Image Source: Wikipedia

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 126-150 of 895 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-75507 10-in. 3/13/1933 Oh! How I'd love to own a fish store Rose Family Mixed vocal quartet, with violin and piano vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor BS-76654 10-in. 7/14/1933 You never saw fish like the saw fish I saw Dick Robertson Male vocal solo, with mixed vocal trio and piano vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor BS-76655 10-in. 7/14/1933 You never saw fish like the saw fish that I saw George Donaldson Trio Mixed vocal trio, with violin and piano vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor BS-76656 10-in. 7/14/1933 That's a lot of nonsense Dick Robertson Male vocal solo, with mixed vocal trio and piano vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor BS-76657 10-in. 7/14/1933 That's a lot of nonsense George Donaldson Trio Mixed vocal trio, with violin and piano vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor BS-77514 10-in. 8/21/1933 It isn't fair The Madhatters Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor BS-77515 10-in. 8/21/1933 Swingy little thingy Dick Robertson Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor BS-77516 10-in. 8/21/1933 My own Sonny South and the Collegians Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor BS-77517 10-in. 8/21/1933 I couldn't tell them what to do Sonny South and the Collegians Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor BS-77518 10-in. 8/21/1933 It's the talk of the town Dick Robertson Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor BS-77519 10-in. 8/21/1933 Let's make up The Madhatters Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor BS-78097 10-in. 10/5/1933 The man on the flying trapeze Allan Lane Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor BS-78098 10-in. 10/5/1933 The man on the flying trapeze Allan Lane Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor BS-78099 10-in. 10/5/1933 That Dallas man Allan Lane Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor BS-78103 10-in. 10/5/1933 I want you—I need you Allan Lane Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor BS-78158 10-in. 10/11/1933 Heat wave Bee Sharp Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo (take 1): with female vocal solo (take 2) vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor BS-78159 10-in. 10/11/1933 Not for all the rice in China Bee Sharp Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor BS-78160 10-in. 10/11/1933 Easter parade Bee Sharp Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor BVE-81020 10-in. 1/3/1934 Holiday The Radio Rascals' Orchestra [Dick Robertson Orchestra] Jazz/dance band leader  
Victor BS-81023 10-in. 1/3/1934 (When your heart's on fire) Smoke gets in your eyes Dick Robertson Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor BVE-81025 10-in. 1/3/1934 St. Moritz waltz Eliot Everett Orchestra ; Dick Robertson Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor BVE-81026 10-in. 1/3/1934 Eski-o-lay-li-o-mo Dick Robertson Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
Victor BS-81371 10-in. 2/8/1934 Poppin' the cork Mike Doty Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal, leader  
Victor BS-81372 10-in. 2/8/1934 Carolina Mike Doty Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal, leader  
Victor BS-81373 10-in. 2/8/1934 Ol' Pappy Sid Peltyn Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal, leader  
(Results 126-150 of 895 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Robertson, Dick," accessed April 15, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/107135.

Robertson, Dick. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 15, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/107135.

"Robertson, Dick." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 15 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license

Feedback

Send the Editors a message about this record.