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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 26-50 of 895 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BRC-70189 10-in. 8/27/1931 Mean music Gene Kardos Orchestra ; Dick Robertson Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor BRC-70190 10-in. 8/27/1931 China Boy Gene Kardos Orchestra ; Dick Robertson Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor BRC-70298 10-in. 10/22/1931 Twenty-one years (Is a long time) Dick Robertson Male vocal solo, with violin, clarinet, and guitar vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor BRC-70299 10-in. 10/22/1931 Mary and mother Dick Robertson Male vocal solo, with clarinet, guitar, and accordion vocalist, tenor vocal, composer, lyricist  
Victor BRC-70300 10-in. 10/22/1931 Up in the mountains Dick Robertson Male vocal solo, with violin and guitar vocalist, tenor vocal, songwriter  
Victor BRC-70901 10-in. 10/22/1931 That silver-haired daddy of mine Dick Robertson Male vocal solo, with violin, clarinet, guitar, and accordion vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor BRC-70904 10-in. 10/23/1931 A hot dog, a blanket and you Gene Kardos Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and vocal chorus vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor BRC-70905 10-in. 10/23/1931 Sweet violets Gene Kardos Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor BRC-70906 10-in. 10/23/1931 Peter and Paul Gene Kardos Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and vocal chorus vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor BRC-70907 10-in. 10/23/1931 What are you thinkin' about, baby? Gene Kardos Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor BRC-70921 10-in. 10/29/1931 I should have known better Dick Robertson ; Ted Black Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor BRC-70922 10-in. 10/29/1931 You try somebody else Dick Robertson ; Ted Black Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor BRC-70923 10-in. 10/29/1931 Lucille! Dick Robertson ; Ted Black Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor BRC-70950 10-in. 11/13/1931 Freddy the freshman Gene Kardos Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor BRC-70951 10-in. 11/13/1931 (Potatoes are cheaper, tomatoes are cheaper) Now's the time to fall in love Gene Kardos Orchestra ; Dick Robertson Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor BRC-70952 10-in. 11/13/1931 Down on the farm (They all ask for you) Gene Kardos Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal duet vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor BRC-70957 10-in. 11/25/1931 I promise you Peter Van Steeden Orchestra ; Dick Robertson Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor BRC-70958 10-in. 11/25/1931 I will share Peter Van Steeden Orchestra ; Dick Robertson Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor BRC-70959 10-in. 11/25/1931 With love in my heart Peter Van Steeden Orchestra ; Dick Robertson Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor BRC-70987 10-in. 12/18/1931 Tell-tales Gene Kardos Orchestra ; Dick Robertson Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor BRC-70988 10-in. 12/18/1931 You're foolin' yourself (When you try to fool me) Gene Kardos Orchestra ; Dick Robertson Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor BRC-70989 10-in. 12/18/1931 Sweet violets Bob Dickson Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor BRC-70990 10-in. 12/18/1931 I forgot to buy the license Bob Dickson Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor BRC-71232 10-in. 1/15/1932 The new twenty-one years Dick Robertson Male vocal solo, with instrumental quartet vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor BRC-71233 10-in. 1/15/1932 Fifty years repentin' Dick Robertson Male vocal solo, with instrumental quartet vocalist, tenor vocal  
(Results 26-50 of 895 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Robertson, Dick," accessed April 26, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/107135.

Robertson, Dick. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 26, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/107135.

"Robertson, Dick." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 26 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

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