Robbie Robertson “Robbie Robertson”

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#200 in the Series) self-titled solo debut from Robbie Robertson.

This one is a ‘special’ album. I recently listen to this great work in its entirety for the first time in many moons. It was as moving as it was the first time I heard it. It is an absolute gem.

“Fallen Angel” was Robbie (co-written by Martin Page)‘s tribute to Richard Manuel. Richard was Robbie’s longtime band-mate.  It features some great support vocals by Peter Gabriel.

I’ve included the full list of participating musicians.  It’s quite lengthy. Special mentions include U2, Garth Hudson, Rick Danko, Terry Bozzio and Ivan Neville.

It took Robbie 11 years to release his first solo effort. When ask why, “I wasn’t sure I had something to say.”

Tidbits: Robbie Robertson was born from a Mohawk mother and a Jewish father.  He birth name was Jaime Robert Klegerman.  He took his stepfather’s last name after she remarried.

Robbie Robertson peaked at #38 on the Billboard Top 200 Album chart.

Robbie was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Band in 1994.

Track listing

1. “Fallen Angel”
2. “Showdown at Big Sky”
3. “Broken Arrow”
4. “Sweet Fire of Love”
5. “American Roulette”
6. “Somewhere Down the Crazy River”
7. “Hell’s Half Acre”
8. “Sonny Got Caught in the Moonlight”
9. “Testimony”

Personnel

• Robbie Robertson – vocals, backing vocals, guitar, keyboards
• Manu Katché – drums on 1 2 6 7 8, percussion on 1 7 8
• Bill Dillon – guitars on 1 2 5 6 7 8 9, backing vocal on 2
• Tony Levin – Chapman Stick on 5 7, bass on 6 8
• Daniel Lanois – percussion on 2 3 4 8, backing vocal on 2 3 4, Omnichord on 5, guitar on 5 8

Additional personnel

• Tinker Barfield – bass on 1 and 5
• Martin Page – drum programming on 1
• Garth Hudson – keyboards on 1 and 5
• Peter Gabriel – keyboards on 1 and 3, vocal on 1, drum program on 3
• Larry Klein – bass on 2
• BoDeans (Sam Llanas, Kurt Neumann) – backing vocals on 2 and 5
• Sammy BoDean (Sam Llanas) – backing vocal on 6
• Terry Bozzio – drums on 3 and 5
• Abraham Laboriel – bass on 3
• Larry Mullen Jr. – drums on 4 and 9
• Adam Clayton – bass on 4 and 9
• The Edge – guitar on 4 and 9
• Bono – vocals, bass on 4, backing vocal and guitar on 9
• Hans Christian – bass guitar on 5
• Maria McKee – backing vocal on 5
• Cary Butler – backing vocal on 8
• Ivan Neville – backing vocal on 9
• Gil Evans Horn Section – horns on 9
• Rick Danko – backing vocal on 8

Live on Letterman performing ‘American Roulette,’ Robbie’s playing THE GUITAR on this video.

Robbie on Saturday Night Live