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Dick Robertson

Dick Robertson (New York City, July 3, 1903 – 1979) was an American popular big band singer and songwriter of the 1930s and 1940s. He sang for many bandleaders such as Leo Reisman and Roger Wolfe Kahn and His Orchestra, and was on the artist roster at Banner Records. In fact, he was one of the most prolific New York based vocalists (along with Irving Kaufman, Chick Bullock, Scrappy Lambert, Elmer Feldkamp, Paul Small and Smith Ballew) on scores of records from late 1928 through the mid 1930s. A series of records issued on Melotone/Perfect/Banner/Oriole/Romeo, Crown, Bluebird from 1930-1934 were issued under his name or are listed in the 2010 edition of "American Dance Bands on Record and Film (1915-1942)" by Richard J. Johnson and Bernard H. Shirley as being under his nominal leadership. His last recording session as a singer was in 1949. He also used the pseudonym Bob Richardson for some recordings on Mayfair Records.

As a songwriter his biggest hit was "We Three (My Echo, My Shadow and Me)" in 1940. The Sinatra version of the song was re-released on The Song Is You (album) and again on Frank Sinatra & the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. Jukebox Ella: The Complete Verve Singles, Vol. 1

Birth and Death Data: Born July 3, 1903 (New York City), Died 1979

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1927 - 1951

Roles Represented in DAHR: tenor vocal, leader, songwriter, vocalist, speaker, lyricist, arranger, composer

Notes: Sometimes billed as "The Radio Jester."

See Also: Donaldson Quartet

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

Recordings (Results 376-400 of 897 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia W351162 10-in. 3/21/1932 What a life (Trying to live without you) Paul Specht Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia W351163 10-in. 3/21/1932 Sing a new song Paul Specht Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
Columbia W351165 10-in. 3/21/1932 Keepin' out of mischief now Paul Specht Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh W400820 10-in. 6/25/1928 Too busy! Lanin’s Famous Players Jazz/dance band, with male vocal duet vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh W401050 10-in. 8/2/1928 Nagasaki Dick Robertson ; Ed Smalle Male vocal duet, with piano vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh W401051 10-in. 8/2/1928 Drizzle, drizzle, the party's a fizzle (Oh! What a night to love) Dick Robertson ; Ed Smalle Male vocal duet, with piano vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh W404881 10-in. 3/18/1931 When I take my sugar to tea Fred Rich Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh W404882 10-in. 3/18/1931 Rockin' chair Frank Auburn and his Orchestra [Fred Rich Orchestra] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh W404883 10-in. 3/18/1931 The waltz you saved for me Fred Rich Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh W404884 10-in. 3/18/1931 Dream a little dream of me Fred Rich Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh W404885 10-in. 3/18/1931 Do I really deserve it from you? Fred Rich Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
OKeh W404886 10-in. 3/18/1931 Say a little prayer for me Fred Rich Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
Brunswick E27269 10-in. 4/4/1928 Collegiana Dick Robertson ; Ed Smalle Male vocal duet, with violin and piano vocalist, tenor vocal  
Brunswick E27305 10-in. 4/9/1928 Hum and strum (Do, do, do, that's what I do) Dick Robertson ; Ed Smalle Male vocal duet, with violin and piano vocalist, tenor vocal  
Brunswick E27352 10-in. 4/16/1928 Just a little way away from home Joe Rines Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal duet; without vocal (take G) vocalist, tenor vocal  
Brunswick E27432 10-in. 4/26/1928 Blue bird why don’t you call on me? Casa Lopez Orchestra ; Vincent Lopez Jazz/dance band, with male vocal duet; without vocal (take G) vocalist, tenor vocal  
Brunswick E27440 10-in. 4/27/1928 You took advantage of me Casa Lopez Orchestra ; Vincent Lopez ; Dick Robertson Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) vocalist, tenor vocal  
Brunswick XE27536 12-in. 5/11/1928 Alexander’s ragtime band Casa Lopez Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal duet vocalist, tenor vocal  
Brunswick E27620 10-in. 5/31/1928 Because my baby don’t mean “maybe” now Ben Bernie ; Hotel Roosevelt Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal duet; without vocal (take G) vocalist, tenor vocal  
Brunswick E28261 10-in. 9/18/1928 Once in a lifetime Casa Lopez Orchestra ; Vincent Lopez Jazz/dance band, with male vocal duet; without vocal (take G) vocalist, tenor vocal  
Brunswick E28300 10-in. 9/20/1928 Oh! Is she mad at me? Dick Robertson Male vocal solo, with instrumental trio vocalist, tenor vocal  
Brunswick E28301 10-in. 9/20/1928 She’s wonderful Dick Robertson Male vocal solo, with instrumental trio vocalist, tenor vocal  
Brunswick E28476 10-in. 10/16/1928 Dusky stevedore Clevelanders ; Dick Robertson Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) vocalist, tenor vocal  
Brunswick E28477 10-in. 10/16/1928 Guess who’s in town (Nobody but that gal of mine) Clevelanders ; Dick Robertson Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) vocalist, tenor vocal  
Brunswick E28895 10-in. 12/17/1928 The sun is at my window (Throwing kisses at me) Jack Denny Orchestra ; Dick Robertson Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) vocalist, tenor vocal  
(Results 376-400 of 897 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Robertson, Dick," accessed November 1, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/107135.

Robertson, Dick. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 1, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/107135.

"Robertson, Dick." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 1 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/107135

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