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Sherman Robertson

Photo by Karin Braun

Robertson Is Unstoppable

Sherman Robertson was born in Beaux Bridge, Louisiana and raised in Houston, Texas. Sherman Robertson quickly earned a local reputation as a very good guitarist. While still in high school Sherman Robertson was recruited by his music teacher, Conrad Johnson, to play in his popular group, Connie's Combo (and otherwise adult band). As a teenager in the late 1960's, he spent six weeks on the road as lead guitarist with blues superstar Bobby "Blue" Bland and also backed Junior Parker. That gave Sherman Robertson the incentive to form his own band, Sherman Robertson and the Crosstown Blues Band with whom he recorded two albums on the Lunar II label. During the 1970's, Sherman Robertson was content playing weekends while raising a family and holding down a regular job until Clifton Chenier, "the King Of Zydeco", asked him to do some dates with his band. Those few dates turned into 5 years, as Sherman Robertson toured Europe and U.S. with Clifton Chenier. Sherman Robertson then joined Terrance Simien's hot, then young zydeco band, briefly playing with Rockin' Dopsie, Johnny Clyde Copeland and several other well-known artists. The word on Sherman Robertson's talent began to spread. Paul Simon needed a guitar player to add some sounds to his Graceland album and he chose Robertson. Soon after, legendary British producer Mike Vernon signed Sherman Robertson to Atlantic Records. Sherman Robertson's first solo recording, 1993's I'm The Man, was nominated for a W.C. Handy Award. His second Atlantic release, Here And Now, was released in 1996 to more critical acclaim. But convinced he would have more promotional support and artistic freedom from an independent label, Sherman Robertson weighed his options. In early 1998, producer Joe Harley, with the help of Sherman Robertson's manager, Catherine Bauer, assembled a first class back up band for a project for the AudioQuest label, including two charter members of Little Feat, keyboardist Bill Payne and drummer Richie Hayward. They all gathered at Ocean Way Recording in Hollywood for the sessions that resorted in the album, Going Back Home. Blues Revue loved the release. "Potent singing and sizzling guitar...Robertson is unstoppable."

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