Butch Robins
Encyclopedia
Joseph Calvin "Butch" Robins (born May 12, 1949) is an American
five-string banjo player with his own distinct style of picking. He's an individualist and, according to himself "a seeker of information, knowledge and wisdom".
and began to play the banjo in the 1960s. Eventually, he became proficient in both Scruggs style
and Keith style
of playing. In his teens he attended local fiddlers' conventions and soon found work at the Bean Blossom, Indiana Festival. When Robins got drafted and was stationed at Ft. Jackson, South Carolina, he began playing guitar with Snuffy Jenkins
and Pappy Sherrill in Columbia
. After the army, his first job as a professional banjo player was with fiddler Kenny Baker
on his album "A Baker's Dozen" in 1970. In the early seventies, Robins worked with artists such as Charlie Moore and the Dixie Partners, banjoist Vic Jordan, dobro player Tut Taylor
, "Wilma Lee
and Stoney Cooper
", Jim & Jesse
, mandolinist Buck White, Leon Russell
and the New Grass Revival
.
In 1977, Robins was offered a job with Bill Monroe
's Bluegrass Boys, and he played banjo with the group for four years. He formed The Bluegrass Band in the early 1980s but after a year the group broke up. Robins temporarily retired from music to pursue a business school degree, but returned in 1986 to play with The Bluegrass Band. Through the 1990s, Robins continued to play with artists like Kazuhiro Inaba, Wayne Henderson
, and Kathy Chiavola.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
five-string banjo player with his own distinct style of picking. He's an individualist and, according to himself "a seeker of information, knowledge and wisdom".
Biography
Robins was born in Lebanon, VirginiaLebanon, Virginia
Lebanon is a town in Russell County, Virginia, United States. The population was 3,273 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Russell County.-Geography:Lebanon is located at ....
and began to play the banjo in the 1960s. Eventually, he became proficient in both Scruggs style
Scruggs style
Scruggs style is the most common style of playing the banjo in bluegrass music. It is a fingerpicking method, also known as three-finger style. It is named after Earl Scruggs, whose innovative approach and technical mastery of the instrument has influenced generations of bluegrass banjoists ever...
and Keith style
Keith style
The Keith style of playing the 5-string banjo emphasizes the melody of the song. Also known as the "Melodic" or "Chromatic style", it was first developed and popularized independently by Bobby Thompson and Bill Keith in the early 1960s. It is used primarily by bluegrass banjoists, though it can...
of playing. In his teens he attended local fiddlers' conventions and soon found work at the Bean Blossom, Indiana Festival. When Robins got drafted and was stationed at Ft. Jackson, South Carolina, he began playing guitar with Snuffy Jenkins
Snuffy Jenkins
DeWitt "Snuffy" Jenkins was an American old time banjo player and an early proponent of the three-finger banjo style.-Biography:...
and Pappy Sherrill in Columbia
Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
. After the army, his first job as a professional banjo player was with fiddler Kenny Baker
Kenny Baker (musician)
Kenneth Clayton Baker was an American fiddle player best known for his 25-year tenure with Bill Monroe and his group The Bluegrass Boys.-Biography:...
on his album "A Baker's Dozen" in 1970. In the early seventies, Robins worked with artists such as Charlie Moore and the Dixie Partners, banjoist Vic Jordan, dobro player Tut Taylor
Tut Taylor
Tut Taylor is an American bluegrass musician.Taylor played banjo and mandolin as a child, and began playing dobro at age 14, learning to use the instrument with a distinctive flat-picking style. Taylor was a member of The Folkswingers in the 1960s, who released three LPs; he recorded his debut...
, "Wilma Lee
Wilma Lee Cooper
Wilma Lee Leary , known professionally as Wilma Lee Cooper, was an American bluegrass-based country music entertainer.-Biography:...
and Stoney Cooper
Stoney Cooper
Dale Troy Cooper , known professionally as Stoney Cooper, was an American country star and member of the Grand Ole Opry. He was a master of the fiddle and the guitar.-Biography:...
", Jim & Jesse
Jim & Jesse
Jim & Jesse were an American bluegrass music duo composed of brothers Jim McReynolds and Jesse McReynolds...
, mandolinist Buck White, Leon Russell
Leon Russell
Claude Russell Bridges , known professionally as Leon Russell, is an American musician and songwriter, who has recorded as a session musician, sideman, and maintained a solo career in music....
and the New Grass Revival
New Grass Revival
New Grass Revival was an American progressive bluegrass band founded in 1971, and composed of Sam Bush, Courtney Johnson, Ebo Walker, Curtis Burch, Butch Robins, John Cowan, Béla Fleck and Pat Flynn. They were active between 1971 and 1989, releasing more than twenty albums as well as six singles....
.
In 1977, Robins was offered a job with Bill Monroe
Bill Monroe
William Smith Monroe was an American musician who created the style of music known as bluegrass, which takes its name from his band, the "Blue Grass Boys," named for Monroe's home state of Kentucky. Monroe's performing career spanned 60 years as a singer, instrumentalist, composer and bandleader...
's Bluegrass Boys, and he played banjo with the group for four years. He formed The Bluegrass Band in the early 1980s but after a year the group broke up. Robins temporarily retired from music to pursue a business school degree, but returned in 1986 to play with The Bluegrass Band. Through the 1990s, Robins continued to play with artists like Kazuhiro Inaba, Wayne Henderson
Wayne Henderson (musician)
Wayne Henderson is a soul-jazz and hard bop trombonist and record producer. In 1961, he co-founded the soul jazz/hard bop group The Jazz Crusaders...
, and Kathy Chiavola.
Further reading
- Tony Trischka, Pete Wernick: Masters of the 5-String Banjo, Oak Publications, (1988).
- Butch Robins: What I Know 'Bout What I Know: The Musical Life of an Itinerant Banjo Player, 1st Books Library, (2003).