Robbie Robertson
Jaime Royal "Robbie" Robertson[1] OC (July 5, 1943 – August 9, 2023) was a Canadian musician.[2] He was lead guitarist for Bob Dylan in the mid-late 1960s and early-mid 1970s, guitarist and songwriter with the Band from their inception until 1978, and a solo artist.
For other people named Robbie Robertson, see Robbie Robertson (disambiguation).
Robbie Robertson
August 9, 2023 (aged 80)
- Musician
- songwriter
- singer
1957–2023
-
Dominique Bourgeois(m. 1968; div. 2000)
-
Janet Zuccarini(m. 2023)
3, including Sebastian
- Guitar
- vocals
- keyboards
Robertson's work with the Band was instrumental in creating the Americana music genre. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Canadian Music Hall of Fame as a member of the Band, and into Canada's Walk of Fame, with the Band and on his own. He is ranked 59th in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 100 greatest guitarists.[3] He wrote "The Weight", "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down", and "Up on Cripple Creek" with the Band and had solo hits with "Broken Arrow" and "Somewhere Down the Crazy River", and many others. He was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Songwriters.[4]
Robertson collaborated on film and TV soundtracks, usually with director Martin Scorsese, beginning in the rockumentary film The Last Waltz (1978) and continuing through dramatic films including Raging Bull (1980), The King of Comedy (1983), Casino (1995), Gangs of New York (2002), The Wolf of Wall Street (2013), Silence (2016), The Irishman (2019), and Killers of the Flower Moon (2023), scoring the latter shortly before his death.[5] The film was dedicated to his memory,[6] and garnered him a posthumous nomination for Best Original Score at the Academy Awards.[7]
Early life[edit]
Jaime Royal Robertson[8] was born an only child on July 5, 1943. His mother was born Rosemarie Dolly Chrysler on February 6, 1922.[9] She was Cayuga and Mohawk,[10] raised on the Six Nations of the Grand River reserve southwest of Toronto, near Hamilton. She lived with an aunt in the Cabbagetown neighbourhood and worked at the Coro jewellery plating factory. She met James Patrick Robertson there and they married in 1942.[11]
The couple continued working at the factory and the three lived in several Toronto neighbourhoods while Robbie was a child.[12]: 55 [13]: 65 He often travelled with his mother to the reserve to visit family. Here he was taught guitar, particularly by his older cousin Herb Myke. He became a fan of rock and roll and rhythm and blues through the radio, listening to disc jockey George "Hound Dog" Lorenz play rock on WKBW from Buffalo, New York, and staying up to listen to John R.'s all-night blues show on WLAC, a clear-channel station in Nashville, Tennessee.[14]: 56 [15]: 65–66
In his teens, Robertson's parents separated. His mother told him his biological father was not James, but Alexander David Klegerman, an American Jewish man she met at work.[16] He became a professional gambler and died in a hit-and-run accident on the Queen Elizabeth Way. She had been with him while James was stationed in Newfoundland with the Canadian Army before they married. She arranged for her son to meet his paternal uncles Morris (Morrie) and Nathan (Natie) Klegerman.[17][18][19]
Film career (1980–2023)[edit]
Carny[edit]
After the release of The Last Waltz, MGM/UA, who released the film, viewed Robertson as a potential film actor, and provided Robertson with an office on the MGM lot.[48][115] During this time, Martin Scorsese's agent, Harry Ulfand, contacted Robertson about the idea of producing a dramatic film about traveling carnivals, which Robertson was drawn to because of his childhood experiences working in carnivals. The screenplay for the film Carny was directed by documentary filmmaker Robert Kaylor.[116]
Although Robertson was initially only intended to be the producer of Carny, he ended up becoming the third lead actor in the film, playing the role of Patch, the patch man. Gary Busey played "Frankie", the carnival bozo and Patch's best friend. Jodie Foster was selected to play the role of Donna, a small town girl who runs away to join the carnival and threatens to come between the two friends. The film cast real life carnies alongside professional film actors, which created a difficult atmosphere on set.[20][117] Carny opened to theaters on June 13, 1980.[118] Also in 1980, Warner Bros released a soundtrack album for Carny, which is co-credited to Robertson and composer Alex North, who wrote the orchestral score for the film. The soundtrack was re-released on compact disc by Real Gone Music in 2015.[20]
Solo career[edit]
Geffen Records period (1987–1991)[edit]
Robbie Robertson (1987)
Robertson began work on his first solo album, Robbie Robertson, in July 1986 after signing to Geffen Records. Robertson chose fellow Canadian Daniel Lanois to produce the album. Much of the album was recorded at The Village Recorder in West Los Angeles, California. He recorded at Bearsville Studios near Woodstock, New York, and also in Dublin, Ireland, with U2, and in Bath, England, with Peter Gabriel. He employed a number of guest artists on the album, including U2, Gabriel, the Bodeans, and Maria McKee.[123][125] Garth Hudson and Rick Danko also made appearances on the album. Robertson wrote one track, "Fallen Angel", in honor of Richard Manuel,[125] after his death in March 1986.[21]: 384 Released on October 26, 1987,[131] Robbie Robertson peaked at #35 on the Billboard 200, remaining on the top 40 for three weeks.[60]: 260 The album charted even higher in the UK, peaking at #23 on the UK Albums Chart and remaining on the chart for 14 weeks.[132] Robbie Robertson received overwhelming critical acclaim at the time of its release,[133] being listed in the Top-Ten Albums of the Year by several critics in Billboard magazine's 1987 "The Critics' Choice" end of the year feature.[134] The album was #77 in Rolling Stone's 1989 list, "100 Best Albums of the Eighties".[135]
Robertson had his single largest hit in the UK with "Somewhere Down the Crazy River", which features his spoken word verses contrasted with singing in the choruses.[125] The song reached #15 in the UK Hit Singles chart, and remained in the chart for 11 weeks.[132] The video for "Somewhere Down The Crazy River" was directed by Martin Scorsese, and features Maria McKee in an acting role.[136] In the U.S., Robbie Robertson produced several hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock charts, with "Showdown At Big Sky" coming in the highest (#2) and "Sweet Fire Of Love" the second highest (#7).[137] The album was nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best Rock / Vocal Album",[138] and was certified gold in the United States in 1991.[133] In Canada, Robertson won Album Of The Year, Best Male Vocalist Of The Year, and Producer Of The Year at the Juno Award ceremony in 1989.[139] In 1991, Rod Stewart recorded a version of "Broken Arrow" for his album Vagabond Heart.[140] Stewart's version of the song reached #20 on the Billboard 100 chart in the United States[141] and #2 on the Billboard Top Canadian Hit Singles chart in Canada.[142] "Broken Arrow" was also performed live by the Grateful Dead with Phil Lesh on vocals.[143]
Storyville (1991)
Storyville was released on September 30, 1991.[144] Robertson headed to New Orleans to collaborate with some of the city's natives like Aaron and Ivan Neville and the Rebirth Brass Band. Once again, Robertson brought in Band alumni Garth Hudson and Rick Danko as contributors.[145] The album reached #69 on the Billboard 200 chart.[146] Storyville received numerous positive reviews, with Rolling Stone giving it 4 1/2 stars out of 5,[147] and the Los Angeles Times awarding it 3 stars out of 4.[148] Two tracks from the album, "What About Now" and "Go Back To Your Woods", charted on the Billboard Mainstream Rock charts at #15 and #32 respectively.[137] The album was nominated for Grammy Awards in the categories "Best Rock Vocal Performance (solo)" and "Best Engineer".[138]
Production and session work (1984–1992)[edit]
Robertson co-produced the track "The Best of Everything", which was originally intended for the film The King of Comedy but instead was included on the Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers album Southern Accents.[149] Robertson also worked on the horn arrangements for the track, and brought in Band alumni Richard Manuel and Garth Hudson as guests.[150][151]
In 1986, Robertson appeared as a guest on the album Reconciled by the Call, playing guitar on the track "The Morning".[152]
Also in 1986, Robertson was brought on as creative consultant for Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll (1987), a feature film saluting Chuck Berry.[153] Robertson appears on camera, interviewing Chuck Berry, and then playing guitar while Berry recites poetry.[154]
In 1988, Robertson collaborated as a songwriter with Lone Justice lead singer Maria McKee. One of the songs they co-wrote, "Nobody's Child", was released on McKee's self-titled debut album in 1989.[155][156]
In 1989, Robertson recorded and produced a new version of the Band's "Christmas Must Be Tonight" for the Scrooged soundtrack. In 1990, Robertson appeared as a guest on the Ryuichi Sakamoto album Beauty, playing guitar on the song "Romance". He also contributed to the world music video and album production One World One Voice.
In 1992, Robertson produced the song "Love in Time" for Roy Orbison's posthumous album King of Hearts. "Love In Time" was a basic demo Orbison had recorded that was believed to be lost, but had just recently been rediscovered. Robertson set about augmenting Orbison's basic vocal track with new arrangements and instrumentation, with the intent of making it sound like the arrangements were there from the beginning instead of later additions.[157]
Later solo albums (1994–2019)[edit]
Music for the Native Americans (1994)
In 1994, Robertson returned to his roots, forming a First Nations group called the Red Road Ensemble for Music for the Native Americans, a collection of songs that accompanied a television documentary series produced by TBS. Like his songs, "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" and "Acadian Driftwood", he touched on history that connects to his life and family. The Battle of Wounded Knee and the near-extinction of the bison are outlined in the song "Ghost Dance".[158] He won a Juno Award for Producer of the Year.[139] The international success of "Mahk Jchi (Heartbeat Drum Song)" inspired a concert in Agrigento, Italy. He headlined the festival of Indigenous musicians and portions appeared in a PBS documentary.
Contact from the Underworld of Redboy (1998)
On Contact from the Underworld of Redboy, Robertson departed from his typical production style and delved deep into a mix of rock, native, and electronic music. He employed the services of Howie B, DJ Premier, and producer Marius de Vries (Björk, Massive Attack). Through the songs on the album, he took a close look at native traditions like Peyote healing. The album's opening track, "The Sound Is Fading", samples a recording of a young Native American singer from the 1940s that Robertson got from the Library Of Congress, and the song "Sacrifice" includes parts of an interview from prison with Leonard Peltier set to a soundscape produced by Robertson and de Vries. The racial epithet in the album's title comes from an experience Robertson had where some bullies referred to him as "Red Boy" while he was playing with his cousins. Rolling Stone gave the album 4 out of 5 stars,[159] and Robertson received a Juno Award for Best Music of Aboriginal Canada Recording.[139]
How to Become Clairvoyant (2011)
Released on April 5, 2011, How to Become Clairvoyant was Robertson's fifth solo release. It arose from impromptu demo sessions in Los Angeles with Eric Clapton[160] and features him, Steve Winwood, Trent Reznor, Tom Morello, Robert Randolph, Rocco Deluca, Angela McCluskey, and Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes. Robertson performed "He Don't Live Here No More" on Late Show with David Letterman and Later... with Jools Holland, then "Straight Down The Line" with Robert Randolph and the Roots on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.[161] How to Become Clairvoyant was also released as a deluxe edition containing five bonus tracks (four demos and the exclusive track "Houdini", named after the magician Harry Houdini). It debuted at No. 13 on the Billboard 200, marking the highest debut and highest chart position for his solo work. He teamed with painter and photographer Richard Prince to produce a limited collector's edition. The 2,500 LP-sized boxes came with an art book, a numbered set of five lithographs (including pieces by Prince and photographer Anton Corbijn), a set of original tarot cards, the original tracks, and ten bonuses.[162]
Sinematic (2019)
Released on September 20, 2019, Sinematic was Robertson's sixth solo album. It features Van Morrison joining Robertson as dueling hitmen on the track "I Hear You Paint Houses", as well as other allusions to the world of Scorsese's films. Citizen Cope, Derek Trucks, and Frédéric Yonnet make guest appearances on the album.[163]
Bibliography[edit]
Robertson co-authored Legends, Icons and Rebels: Music That Changed the World with his son, Sebastian Robertson, and colleagues Jim Guerinot and Jared Levine.[book 1] He also wrote Hiawatha and the Peacemaker, illustrated by David Shannon.[book 2] His autobiography, Testimony, written over the course of five years, was published by Crown Archetype in November 2016.[book 3]