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Bruce Robison's Bio:

Bruce Robison grew up in Bandera, Texas, playing music with his family and his brother Charlie. When Bruce knew that he wanted to be in the music world full time, he moved to Austin. Soon after, he began writing songs that he modestly claims were "pretty well received." His songs are direct and get right to the heart of the matter. He didn't have to make many rounds of the Austin clubs to become a local favorite.

He recorded his first album, Bruce Robison, in 1995. Wrapped came out in 1998. Wrapped got the attention of the big record companies, and Bruce made Long Way Home from Anywhere in 1999 for a major label.

In reviewing Long Way Home from Anywhere, Dirty Linen said, "Singing and writing with a calm and mature confidence, Bruce Robison has turned in a wonderfully ragged and true country album. Like Joe Ely and Bruce Springsteen, Robison turns metaphors of quotidian life into beautifully telling examinations of life, love and human desperation."

Dirty Linen also reviewed Wrapped, saying, "A variety of characters and styles people this disc -- a little country-rock, a little blues, a little swing, and just a touch of bluegrass, but all of it sincere and direct." Bruce Robison gets lumped into the alternative country category because he is true to his own sound, which he says is all country, even though it doesn't fit the "traditional" mold. He regards himself as a country musician, dispite the pigeonholing efforts of others to label him otherwise. He takes his inspiration from Willie Nelson, whose music cannot be categorized either.

Moving to Austin has been good for Robison professionally, but he has done well on the personal side, too, being married to (and occasionally performing with) Kelly Willis. Be sure to visit his Web site. Get music at Amazon or at CDBaby.

User: hitech

Bruce Robison's Albums
Happy Holidays From Kelly Willis and Bruce Robison
Eleven Stories

Bruce Robison Album Editorial:
As a performer Bruce Robison isnt nearly as well known as his wife Kelly Willis (who contributes plenty of duet and background vocals here); his brother Charlie Robison; or his sister-in-law Emily Robison of the Dixie Chicks. But top country artists all know him and eagerly await each of the songwriters albums because they invariably introduce hit-bound material (the Dixie Chicks George Strait and Tim McGraw have all scored big with his songs). The smash-just-waiting-to-happen here is the albums centerpiece All Over But the Cryin a romantic ballad about hanging on to a relationship that has lost its spark. The bittersweet Dont Call It Love also has plenty of commercial possibility though Robisons strength as a songwriter is that he never sounds like hes writing to formula or with an ear toward radio. His well-crafted material just goes down as easily as the acoustic folkish arrangements that dominate the album. His gentle melodies and vocal warmth belie the comparative darkness of Days Gone By and the regret of Every Once in Awhile while the hardcore roadhouse of You Really Let Yourself Go evoking the Buck Owens/Dwight Yoakam school provides a chance of pace. The choice of covers makes this Robisons most varied release to date as Tennessee Jed highlights the back-porch country side of the Grateful Dead More and More (a duet with Wills) channels Webb Pierce and Bandera Waltz toasts Robisons hometown in the Texas hill country. Don McLeese
Country Sunshine

Bruce Robison Album Editorial:
Recent success as a songwriter allows Bruce Robison to record on his own terms as this self-produced self-released collection attests. Rather than striving for radio hits the writer responsible for Tim McGraws smash Angry All the Time showcases his plainspoken subtle and droll songcraft with a minimum of production trickery. He collaborates with wife Kelly Willis on Friendless Marriage which sounds like a George-and-Tammy update while other writing partners include Allison Moorer and the Dixie Chicks Martie Seidel. Gary Allan has already covered the albums standout anthem What Would Willie Do a tongue-in-cheek tribute to the messiah of progressive country while Bruces brother Charlie previously recorded the album-closing Tonight. For other artists searching for quality material that transcends formula the balladry of Blame It on Me has hit potential though Valentine one of the best songs here sounds so personal its hard to imagine anyone singing it better than the reedy-voiced Robison. Don McLeese
Unleashed Live

Bruce Robison Album Editorial:
Outside of Texas its hard to grasp the Beatlemania-like frenzy that can be directed toward these marginally successful singer-songwriters. At a packed Texas honky-tonk such as Gruene Hall however the brothers Robison and adopted kin Jack Ingram go over like the Second Coming which doesnt mean they dont earn the reception. The three Texans take no chances with material--everything but Ingrams Travis County has been cut elsewhere--and deliver their most anthemic and popular tunes in straight-shooting full-band Outlaw country style. Small flourishes save these 12 songs (recorded one night in December 1999) from abject predictability: Bruces Western swing version of Joe Dickenss Good Life his wife Kelly Williss sweet guest harmonies on Angry All the Time and Charlies self-deprecating tone on Sunset Boulevard. Unfortunately Ingram turns in four of his slighter tunes including the obnoxious frat-brat anthem Barbie Doll which only makes the call-and-response of his audience all the more suspect. But if youve never experienced Texas frat-country hysteria first hand this live set will get you more than close enough to the party. Roy Kasten
Long Way Home from Anywhere

Bruce Robison Album Editorial:
James Taylor has cast a large shadow over todays country hit-makers but for the most part Nashvilles earnest young troubadours more closely resemble such watered-down Taylor imitators as Dan Fogelberg or J.D. Souther than the man himself. Bruce Robison the long tall Texan who married Kelly Willis does one of the best country impersonations of Taylor because he understands the value of understatement. On his sophomore album Robison fills his lyrics with so many visual details and gives his folkie melodies such a relaxed flow that he can afford a low-key seductive vocal delivery trusting the songs to take care of themselves. His subject matter--a waitress in love with a Vietnam soldier a guy who wants to be more than a best friend to a woman a giddy newlywed groom a lonely man on the road--is well worn and except for one Western swing tune the music has few traces of honky-tonk but it is elegant singer/songwriter pop in the best Taylor tradition. Geoffrey Himes
Wrapped
Bruce Robison

Bruce Robison Album Editorial:
Austin-based label focused on the best in original progressive country singer-songwriter folk rb blues jazz primarily texas homegrown artists. also 2 releases recorded in london england.

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