Tad Robinson
“As a singer, I feel more free and focused in my delivery, and more confident in carrying on the traditions of the music.”
Tad Robinson took his passion for the blues to Memphis, TN, widely considered as the birthplace of Southern soul music. While there, he recorded an album with the renowned Hi Rhythm Section band. For Robinson, the experience was a dream realized: “The Hi guys are some of my musical heroes, having been the architects of the Southern soul sound on records by artists such as Al Green, Ann Peebles, and Otis Clay. Those records have been a huge influence on
my own career in the style.” Robinson also booked a recording session at Electraphonic Recording, a studio founded by musician/producer Scott Bomar. Robinson recorded some original music the “old-school” way, with few overdubs and only a couple of takes per song.
“It was a surreal experience for me,” he said, “singing in the vocal booth, looking through the glass, and listening through my headphones, as the Hodges brothers and Howard Grimes conjured up the grooves, as we recorded my new batch of songs.”
Another highlight of Robinson’s fellowship was touring the archives of Ernest C. Withers. Withers was a photojournalist who captured iconic photos of the Civil Rights Movement and the African American music scene. He even met Withers’ daughter, Rosalind, who showed him hundreds of photos that had yet to be digitized. Tad called the experience “thrilling and moving.”
Now back in Indianapolis, Robinson plans to perform concerts of his new collection of songs regionally and beyond.
