Charlie RobersonCharlie Roberson

Charlie Roberson was born in the tiny town of Chidester, AR but moved to Dallas in 1969. He worked the clubs there for a number of years but didn’t actually record any music until 1984. Roberson had a couple of 45s issued on A & E, owned by Aaron Smith, and both of them had first class tracks on them. The first was a melodic blues ballad called ListenFreedom written and arranged by the great Geater Davis, and Roberson’s restrained vocal was just perfect.

The second single bore the mark of Al “TNT” Braggs, who was involved with several soul blues artists around this time, including the excellent R L Griffin, Little Joe Blue. ListenLet Me Do Something For You was another beautifully wrought bluesy ballad, on which Roberson really cut loose, screaming and hollering for all his worth, especially towards the run out groove. Super full band behind him too. These throwback styled recordings held the promise of an album called “Freedom” on the labels but sadly this never came out.

Instead Roberson moved to the West Coast and hooked up with long time bluesman, producer and label owner Jerry White. He too put out a couple of 45s on Charlie, the first a straight reissue of “Something” which had proved to be a good seller already. The second featured new recordings, but sadly the cheap, tinny sounding synths meant that even a fine song like “How Can I Receive A Broken Heart” was almost unlistenable. White put out what up till now has been Roberson’s only album, and sadly all the material, bar the two Braggs numbers, was again ruined by the dreadful production. Frankly Charlie deserved much more sensitive treatment.

UPDATE ~ My friend David Cole has kindly written to remind me of the CD that Charlie recorded in 2002 under the name "Charlie Robinson" - this is now in the discography. Sadly there is nothing in this synth-ridden set that comes anywhere near the standard of his earlier music.


Discography

ListenFreedom / Ain’t no way to do ~ A & E 1001 (1984)
ListenLet me do something for you / Close to you ~ A & E 1002 (1984) / WE 110 (mid 80s)
How can I receive a broken heart / Love is a gamble ~ WE 111 (mid 80s)

LP

Let me do something for you ~ WE 105 (mid 80s)

CD

Love you down ~ ARTIZEN 1515 (2002) (as CHARLIE ROBINSON)

Note ~ The Augusta, GA born Chuck Roberson who has made some fine bluesy soul tracks himself is a completey different artist.

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