The Robins
Also known asThe Robins
A-Sharp Trio
The Four Bluebirds
OriginSan Francisco, California, U.S.
GenresDoo-wop[1]
Years active1945–1960
LabelsSpark, Whippet, RCA
Past membersBobby Nunn
Terrell "Ty" Leonard
Billy Richard
Roy Richard
Grady Chapman
Carl Gardner
H. B. Barnum
Bobby Sheen
"Little" Billy Richards, Jr.

The Robins were a successful and influential American R&B group of the late 1940s and 1950s, one of the earliest such vocal groups who established the basic pattern for the doo-wop sound.[2] They were founded by Ty Terrell, and twin brothers Billy Richards and Roy Richards. Bobby Nunn soon joined the lineup. They began their career as the Bluebirds but switched to recording as the Robins in May 1949.[2] In 1955, the group disagreed over whether to remain on the West Coast or sign with Atlantic Records and move to the East Coast. This led to a split within the group. Music producers and songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller took former Robins members Nunn and Carl Gardner, recruited singers Leon Hughes and Billy Guy, and formed the Coasters.[3] The founding Richards brothers and Tyrell continued to record as the Robins until 1961.[4]

Original members

  • Bobby Nunn(Lead/Bass)
  • Terrell "Ty" Leonard(Tenor)
  • William Gene "Billy" Richard(Tenor)
  • Roy Richard(Baritone/Bass)[2]

Deaths

Roy Richard died on May 1, 1983

Bobby Nunn died of Heart Attack on November 5, 1986[5][6]

Billy Richard died from a fall while exercising on December 10, 2007[5][7]

Singles

A Side B Side Released Catalog No. Notes
"My Baby Done Told Me""Courtroom Blues"1948Excelsior 540By Johnny Otis. Recorded as the Four Bluebirds
"Around About Midnight""You Sure Look Good to Me"1949Score 4010Recorded as the Robins
"Don't Like the Way You're Doing""Come Back Baby"1949Aladdin 3031Recorded as the Robins
"If I Didn't Love You So""If It's So Baby"1949/12Savoy 726
"Double Crossin' Blues""Ain't Nothin' Shakin'"1950/01Savoy 731By Leon Sims, with Little Esther on backup vocals
"Double Crossin' Blues""Back Alley Blues"1950Savoy 731By Beale Street Boys), with Little Esther on backup vocals
"Turkey Hop Part One""Turkey Hop Part Two"1950/02Savoy 732
"Our Romance Is Gone""There Ain't No Use Beggin'"1950/04Savoy 738
"I'm Living O.K.""There's Rain in My Eyes"1950/06Savoy 752
"I'm Through""You're Fine But Not My Kind"1950/08Savoy 762
"Cry Baby""I'm Not Falling in Love with You"1950Regent 1016By Johnny Otis, Mel Walker & the Bluenotes
"Race of Man""Bayou Baby Blues"1950With Maggie Hathaway, recorded in Hollywood #112
"A Falling Star""When Gabriel Blows His Horn"1950Catalog No.As Maggie Hathaway & the Robins, recorded in Hollywood 121
"I Found Me a Sugar Daddy""Gonna Have a Merry Christmas"1950/12RPM 313As the Nic Nacs, with Mickey Champion
"Rockin'""That's What the Good Book Says"1951/03Modern 20-807As the Robins
"I Found Me a Sugar Daddy""You Didn't Want My Love"1951RPM 316As the Nic Nacs
"Schoolgirl Blues""Early Morning Blues"1951With Maggie Hathaway, recorded in Hollywood #150
"I Found Me a Sugar Daddy""Gonna Have a Merry Christmas"1951RPM 342As the Nic Nacs
"Saturday Night Daddy""Mainliner"1952/07Federal 12100With Little Esther on backup vocals
"A Fool Such As I""My Heart's the Biggest Fool"1952RCA Victor 5175
"Oh Why""All Night Baby"1952RCA Victor 5271
"How Would You Know?""Let's Go to the Dance"1953RCA Victor 5434
"My Baby Done Told Me""I'll Do It"1953RCA Victor 5486
"Ten Days in Jail""Empty Bottles"1953RCA Victor 5489
"Get It Off Your Mind""Don't Stop Now"1953/11RCA Victor 5564
"I Made a Vow""Double Crossin' Baby"1953/12Crown 106
"Sacroiliac Swing""The World is Changing"1954Crown 108As the Drifters
"Key to My Heart""All I Do Is Rock"1954/02Crown 120As the Robins
"Riot in Cell Block #9""Wrap It Up"1954/05Spark 103
"Loop De Loop Mambo""Framed"1954Spark 107
"If Teardrops Were Kisses""Whadaya Want?"1954Spark 110
"One Kiss""I Love Paris"1955Spark 113
"I Must Be Dreamin'""The Hatchet Man"1955Spark 116
"Smokey Joe's Cafe"[3]"Just Like a Fool"1955/10Spark 122
"Smokey Joe's Cafe""Just Like a Fool"1955/12Atco 6059.
"Cherry Lips""Out of the Picture"1956/07Whippet 200
"Hurt Me""Merry Go Rock"1956Whippet 201
"Since I First Met You""That Old Black Magic"1957Whippet 203
"A Fool In Love""All of a Sudden My Heart Sings"1957Whippet 206
"Every Night""Where's the Fire?"1957Whippet 208
"In My Dreams""Keep Your Mind in Me"1958Whippet 211
"Snowball""You Wanted Fun"1958Whippet 212
"A Quarter to Twelve""Pretty Little Dolly"1958Knight 2001
"A Little Bird Told Me""It's Never Too Late"1959Knight 2008
"Just Like That""Whole Lot of Imagination"1959Arvee 5001
"Live Wire Susie""Oh No"1960Arvee 5013
"Ding Dong (Saw Wood Mountain)""Sweet Thing"1960Eldo 109As the Ding Dongs
"The White Cliffs of Dover""How Many More Times"1961Lavender 001
"White Cliffs of Dover""Image of a Girl"1961Gloria Gold 3101B-side by the Safaris
"Magic of a Dream""Mary Lou Loves to Hootchy Kootchy Koo"1961Lavender 002

References

  1. Huey, Steve. "The Coasters Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved November 20, 2022. The Coasters grew out of a successful Los Angeles doo wop group called the Robins
  2. 1 2 3 Colin Larkin, ed. (2002). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Fifties Music (Third ed.). Virgin Books. p. 364. ISBN 1-85227-937-0.
  3. 1 2 Leiber & Stoller interviewed on the Pop Chronicles (1969)
  4. Eder, Bruce. "The Robins Artist Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
  5. 1 2 "Marv Goldberg's R&B Notebooks - THE ROBINS". www.uncamarvy.com. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  6. "Bobby Nunn, 61, Dies; Member of the Coasters (Published 1986)". November 10, 1986. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  7. "The Dead Rock Stars Club 2007 July To December". thedeadrockstarsclub.com. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
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