Dick Robertson

Dick Robertson ranked among the most prolific vocalists working with big bands and in studios from the late 1920s into the early 1940s, yet he eventually set the microphone aside to concentrate on composing original material. Among the results were the wistful “I’m a Little on the Lonely Side” and “We Three,” a three-way romantic melody that some later listeners wrongly viewed as foreshadowing David Crosby’s “Triad.” His professional path began during the Roaring Twenties, when he appeared regularly in person both alone and alongside Ed Smalle, before recognizing that his timbre lent itself especially well to the expanding field of recorded music.

So many dates followed that Robertson adopted multiple pseudonyms to head off objections from record executives and listeners. Jazz writers who came afterward dismissed the performances no matter which name appeared on the label. Pianist Eubie Blake gave the voice its most prominent platform, casting Robertson as the primary solo singer within a sizable group setting. Additional sessions paired him with Duke Ellington, The Mills Blue Rhythm Band, Benny Goodman, Andy Kirk, and numerous other ensembles. He also headed his own dates, fronting the Dick Robertson Orchestra assembled from the same pool of ever-active studio players. On occasion he doubled on violin. The alternate names Ray Carroll and Bobby Dick were among those he employed. His last session under his given name occurred in 1949 for the Coral label under Owen Bradley’s supervision, an encounter that hinted at a possible shift toward country music.