Don Robertson (songwriter)

Donald Irwin Robertson (December 5, 1922 – March 16, 2015) was an American songwriter and pianist, mostly in the country and popular music genres. He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1972. As a performer, he hit the US Top 10 with "The Happy Whistler" in 1956 (Peaking at 6th). The track reached #8 in the UK Singles Chart the same year.[1] It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.[2]

Don Robertson
Don Robertson in 1966
Background information
Birth name	Donald Irwin Robertson
Born	(1922-12-05)December 5, 1922 Beijing, China
Died	March 16, 2015(2015-03-16) (aged 92) California, United States
Occupation(s)	Songwriter and pianist

Although contracted to Capitol at the time of his biggest selling hit single, Robertson subsequently signed a recording contract with RCA Victor. He composed or co-composed with Hal Blair (né Harold Keller Brown; 1915–2001), many hits for other musicians, including Elvis Presley who recorded over a dozen of Robertson's songs, five of which appeared in Presley's numerous films.[2] He died in 2015.[3]

Best known published songs

• "Anything That's Part of You" (performed by Elvis Presley)
• "Does My Ring Hurt Your Finger" (with Doris Clement and John Crutchfield)
• "Born to Be with You" (performed by The Chordettes)
• "Hummingbird" (performed by Les Paul and Mary Ford and Frankie Laine)
• "I Can't Seem To Say Goodbye" (performed by Jerry Lee Lewis, Jean Shepard, Hawkshaw Hawkins)
• "I Don't Hurt Anymore" (with Walter E. Rollins), (performed by Hank Snow, Jerry Lee Lewis)
• "I Love You More and More Every Day" (performed by Al Martino)
• "I Met Her Today" (with Hal Blair), (performed by Elvis Presley)
• "I'm Counting On You" (performed by Elvis Presley)
• "I Really Don't Want to Know" (with Howard Barnes), (performed by Les Paul and Mary Ford, Tommy Edwards, and Elvis Presley)
• "Love Me Tonight" (performed by Elvis Presley)
• "Ninety Miles an Hour (Down a Dead End Street)" (with Hal Blair), (performed by Hank Snow)
• "No More" (based on the song "La Paloma", co-written with Hal Blair, (performed by Elvis Presley)
• "Not One Minute More" (with Hal Blair), (performed by Della Reese)
• "Please Help Me, I'm Falling" (with Hal Blair), (performed by Hank Locklin)
• "Ringo" (with Hal Blair), (performed by Lorne Greene)
• "Stand In" (with Hal Blair), (performed by Don Robertson himself and Jim Reeves)
• "Starting Today" (performed by Elvis Presley)
• "There's Always Me" (performed by Elvis Presley and Jim Reeves)
• "They Remind Me Too Much of You" (performed by Elvis Presley)
• "What Now, What Next, Where To (with Hal Blair), (performed by Elvis Presley)
• "You're Free to Go" (with Lou Herscher) (performed by Carl Smith)

Legacy

Notably, Robertson lent his piano-playing skills to the Disney theme park attraction Country Bear Jamboree at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, and Tokyo Disneyland in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan. His instrumental song "Pianjo" is played by the audio-animatronic bear, Gomer as the attraction’s opening number.

References

1. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 465. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
2. Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 86. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
3. "Don Robertson Obituary: View Don Robertson's Obituary by Ventura County Star". Legacy.com. Retrieved August 17, 2015.

External links

• Don Robertson site
• Nashville Songwriters' Foundation Biography of Don Robertson
• Obituary