Tuesday Tribute: Chris Robinson

This week, we take a look at one of the best lead singers of the 1990's who is still going strong. Chris Robinson, along with his brother Rich, started Mr. Crowe's Garden back in the mid-1980's, which is a band we know today as the Black Crowes. One of the immediate draws about the Crowes and more specifically Chris' voice is its strong resemblance to a classic rock sound. Bands such as Led Zeppelin, The Faces, and Humble Pie clearly shine through in Robinson's soulful wail, which has gained the Crowes quite a diverse fan base. Few bands have been able to achieve such a vintage sound and still have so much success on American popular radio. Despite achieving early success with albums like Amorica and Shake Your Money Maker, however, the Crowes have never experienced the fame of other pop, rock, and alternative groups of the 90's and 00's. Many have written them off as just a "stoner band" because they happen to play guitar solos that exceed one minute long. While some can't quite comprehend the appeal of such a characteristic, others eat up the fact that not only Chris's brother Rich can tear through guitar solos, but also that Chris himself can have his presence felt on stage the whole time as well. Many also do not recognize Robinson's extraordinary songwriting talent, but his lyrics and progressions have gained him praise from the likes of Phil Lesh, Levon Helm, and the Dickinson brothers of North Mississippi Allstars, one of whom, Luther, now plays with the Crowes. This week, I've found some clips dedicated to Chris Robinson.

The first clip is of Chris doing his best Rod Stewart-circa-The Faces impression. "Jealous Again" was one of the Crowes' first hits of off Shake Your Money Maker. Here they are on Letterman making their network television debut.



Here's a clip of one of Robinson's solo groups, New Earth Mud, doing a cover of the tune "Boney Maroney." Sitting in for this take is one of the hardest working men in rock, axemaster Warren Haynes.



Some remember a few years ago when the legendary Jimmy Page decided to go on tour and chose the Black Crowes as his backing band. Here's Chris doing his best Robert Plant on "What Is and What Should Never Be."



Lastly, I bring you a beautiful cut of the Crowes performing an unplugged version of a later tune called "Soul Singing." This was filmed for part of a television special and features Luther Dickinson on slide and Rich Robinson on a 12-string guitar. Enjoy!