Tad Robinson

Tad Robinson possesses the sort of voice that would have merged naturally with the blue-eyed soul singers who dominated the 1960s. Saturated with soul, his singing moves without strain from a direct Little Walter shuffle to a vintage O.V. Wright R&B ballad. His songwriting gifts and first-rate harp technique complete an unusually well-rounded package.

Raised in New York City, Robinson grew up immersed in Stax, Motown, and Top 40 radio, absorbing influences that ranged from Otis Redding and Arthur Alexander to Eric Burdon and Joe Cocker. He entered Indiana University’s school of music in 1980, simultaneously leading the Hesitation Blues Band, a tight local unit that traveled to Chicago on occasion—the city where he later settled.

Though already held in high regard on the local scene, Robinson’s wider reputation surged after he became the featured vocalist with Dave Specter & the Bluebirds. Their 1994 Delmark album Blueplicity united Robinson’s expansive vocals with Specter’s flavorful, jazz-laced guitar and spotlighted three striking originals penned by Robinson: “What’s Your Angle,” “Dose of Reality,” and “On the Outside Looking In.”

Later the same year Delmark released Robinson’s own One to Infinity, which carried him deeper into soul territory with guest appearances by Mighty Flyers guitarist Alex Schultz, the mystical Robert Ward, and Specter.