Don Robertson (songwriter)
American songwriter and pianist (1922–2015)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Donald Irwin Robertson (December 5, 1922 – March 16, 2015) was an American songwriter and pianist, in 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 (peaking at No. 6). The track reached No. 8 in the UK Singles Chart the same year.[1] It sold more than one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.[2]
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December 5, 1922
Don Robertson | |
|---|---|
Robertson in 1966 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Donald Irwin Robertson December 5, 1922 Beijing, China |
| Died | March 16, 2015 (aged 92) Lake Sherwood, California, United States |
| Genres | Country music, pop music |
| Occupations | Songwriter, musician |
| Instrument | Piano |
| Label | Capitol Records |
After contracted to Capitol at the time of his biggest selling hit single, Robertson then signed a recording contract with RCA Victor. He composed and co-composed with Hal Blair (né Harold Keller Brown, 1915–2001), as well as many hits for other musicians, including Elvis Presley, who recorded five of which for Presley's films.[2] Robertson resided in Lake Sherwood, California for 55 years, where he died in 2015.[3]
Best known published songs
- "Anything That's Part of You" (performed by Elvis Presley)
- "Does My Ring Hurt Your Finger" (with Doris Clement and John Crutchfield; performed by Charley Pride)
- "Born to Be with You" (performed by The Chordettes)
- "Hummingbird" (performed by Les Paul and Mary Ford and Frankie Laine)
- "I Can't Seem To Say Goodbye" (performed by Jerry Lee Lewis, Jean Shepard, Hawkshaw Hawkins)
- "I Don't Hurt Anymore" (with Walter E. Rollins; performed by Hank Snow, Jerry Lee Lewis)
- "I Let Her Go" (with Hal Blair), (performed by Frankie Laine)
- "I Love You More and More Every Day" (performed by Al Martino)
- "I Met Her Today" (with Hal Blair; performed by Elvis Presley)
- "I'm Counting On You" (performed by Elvis Presley)
- "I Really Don't Want to Know" (with Howard Barnes); performed by Les Paul and Mary Ford, Tommy Edwards, and Elvis Presley)
- "Love Me Tonight" (performed by Elvis Presley)
- "Ninety Miles an Hour (Down a Dead End Street)" (with Hal Blair; performed by Hank Snow)
- "No More" (based on the song "La Paloma", (co-written with Hal Blair; performed by Elvis Presley)
- "Not One Minute More" (with Hal Blair), (performed by Della Reese)
- "Please Help Me, I'm Falling" (with Hal Blair; performed by Hank Locklin)
- "Ringo" (with Hal Blair; performed by Lorne Greene)
- "Stand In" (with Hal Blair), (performed by Don Robertson himself and Jim Reeves)
- "Starting Today" (performed by Elvis Presley)
- "There's Always Me" (performed by Elvis Presley and Jim Reeves)
- "They Remind Me Too Much of You" (performed by Elvis Presley)
- "What Now, What Next, Where To (with Hal Blair; performed by Elvis Presley)
- "You're Free to Go" (with Lou Herscher; performed by Carl Smith)
Legacy
Notably, Robertson also lent his piano-playing skills to Disney theme park attraction Country Bear Jamboree. His instrumental song "Pianjo" is played by the audio-animatronic bear Gomer as the attraction's opening number in the original version of the show.
