you?

Robert: I was dealing with a lot of things, hanging out on street corners with my buddies, using drugs. I grew up in church and I knew better, but like all kids, we did all kinds of crazy things.

The House Of God denomination has a long tradition of lap and pedal-steel players. How did that tradition affect you?

Robert: When I started playing, I had a different approach. I wanted to be the "crazy pedal-steel guitar player", less in the tradition. I think that opened me up to a whole new world. Step one was getting me to stay off the street. Then all of the teachings I had kept me going to church even more.

What kind of response do you get from an audience when you play?

Robert: When we play for people for the first time, and they don't really know what we're about, we'll get emails from people who say their lives have been changed. Kids will come to a show with a mindset to party, to drink, to hear some singing. Maybe they we were on drugs, on ecstasy, and after hearing us play they realised how great life is without those things.