Chris Robinson

Chris Robinson

 

Christopher Mark "Chris" Robinson (born December 20, 1966) is the singer of the rock and roll band The Black Crowes and brother of its guitarist Rich Robinson.

In 1989 Mr. Crowe's Garden changed their name to The Black Crowes. They were signed to Rick Rubin's label Def American and released their debut album Shake Your Money Maker. With the success of their album they went out on tour to support it. They played several dates supporting ZZ Top. During this tour Chris was criticized for talking to the audience about his opposition to corporate sponsorship. This led to ZZ Top firing The Black Crowes from the tour.

In May 1991, Chris Robinson spat at or on a female customer at a 7-Eleven convenience store. Robinson was arrested for assault and disturbing the peace, and pled no contest six months later. In the media, Robinson would openly discuss his use of marijuana.

Over the next nine years The Black Crowes went through many lineup changes and released six studio albums. In 1997, The Black Crowes headlined the second Furthur Festival, which had been spawned in the summer of 1996 by the remaining members of the Grateful Dead following Jerry Garcia's death in August 1995. In early 2002 it was announced that drummer Steve Gorman would be leaving the band and that The Black Crowes would be taking a break.

lthough his band may have slowly disappeared from the mainstream after making a grand splash, Chris Robinson and the Black Crowes cultivated a dedicated audience that ensured they would go down as one of the most respected and well-liked roots rockers of the '90s. By going back to a classic sound in the mold of Humble Pie and the Faces, the Black Crowes were one of the few truly popular bands to continue making rock music that wasn't rooted in a particular decade during the era of hair metal and (later) grunge. Furthermore, Robinson's celebrity status afforded him a platform to support political causes and fiercely champion bands like the Jayhawks before the mainstream took notice of their efforts.

The Black Crowes

The Black Crowes

The black crowes are not offically a country rock band, but have shining moments of bluesy country rock, much like Little feat did.

The Black Crowes are an American rock band formed in 1989. Their discography includes nine studio albums, four live albums and several charting singles. The band was signed to Def American Recordings in 1989 by producer George Drakoulias and released their debut album, Shake Your Money Maker, the following year. The follow-up, The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion, reached the top of the Billboard 200 in 1992.

After a hiatus between 2002 and 2005, the band released Warpaint, which hit number 5 on the Billboard chart.[1] After the release of a double album, the greatest hits-like and mostly acoustic Croweology in August 2010, the band started a 20th anniversary tour that was followed by an ongoing second hiatus.

fter replacing guitarist Jeff Cease with Marc Ford from blues-rock power trio Burning Tree, the band released its second album The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion in 1992. The album debuted at number 1 on the Billboard 200. The effort spawned the singles "Remedy", "Sting Me", "Thorn in My Pride" and "Hotel Illness", all of which topped the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart. "Remedy" and "Thorn in My Pride" also charted on the Hot 100 in 1992.[10]

Because of the prevalence of studio musician, and former Allman brother, Chuck Leavell's piano and organ parts on the first release, the band hired a keyboardist of its own, Eddie Harsch. He became a permanent member of the group beginning on the "High As the Moon" tour.

In 1994 the now six-piece released Amorica after scrapping the unreleased album Tall the previous year. The album eventually reached "Gold" status, selling over 500,000 copies. The album cover featured a photo showing a woman's pubic hair. As some stores would not carry the album due to the cover, an alternate version was released simultaneously with a solid black background. While on tour to support Amorica, the band opened for the Grateful Dead in Tampa on April 7, 1995, the only time the bands performed together.

Black Crowes-Southern Harmony Musical Companion

Southern Harmony Musical Companion

The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion may not have had the huge chart hits of its debut, Shake Your Monkey Maker, but it's a more versatile and muscular album. This is a very soulful release with a lot of piano and female backing vocals on several tracks. This is also the rare album where the deep cuts are the better ones overall although the songs that made it to radio were strong in their own right. Those radio hits and AOR tracks include the driving "Sting Me", the ballad "Thorn in My Pride", the mid-tempo rocker "Hotel Illness", and the slow and grinding "Sometimes Salvation". The first single "Remedy" is catchy as sin and full of hooks and should have been a hit on the level of "Hard to Handle". However, it's the deeper cuts that really shine here as the emotional "Bad Luck Blue Eyes Goodbye" may be the best slow track they've ever done while the band churn out three wicked rockers in "Black Moon Creeping", "No Speak No Slave", and "My Morning Song", the latter of which has some great slide playing and a great chorus that borders on gospel. The closing version of Bob Marley's "Time Will Tell" is on par with the original thanks to its great vocals. All told, in a very consistent catalog of music (even their "worst" album, Lions, is worth hearing), The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion is arguably their best disc.

Black Crowes- Before the Frost, Until the Freeze

Before the Frost...Until the Freeze

This is not a country rock CD.  But if you like country rock, Give this one a listen.  It does seem, however, that the Crowes are becoming less of a rock band and instead are really just a band...and a great one. To call them a rock band would ignore the bands embrace of bluegrass and country, particularly on the Until The Freeze songs. I am  a country or bluegrass fan, but when the Crowes inject their soul into those genres, those songs are just as sweet as any of their gritty rock numbers. And "Good Morning Captain" which opens the disc is probably the Crowes' best "rock" song in a decade. I take that back....its the best rock song they have released this decade until you get to track 2, "Been a Long Time", which is even better. The band(including the guest musicians playing the fiddle and the banjo) sound much tighter and more comfortable together than they did on Warpaint. The additions of Luther and Adam on guitar and keyboards have given the Crowes a new facet to their personality that I hope they continue to explore. Chris's vocals continue to sound better. I have a hard time thinking of a better lead vocalist in rock right now. Chris and Rich's lyrics will lift your soul on this release. "Last Place That Love Lives" and "Fork In The River" are both gorgeous closers that cut to your heart and leave you speechless. An absolute cannot miss. Thank you Crowes for smiling on 2009...we needed it.