Robbie Robertson Biography

Robbie Robertson was born Jaime Royal Robertson on July 5, 1943. He was the only child of Rose Marie Chrysler and Alexander David Klegerman. His father was killed in an accident when he was an infant. His mother then married her co-worker James Patrick Robertson, who adopted him as his son.

Robbie Robertson and his Hawks band mates also toured with Bob Dylan, but this association was met with negative reactions. The musical group ‘The Band’ was eventually formed in 1968 with Rick Danko, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel, Levon Helm and Robbie Robertson as the members.

Their first album was ‘Music from Big Pink’. The album was praised by critics. It eventually ranked at No.32 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. Robertson sang on one of the album’s tracks ‘To Kingdom Come’.

The band found more commercial success with their next self-titled album. Many of the songs were written by Robertson and his work was quite appreciated. The band’s popularity grew with the release of albums, such as ‘Stage Fright’, released in 1970, and ‘Cahoots’, released in 1971. They also collaborated with Bob Dylan on two live albums named ‘Planet Waves’ (1974) and ‘The Basement Tapes’ (1975). The band continued to release several more albums such as ‘Moondog Malinee’ (1973) and ‘Islands’ (1977).

Shortly before Robertson split up with the band, he became a producer for Neil Diamon’s album ‘Beautiful Noise’, which was released in 1976. He also tried a career in acting. His first role was in the drama film ‘Carny’. He was also the producer, a co-writer and composer. Over the next few years, he worked as a composer for several films such as ‘Raging Bull’ (1980), ‘The King of Comedy’ (1983) and ‘Jimmy Hollywood’ (1994).

Meanwhile, he also began his solo career in music with a self-titled album in 1987. The album did well commercially, and it stood at the 38th position on the US Billboard 200. Robertson won the Juno Award for ‘Album of the Year’ and another Juno Award, shared with Daniel Lanois, for ‘Producer of the Year’. His second album ‘Storyville’ was released in 1991, and his third album ‘Music for the Native Americans’ was released in 1994.

He worked as a music composer, music consultant, and music producer in several films over the next few years. These films include ‘Forces of Nature’ (1999), ‘Gangs of New York’ (2002), ‘The Departed’ (2006), ‘Shutter Island’ (2010) and ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ (2013). He also released a recording ‘How to Become Clairvoyant’ in 2011.

‘Robbie Robertson’ (1987), Robertson’s self-titled album is one of the most important and successful works of his career. The album stood at the 38th position on the US Billboard 200 and also charted in Norway and New Zealand. The album earned critical acclaim, with some even calling it one of the best ten albums of the year.

Robertson served as the music producer in the 2006 Oscar-winning crime drama film ‘The Departed’. Directed by Martin Scorsese, the story was about an undercover gangster working for the police, and an undercover cop working as a gangster, who try to unravel each other’s true identities before their own covers are blown. The film was a commercial success, and won four Oscars, including the Best Picture and the Best Director.

Robertson’s group ‘The Band’ has been inducted into the Canadian Juno Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It was also inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame in 2014.

Robertson was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. He also received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Songwriters.

Robbie Robertson married a Canadian journalist named Dominique Bourgeois in 1967. The couple had two daughters named Alexandra and Delphine, and a son named Sebastian. The couple divorced later.

Robbie Robertson passed away on August 9, 2023, in Los Angeles, after struggling with prostate cancer for a year. He was 80.
 

Robbie Robertson was of Mohawk and Jewish descent, making him a unique and diverse individual with a rich cultural background.

He was known for his distinctive guitar playing style, which blended elements of rock, blues, and traditional Native American music.

Robertson was a key member of The Band, a legendary rock group that played with artists like Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton.

He also worked as a successful film composer, contributing music to several movies, including Martin Scorsese's "The Irishman."

In addition to his musical talents, Robertson was also a published author, with a memoir titled "Testimony" that offered insights into his life and career in the music industry.