Sugar Chile Robinson

SUGAR CHILE ROBINSON. American jazz pianist born Frank Isaac Robinson in 1938 famous as a child prodigy. At an early age he showed unusual gifts singing the blues and accompanying himself on the piano. According to contemporary newsreels, he was self-taught and managed to use techniques including slapping the keys with elbows and fists. He won a talent show at the Paradise Theatre in Detroit at the age of three and in 1945 played guest spots at the theatre with Lionel Hampton who was prevented by child protection legislation from taking the youngster on tour with him. However, Robinson performed on radio him and also appeared as himself in the Hollywood film "No leave, no Love". In 1946, he played for President Harry Trueman at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner, shouting out "How'm I Doin', Mr. President?" – which became his catchphrase – during his performance of Caldonia. He was the first African American performer to appear at the annual WHCA dinner. He began touring major theaters, setting box office records in Detroit and California. In 1949 he was given special permission to join the AFM and record his first releases on Capitol Records : "Numbers Boogie" and "Caldonia" which both reaching the R&B chart. In 1950, he toured and appeared on television with Count Basie and in a short film. The following year, he toured the UK including appearing at the London Palladium. He stopped recording in 1952, later explaining ; "I wanted to go to school ..... I wanted some school background in me and I asked my Dad if I could stop and I went to school because I honestly wanted my college diploma". Until 1956, he continued to make occasional appearances as a jazz musician (billed as Frank Robinson) but then gave up his musical career entirely in order to continue his academic studies. He earned a degree in history and another in Psychology. During the 1960s, he worked for WGPR-TV, helped set up small record labels in Detroit and also opened a recording studio.