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Willard Robison

Willard Robison (September 18, 1894 – June 24, 1968) was an American vocalist, pianist, and composer of popular songs, born in Shelbina, Missouri. His songs reflect a rural, melancholy theme steeped in Americana and their warm style has drawn comparison to Hoagy Carmichael. Many of his compositions, notably "A Cottage for Sale", "Round My Old Deserted Farm", "Don't Smoke in Bed", "'Taint So, Honey, 'Taint So" and "Old Folks", have become standards and have been recorded countless times by jazz and pop artists including Peggy Lee, Nina Simone, Nat King Cole, Billy Eckstine, Bing Crosby and Mildred Bailey. "A Cottage for Sale" alone has been recorded over 100 times.

Birth and Death Data: Born September 18, 1894 (Shelbina), Died June 24, 1968 (Peekskill)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1925 - 1951

Roles Represented in DAHR: composer, baritone vocal, lyricist, piano, songwriter, leader, vocalist

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 119 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BVE-32756 10-in. 7/7/1925 Footloose Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BVE-32757 10-in. 7/7/1925 What a world this would be Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BVE-32758 10-in. 7/7/1925 Got no time Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BVE-32762 10-in. 7/9/1925 Deep elm (You tell 'em I'm blue) Busse's Buzzards Jazz/dance band instrumentalist, piano, composer  
Victor BVE-33331 10-in. 8/20/1925 The rhythm rag Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
Victor BVE-33386 10-in. 9/16/1925 Peaceful valley Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
Victor BVE-36303 10-in. 9/10/1926 Lonely acres Dok Eisenbourg ; Sinfonians Jazz/dance band composer  
Victor BVE-41133 10-in. 12/1/1927 We'll have a new home (In the mornin') Nathaniel Shilkret ; Victor Orchestra Orchestra, with male vocal chorus composer  
Victor BVE-41515 10-in. 1/4/1928 Jubilee Lennie Hayton Piano solo composer  
Victor BVE-41568 10-in. 1/23/1928 The devil is afraid of music Willard Robison Male vocal solo, with piano (self-accompaniment) composer, instrumentalist, piano, vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-41569 10-in. 1/23/1928 Deep river blues Willard Robison Male vocal solo, with piano (self-accompaniment) and orchestra (takes 5-7) instrumentalist, piano, vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-43513 10-in. 3/29/1928 The devil is afraid of music Willard Robison ; Nathaniel Shilkret ; Victor Orchestra Orchestra, with male vocal solo lyricist, composer, instrumentalist, piano, vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-43514 10-in. 3/29/1928 Truthful Parson Brown Willard Robison ; Nathaniel Shilkret ; Victor Orchestra Orchestra, with male vocal solo instrumentalist, piano, lyricist, composer, vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-45580 10-in. 6/12/1928 'Tain't so, honey, 'tain't so Willard Robison Male vocal solo, with piano (self-accompaniment) and orchestra composer, instrumentalist, piano, vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor CVE-47536 12-in. 9/19/1928 Yellow Dog blues Nathaniel Shilkret ; Victor Orchestra Orchestra, with male vocal solo vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-47732 10-in. 10/11/1928 Lazy levee loungers Nathaniel Shilkret ; Victor Orchestra Orchestra, with male vocal chorus vocalist, baritone vocal, composer  
Victor BVE-48087 10-in. 11/23/1928 O'er waiting harpstrings of the mind Willard Robison Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-48088 10-in. 11/23/1928 Shepherd, show me how to go Willard Robison Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-48137 10-in. 11/8/1928 Wipin' the pan High Hatters Jazz/dance band, with male vocal quartet composer  
Victor BVE-49663 10-in. 1/18/1929 Doin' the raccoon Willard Robison Male vocal solo, with piano (self-accompaniment) instrumentalist, piano, vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-49687 10-in. 1/28/1929 If I had you Willard Robison Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, piano, vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-50577 10-in. 4/2/1929 Ploddin' along Horace Heidt Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Victor BVE-50926 10-in. 3/11/1929 Song from a cotton field Willard Robison Male vocal solo, with orchestra instrumentalist, piano, vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-50927 10-in. 3/11/1929 Wake up chill'un, wake up Willard Robison Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer, instrumentalist, piano, vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-50982 10-in. 3/28/1929 I'm crazy over you Willard Robison ; Nathaniel Shilkret ; Victor Orchestra Orchestra, with male vocal solo vocalist, baritone vocal  
(Results 1-25 of 119 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Robison, Willard," accessed November 2, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/106316.

Robison, Willard. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 2, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/106316.

"Robison, Willard." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 2 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/106316

External Sources

Wikipedia: Willard Robison

Discogs: Willard Robison

Allmusic: Willard Robison

IMDb: Willard Robison

Linked Open Data Sources

LCNAR: Robison, Willard, 1894-1968 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n91037194

Wikidata: Willard Robison - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q2576625

VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/13945872

MusicBrainz: Willard Robison - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/3c86df3f-6398-46a5-a013-a53ce51ee4ad

FAST: http://id.worldcat.org/fast/284514

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