[78-L] Dick Robertson [was Brunswick 4411 vocalist question.]

[Julian Vein]

Geoffrey Wheeler wrote:
> Al Simmons says: “In my humble opinion Chick Bullock was the very best 
> of the studio singers.
>   The rest of 'em, including Smith Ballew, Dick Robertson, and Scrappy 
> Lambert
>   are better left in the vaults along with assorted  hack females like  
> Vaughn DeLeath and Lee (ugh) Morse.
>   O.K. I'm ducking.”
> 
> Chick Bullock had a pleasing baritone voice. He enunciated and phrased 
> carefully to make each song listenable and likable. He could 
> comfortably handle a wide range of material, from ballads to rhythm 
> tunes. Sound engineers and producers probably appreciated him because 
> he knew his way around studio mics to achieve the best possible sound. 
> Because he was experienced, like Gene Kardos, he was probably a 
> one-take man. On alternate takes I have heard of studio recordings, 
> Bullock isn’t the problem; it’s the musicians.
> 
> Regrettably, little is available on CD under his own name. I checked 
> Worlds Records and found only one CD. I only have two LPs under his 
> name: “1932-41” on Lyric 3302, and “Chick Bullock and His Levee 
> Loungers, 1933/41” on (Swedish) Everybody’s 1001. He, of course, 
> appears on a number of LPs as a vocalist under other leaders. One that 
> features obscure recordings on Vocalion and Columbia is “Vic Berton and 
> His Orchestra, 1935” on Harrison LP-O. One less-than-PC gem is “(Down) 
> In Blinky, Winky, Chinky Chinatown.” Or his vocal with Joseph Robechaux 
> of “That’s How Rhythm Was Born.” Jerry Valburn issued a two-LP set of 
> Robechaux but I don’t remember if that tune is on it.
> _______________________________________________
There's a CD by Antobal's Cubans which has 12 Bullock vocals, Harlequin 
HQ CD 123. The Robechaux has been reissued on CD (twice). There's also 
only one take of "Swingy Little Thingy"!

      Julian Vein


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