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The Robins

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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

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  • Bobby Nunn (lead/bass)
  • Terrell "Ty" Leonard (tenor)
  • William Gene "Billy" Richard (tenor)
  • Roy Richard (baritone/bass)[2]
  • Grady Chapman (lead/tenor)

Deaths

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Roy Richard died on May 1, 1983.

Bobby Nunn died from a heart attack on November 5, 1986.[5][6]

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

Grady Chapman died of congestive heart failure on January 4, 2011.

Carl Gardner died on June 12, 2011, after many years leading The Coasters.

Singles

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

References

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  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. ^ a b c Colin Larkin, ed. (2002). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Fifties Music (Third ed.). Virgin Books. p. 364. ISBN 1-85227-937-0.
  3. ^ a b Leiber & Stoller interviewed on the Pop Chronicles (1969)
  4. ^ Eder, Bruce. "The Robins Artist Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
  5. ^ a b "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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