Don Robertson
Encyclopedia
Don Robertson was an American
songwriter
and pianist
, mostly in the country
and popular music
genres. He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
in 1972. As a performer, he hit the US
Top 10 with "The Happy Whistler" in 1956. The track reached #8 in the UK Singles Chart
the same year. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc
.
Although contracted to Capitol
at the time of his biggest selling hit single
, Robertson subsequently signed a recording contract
with RCA Victor
. He composed or co-composed with Hal Blair, many hits for other musician
s, including Elvis Presley
who recorded over a dozen of Robertson's songs, five of which appeared in Presley's numerous film
s.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
, mostly in the country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
and popular music
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
genres. He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame was established by the Nashville Songwriters Foundation, Inc. in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. A non-profit organization, its objective is to honor and preserve the songwriting legacy that is uniquely associated with music community in the city of...
in 1972. As a performer, he hit the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Top 10 with "The Happy Whistler" in 1956. The track reached #8 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
the same year. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
.
Although contracted to Capitol
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
at the time of his biggest selling hit single
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
, Robertson subsequently signed a recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
with RCA Victor
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
. He composed or co-composed with Hal Blair, many hits for other musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
s, including Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
who recorded over a dozen of Robertson's songs, five of which appeared in Presley's numerous film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
s.
Best known published songs
- "Anything That's Part of YouAnything That's Part of You"Any Thing That's Part of You" is a song written by Don Robertson. It was recorded by Elvis Presley in 1962 for RCA Records. It has also been recorded by Billy "Crash" Craddock in 1968 for Chart Records....
" (performed by Elvis PresleyElvis PresleyElvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
) - "Does My Ring Hurt Your Finger" (with Doris Clement and John Crutchfield)
- "Born to Be with YouBorn to Be with You (song)"Born to Be with You" is a song written by Don Robertson. It was published in 1956.The biggest hit version was by The Chordettes in 1956. In 1968, Sonny James recorded a version of the song which reached number one on the country charts...
" - "HummingbirdHummingbird (song)"Hummingbird" is a popular song.It was written by Don Robertson. The song was published in 1955.The best-known version of the song was the recording by Les Paul and Mary Ford . This version reached #7 on the Billboard chart...
" - "I Don't Hurt AnymoreI Don't Hurt Anymore"I Don't Hurt Anymore" is a 1954 song by Hank Snow. It was written by Don Robertson and Jack Rollins. The song was Hank Snow's fourth number one on the country chart where it spent twenty weeks at the top spot and a total of forty-one weeks on the chart....
" (with Walter E. Rollins), (performed by Hank SnowHank SnowClarence Eugene "Hank" Snow was a Canadian-American country music artist. He charted more than 70 singles on the Billboard country charts from 1950 until 1980...
) - "I Love You More and More Every Day"
- "I Met Her Today" (with Hal Blair), (performed by Elvis PresleyElvis PresleyElvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
) - "I'm Counting on You" (performed by Elvis PresleyElvis PresleyElvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
) - "I Really Don't Want to KnowI Really Don't Want to Know"I Really Don't Want to Know" is a popular song with music was written by Don Robertson and lyrics by Howard Barnes. The song was published in 1953....
" (with Howard Barnes) - "Love Me TonightLove Me TonightLove Me Tonight is a 1932 musical comedy film produced and directed by Rouben Mamoulian, with music by Rodgers and Hart. It stars Maurice Chevalier as a tailor who poses as a nobleman and Jeanette MacDonald as a princess with whom he falls in love...
" (performed by Elvis PresleyElvis PresleyElvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
) - "Ninety Miles an Hour (Down a Dead End Street)" (with Hal Blair), (performed by Hank SnowHank SnowClarence Eugene "Hank" Snow was a Canadian-American country music artist. He charted more than 70 singles on the Billboard country charts from 1950 until 1980...
) - "No More" (based on the song "La PalomaLa PalomaThis article is about the song. For the American city, see La Paloma, Texas."La Paloma" is a popular song, having been produced and reinterpreted in diverse cultures, settings, arrangements, and recordings over the last 140 years. The song was composed and written by Spanish composer Sebastián...
", co-written with Hal Blair, performed by Elvis PresleyElvis PresleyElvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
and Dean MartinDean MartinDean Martin was an American singer, film actor, television star and comedian. Martin's hit singles included "Memories Are Made of This", "That's Amore", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", "Sway", "Volare" and "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?"...
) - "Please Help Me, I'm FallingPlease Help Me, I'm Falling"Please Help Me, I'm Falling" is a 1960 song written by Don Robertson and Hal Blair and first recorded by Hank Locklin. The single was Locklin's most successful recording becoming his second number one on the country charts...
" (with Hal Blair), (performed by Hank LocklinHank LocklinLawrence Hankins Locklin , better known as Hank Locklin, was an American country music singer-songwriter...
) - "RingoRingo (song)"Ringo" was a hit single for the Canadian-born actor, Lorne Greene, in 1964.The song's actual sung lyrics are limited to the title word alone, performed by an unidentified male chorus. Throughout the rest of the performance, Greene talks about the legendary gunfighter...
" (with Hal Blair), (performed by Lorne GreeneLorne GreeneLorne Greene , was the stage name of Lyon Himan Green, OC, a Canadian actor.His television roles include Ben Cartwright on the western Bonanza, and Commander Adama in the science fiction movie and subsequent TV Series Battlestar Galactica...
) - "Stand In" (with Hal Blair), (performed by Don Robertson himself and Jim ReevesJim ReevesJames Travis Reeves , better known as Jim Reeves, was an American country and popular music singer-songwriter. With records charting from the 1950s to the 1980s, he became well-known for being a practitioner of the Nashville sound...
) - "There's Always MeThere's Always MeSelected for an Elvis Presley recording session held March 12, 1961, "There's Always Me" was a ballad included on the Presley album Something for Everybody....
" (performed by Elvis PresleyElvis PresleyElvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
and Jim ReevesJim ReevesJames Travis Reeves , better known as Jim Reeves, was an American country and popular music singer-songwriter. With records charting from the 1950s to the 1980s, he became well-known for being a practitioner of the Nashville sound...
) - "You're Free to Go" (with Lou Herscher)
External links
- Don Robertson site
- Nashville Songwriters' Foundation Biography of Don Robertson