Sharon Robinson (songwriter)
Sharon Robinson ( born 1953 in San Francisco) is an American singer, composer and music producer. She was known for her decades- long collaboration with Leonard Cohen, has also written songs for other artists. Her first solo album she released in 2008.
Biography
Sharon Robinson was born in San Francisco. The family moved to Los Angeles when she was five years old. At age six, she began to learn to play the piano, with twelve she wrote her first songs. As a 16 -year-old she took with the Jazz Crusaders to Joe Sample a demo, which earned her a recording contract. However, the record company went on before their record was produced.
At school, Sharon Robinson was distinguished by their achievements. In the gifted of the National Merit Scholarship Program, she reached the semi-finals. Thus they received not a fellowship from the U.S. National Merit Corporation, but a grant from the Salem College in West Virginia. Halfway through her studies, she left college to travel with a Top 40 cover band through the country and act. After several years, she returned to college, this time to the California Institute of the Arts to study music. A year later she appeared again, first as a session singer and then as a singer and dancer Ann- Margret in Las Vegas revue in the years 1976 to 1985.
Collaboration with Leonard Cohen
Through the recommendation of a fellow singer was hired in 1979 and 1980 Sharon Robinson of Leonard Cohen as a background singer for the Field Commander Cohen Tour. During the tour both wrote the song Summertime, which was added ( for the album Red Hot Rhythm & Blues, 1987) and Roberta Flack later by Diana Ross. This piece brought her breakthrough as a composer.
The tour established the friendship between Robinson and Cohen. In the following years, both employed at the Mount Baldy Zen Center with Zen Buddhism. In 1989, Cohen godfather of Robinson's son, Michael.
Robinson and Cohen also wrote the songs together Everybody Knows and Waiting for the Miracle, which were published in 1988 and 1992.
At Cohen's comeback album Ten New Songs (2001) Robinson was not only involved as a co-author, but also as a producer, arranger and singer. Individual pieces include up to 20 background vocals, all sung by Sharon Robinson. Moreover played or programmed almost all (electronic) instruments. The recordings were made in her private studio in a garage. The cover picture shows the faces of Robinson and Cohen together.
Leonard Cohen's Dear Heather album To (2004 ) contributed Sharon Robinson in two pieces. In The Letters and Go No More A- Roving both sing a duet.
In the years 2008-2010 Sharon Robinson also went back with Leonard Cohen on tour. Your song Boogie Street led them there as a solo singer, while Cohen was limited to the role of the background singer.
Work for other artists
Sharon Robinson wrote songs including for Aaron Neville, Diana Ross, Don Henley, Randy Crawford, Roberta Flack, Thelma Houston, Patti LaBelle and the Temptations. Her recent compositions include The High Road, published by Bettye LaVette in 2005 on the album I've Got My Own Hell to Raise, and several pieces, which she wrote with Chris Botti.
Solo career
Her first solo album Everybody Knows published Sharon Robinson, 2008 Three of the songs they had written together with Leonard Cohen. Alexandra Leaving, Summertime and the title song Everybody Knows. The cover designed Leonard Cohen. For sales in Europe this was temporarily replaced by a photo of Robinson.
Awards
As early as 1985 Sharon Robinson was awarded a Grammy. She received the award along with the other participants in the soundtrack of the movie Beverly Hills Cop Robinson's contribution was the song New Attitude, the Patti LaBelle had taken.