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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 - 1950

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

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

Recordings

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 composer, instrumentalist, piano  
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) vocalist, baritone vocal, instrumentalist, piano, composer  
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) vocalist, baritone vocal, instrumentalist, piano  
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 vocalist, baritone vocal, instrumentalist, piano, composer, lyricist  
Victor BVE-43514 10-in. 3/29/1928 Truthful Parson Brown Willard Robison ; Nathaniel Shilkret ; Victor Orchestra Orchestra, with male vocal solo vocalist, baritone vocal, composer, lyricist, instrumentalist, piano  
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 vocalist, baritone vocal, instrumentalist, piano, composer  
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 composer, vocalist, baritone vocal  
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) vocalist, baritone vocal, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BVE-49687 10-in. 1/28/1929 If I had you Willard Robison Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble vocalist, baritone vocal, instrumentalist, piano  
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 vocalist, baritone vocal, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BVE-50927 10-in. 3/11/1929 Wake up chill'un, wake up Willard Robison Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal, instrumentalist, piano, composer  
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  
Victor BVE-51680 10-in. 5/2/1929 Wake up! Chillun, wake up The Revelers Male vocal quartet, with piano composer  
Victor BVE-51926 10-in. 4/26/1929 Wake up, chillun, wake up Nathaniel Shilkret ; Victor Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Victor BVE-51927 10-in. 4/26/1929 The lonesome road Willard Robison ; Nathaniel Shilkret ; Victor Orchestra Orchestra, with male vocal solo vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-53423 10-in. 5/21/1929 Ploddin' along The Revelers Male vocal quartet, with piano composer  
Victor BVE-57177 10-in. 11/27/1929 There's religion in rhythm Willard Robison Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal, instrumentalist, piano, composer  
Victor BVE-57178 10-in. 11/27/1929 Don't ever be 'fraid to wade those troubled waters Willard Robison Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal, instrumentalist, piano, composer  
Victor BVE-58536 10-in. 1/30/1930 A cottage for sale The Revelers Male vocal quartet, with piano composer  
Victor BVE-59623 10-in. 3/10/1930 A cottage for sale Bernie Cummins ; Walter Cummins ; New Yorker Hotel Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Victor BS-77206 10-in. 12/5/1933 Tain't so Ted Weems Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio and vocal ensemble composer, lyricist  
Victor BS-95027 10-in. 9/13/1935 Barrel-house music Ramona and Her Gang Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo composer, lyricist  
Victor BS-027108 10-in. 9/14/1938 Old folks Arthur Godfrey ; Johnny Salb Male vocal solo, with electric organ composer  
Victor BS-038049 10-in. 8/24/1939 Crying in my dreams (For you) Bob Allen ; Hal Kemp Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Victor PBS-049688 10-in. 5/13/1940 Now we know Artie Shaw Orchestra ; Martha Tilton Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo composer  
Victor BS-051533 10-in. 6/19/1940 Peaceful Valley Charlie Barnet Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
Victor E0VB-3387 10-in. 3/6/1950 An empty promise Dolph Hewitt Male vocal solo, with string band composer  
Victor D5VB-0599 10-in. 9/11/1945 Never too late to pray Stuart Foster ; Sentimentalists ; Tommy Dorsey Orchestra Male vocal solo, with vocal chorus and jazz/dance band songwriter  
Victor D5AB-0683 10-in. 10/15/1945 Candlelight and roses (Billy Hill's last song) Elton Britt ; Skytoppers Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble composer  
Victor D7VB-1830 10-in. 10/28/1947 Where'd dat money go? Page Cavanaugh Trio Vocal trio, with guitar, piano, and string bass composer  
Victor D9VB-0195 10-in. 2/9/1949 Missouri walking preacher (with a little book in his hand) Ray McKinley Orchestra Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band composer  
Victor [Trial 1926-03-18-05] 10-in. 3/18/1926 Deep river blues Willard Robison Male vocal solo, with piano (self-accompaniment) instrumentalist, piano, vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor [Trial 1926-04-15-02] 10-in. 4/15/1926 Broken rhythm Willard Robison Piano solo instrumentalist, piano, composer  
Victor [Trial 1926-04-15-03] 10-in. 4/15/1926 Out of the south Willard Robison Piano solo instrumentalist, piano, composer  
Victor [Trial 1926-09-14-06] 10-in. 9/14/1926 Peaceful valley Chester Giddings Male vocal solo, with banjo composer  
Columbia W140728 10-in. 6/26/1925 Page Mr. Handy Art Gillham Male vocal solo, with guitar lyricist, composer  
Columbia W140759 10-in. 7/14/1925 Deep elm Little Ramblers Jazz/dance band composer  
Columbia W140971 10-in. 9/15/1925 Peaceful valley Art Kahn Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
Columbia 142753 10-in. 10/8/1926 Lonely acres Broadway Bellhops Jazz/dance band composer  
Columbia W144627 10-in. 9/6/1927 A letter from Dixie Lennie Hayton Piano solo composer  
Columbia W145445 10-in. 12/28/1927 We'll have a new home (In the mornin') Crescent Trio ; Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio composer  
Columbia 145517 10-in. 1/12/1928 We'll have a new home (In the mornin') Al Bernard Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Columbia W145530 10-in. 1/16/1928 We'll have a new home (In the mornin') Kitty O'Connor Female vocal solo, with instrumental quartet composer  
Columbia W145820 10-in. 3/20/1928 Joline Tracy-Brown's Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist, composer  
Columbia W146316 10-in. 5/21/1928 'Taint so, honey, 'taint so Paul Whiteman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with vocal ensemble lyricist, composer  
Columbia W147835 10-in. 1/29/1929 Ploddin' along Hotel Mark Hopkins Orchestra ; Anson Weeks Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Columbia [W]147845 10-in. 2/14/1929 We'll have a new home (In the mornin') Paul Howe Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal, songwriter  
Columbia [W]147846 10-in. 2/14/1929 Ploddin' along Paul Howe Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer, vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia 147884 10-in. 1/25/1929 Wipin' the pan Arthur Fields ; Honey Swamp Stompers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Columbia W147995 10-in. 2/5/1929 Ploddin' along Henry Starr Male vocal solo, with piano composer  
Columbia W148078 10-in. 3/15/1929 A garden in the rain Deep River Orchestra ; Willard Robison Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, baritone vocal, leader  
Columbia W148079 10-in. 3/15/1929 Blue Hawaii Deep River Orchestra ; Willard Robison Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia W148126 10-in. 3/23/1929 Wake up! Chill'un, wake up! Ipana Troubadours ; Sam Lanin ; Willard Robison Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer, vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia W148432 10-in. 4/12/1929 I've got a feeling I'm falling Willard Robison and the Levee Loungers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia W148463 10-in. 4/19/1929 Head low Deep River Orchestra ; Willard Robison Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, vocalist, baritone vocal, lyricist  
Columbia W148464 10-in. 4/19/1929 Peace of mind Deep River Orchestra ; Willard Robison Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia W148546 10-in. 5/17/1929 Harlem blues Deep River Orchestra ; Willard Robison Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, baritone vocal, leader  
Columbia W148547 10-in. 5/17/1929 Beale Street blues Deep River Orchestra ; Willard Robison Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, baritone vocal, leader  
Columbia W149193 10-in. 10/28/1929 (Way out there in) Tall timber Willard Robison Male vocal solo, with octo-chorda and piano vocalist, baritone vocal, composer, lyricist  
Columbia W149194 10-in. 10/28/1929 (Still runnin' round) In the wilderness Willard Robison Male vocal solo, with octo-chorda and piano vocalist, baritone vocal, composer, lyricist  
Columbia W150079 10-in. 3/11/1930 A cottage for sale Carmen Lombardo ; Guy Lombardo ; Royal Canadians Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Columbia [W]150112 10-in. 3/24/1930 Sing, you sinners Willard Robison Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Columbia [W]150113 10-in. 3/24/1930 A cottage for sale Willard Robison Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, composer, baritone vocal  
Columbia W150119 10-in. 3/25/1930 A cottage for sale Ruth Etting Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band composer  
Columbia [W]150168 10-in. 4/4/1930 A cottage for sale Bill Coty ; Hotel Pennsylvania Music [Lloyd Keating and his Music] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Columbia W150424 10-in. 5/15/1930 Washin' the blues from my soul California Ramblers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio songwriter  
Columbia W150660 10-in. 7/23/1930 Lazy levee loungers Clarence Williams’ Jazz Kings Jazz/dance band composer  
OKeh 9553 10-in. 3/2/1926 The rhythm rag Castle of Paris Orchestra ; Emerson Gill Jazz/dance band composer  
OKeh [W400003(a)] 10-in. 1/9/1928 A letter from Dixie Frankie Trumbauer’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
OKeh W400004 10-in. 1/9/1928 Jubilee Frankie Trumbauer’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
OKeh W400707 10-in. 5/25/1928 'Taint so, honey, 'taint so New Yorkers ; Joe Venuti Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist, composer  
OKeh W401802 10-in. 4/10/1929 Wake up, chillun, wake up Smith Ballew Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and male vocal trio composer  
OKeh W403837 10-in. 3/7/1930 A cottage for sale Paul Small Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band composer  
OKeh W404029 10-in. 5/20/1930 Washin' the blues from my soul Russ Morgan’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
OKeh W490074 10-in. 5/20/1930 Washin' the blues from my soul Russ Morgan’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band songwriter  
Brunswick E27570 10-in. 5/22/1928 We’ll have a new home (In the mornin’) The Rollickers Male vocal quartet, with piano composer  
Brunswick E27774 10-in. 6/26/1928 'Taint so, honey, ‘taint so Al Bernard Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer, lyricist  
Brunswick E29322 10-in. Feb. 1929 Ploddin’ along Wendell W. Hall Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Brunswick E29530 10-in. Mar. 1929 Wake up! Chillun, wake up! Cotton and Morpheus Male vocal duet, with guitar and violin composer  
Brunswick E32319 10-in. Mar. 1930 A cottage for sale Colonial Club Orchestra [Anglo-Persians] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Brunswick E32434 10-in. Mar. 1930 A cottage for sale Dick Robertson Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Brunswick E32772 10-in. 5/14/1930 Washin’ the blues from my soul Hal Kemp Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Brunswick E1759-E1761 10-in. 11/19/1925 Peaceful valley Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
Brunswick E1911-E1913 10-in. 12/7/1925 Peaceful valley Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
Brunswick E16699-E16701 10-in. 10/14/1925 Deep Elm Cinderella Roof Orchestra ; Herb Wiedoeft Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer, lyricist  
Brunswick E20460-E20462 10-in. 10/19/1926 Lonely acres Ernie Golden ; Hotel McAlpin Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
Brunswick C3378 10-in. 4/26/1929 Wake up! Chill’un, wake up! Jimmie Noone’s Apex Club Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal duet composer  
Brunswick C3989 10-in. 8/5/1929 Head low Reuben Reeves ; River Boys Jazz/dance band, with vocal quartet lyricist  
Brunswick C4131 10-in. 8/18/1929 Head low Reuben Reeves ; River Boys Jazz/dance band, with vocal lyricist  
Brunswick C4719 10-in. 11/12/1929 Head low Lloyd Huntley Isle O’ Blues Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with vocal effects lyricist  
Brunswick LAE390 10-in. 1/18/1929 Ploddin’ along Earl Burtnett ; Paul Gibbons ; Los Angeles Biltmore Hotel Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) composer  
Brunswick LAE420 10-in. Feb. 1929 Ploddin’ along Charles C. Locke Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Brunswick LA977 10-in. 3/24/1931 There’s religion in rhythm Earl Burtnett Biltmore Trio ; Jess Kirkpatrick Male vocal quartet, with string instrument(s) and piano composer  
Brunswick LA989 10-in. 4/3/1931 Truthful Parson Brown Earl Burtnett Biltmore Trio Male vocal trio, with vibraphone composer, lyricist  
Brunswick 1154W-1155W 10-in. 8/13/1925 Deep Elm Tennessee Tooters Jazz/dance band composer  
Edison 10514 10-in. 7/23/1925 Deep Elm (You tell 'em I'm blue) Million Dollar Pier Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
Edison 11273 10-in. 10/29/1926 Lonely aces (In the West) Green Brothers' Novelty Band Jazz/dance band composer  
Edison 18372 10-in. 4/6/1928 We'll have a new home (In the mornin') The Rollickers [Edison] Male vocal quartet, with piano composer  
Edison 19087 10-in. 3/8/1929 Ploddin' along Gladys Rice Female vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Edison 19116 10-in. 3/19/1929 Wipin' the pan Bernie Stevens Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Edison 19224 10-in. 5/29/1929 Wake up! Chill'un, wake up! Gladys Rice Female vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Edison N-166 10-in. 4/6/1928 We'll have a new home (In the mornin') The Rollickers [Edison] Male vocal quartet, with piano composer  
Edison N-778 10-in. 3/8/1929 Ploddin' along Gladys Rice Female vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Edison N-807 10-in. 3/19/1929 Wipin' the pan Bernie Stevens Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Edison N-928 10-in. 5/29/1929 Wake up! Chill'un, wake up! Gladys Rice Female vocal solo, with violin and banjo composer  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Robison, Willard," accessed April 25, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106316.

Robison, Willard. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 25, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106316.

"Robison, Willard." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 25 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.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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