Robin Russell

Robin Russell was born in Los Angeles, California and grew up in the city's South Los Angeles area where he attended 59th Street Elementary School, Horace Mann Jr. High School, Washington Preparatory High School (freshman year), graduated from Crenshaw High School, and attended Los Angeles City College where he continued studies in drums and music.

As of September 1972, Russell was the drummer with the rhythm and blues ensemble New Birth and their instrumental counterpart, the Nite-Liters.{{Cite web|url=http://soul-sides.com/2009/08/fuqualizing-funk.html|title=FUQUALIZING FUNK|website=Soul-Sides.com}} Russell performed with Little Richard including the performance at "The London Rock and Roll Show", Wembley Stadium, London, England, August 5, 1972.{{cite book|page=173|title=Little Richard's autobiography "The Life and Times of Little Richard, The Quazar of Rock", by Charles White|isbn=0306805529 |last1=White |first1=Charles |date=22 March 1994 }} Russell also performed with Johnny "Guitar" Watson,{{cite book|page=81|title=Johnny "Guitar" Waston's autobiography "The Gangster of Love", by Vincent Bakker|isbn=978-1442141476 |last1=Bakker |first1=Vincent |date=22 April 2009 }} disco era singer Sylvester, and performed with a variety of artists in the Los Angeles area including Richard Berry (composer of "Louie Louie"), Danny Flores (composer of "Tequila"), and Rosa Lee Brooks, who recorded "My Diary" with Jimi Hendrix.{{Cite web|url=http://www.home.earthlink.net/~rrussell007/id1.html|title=About Us|website=Home.earthlink.net}} Since the onset of digital recording technology in the 1980s, Russell's drums have been sampled by a number of hip-hop, rap, and R&B artists including Jamie Foxx, Mariah Carey, LL Cool J, Big Daddy Kane, Public Enemy, The Notorious B.I.G., Fat Joe, De La Soul, Black Sheep, A Tribe Called Quest, and more.{{citation needed|date=April 2024}} In 2001, Russell contributed liner note comments for Billy Cobham's Rudiments-Anthology CD,{{Cite web|url=https://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1905276/a/rudiments:&frm=www.cduniverse.com|title=Rudiments: The Billy Cobham Anthology CD Album|website=Cduniverse.com}} and Russell was a featured artist in the June 2010 issue of Modern Drummer magazine. More recently Russell's drumming was featured in an article written by Mary MacVean and published on the front page section of the Los Angeles Times newspaper, dated November 6, 2015. This article is also posted on latimes.com.{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/great-reads/la-he-c1-griffith-park-drummer-20151106-story.html|title=Great Read: For former professional drummer Robin Russell, no gig tops Griffith Park|date=November 6, 2015|newspaper=Los Angeles Times}} Over the years Russell periodically joined New Birth for reunion shows. Russell died in his Los Angeles home on September 8, 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://www.soulandjazzandfunk.com/news/robin-russell-dies/#:~:text=Rather+belatedly+we+have+learned,September+8th+aged+69|title=ROBIN RUSSELL DIES|website=Soulandjazzandfunk.com}}

During the early and mid 1970s, Russell (with New Birth and the Nite-Liters) appeared on numerous syndicated television shows including American Bandstand, Don Kirshner's Rock Concert, Soul Train, The Merv Griffin Show, Soul, and in 1975 Russell made a cameo appearance as a guest percussionist with Buddy Miles & the Earth Rockers in an episode of Don Kirshner's Rock Concert.{{Cite web|url=http://www.historicfilms.com/|title=Historic Films Stock Footage Archive|website=Historicfilms.com}} Russell's performance with Little Richard at Wembley Stadium was filmed and aired on television in 1973. Included as part of a DVD released as The London Rock and Roll Show,{{Cite web|url=https://www.cdandlp.com/en/chuck-berry-little-richard-bill-haley-je/the-london-rock-roll-show/dvd/r114186257/|title=The london rock & roll show by Chuck Berry Little Richard Bill Haley Je, DVD with collector89|website=Cdandlp.com}} and released in 2001 as a CD of the same title.{{Cite web|url=http://www.rockabilly.nl/reviews/londonshow.htm|title=The London Rock & Roll Show, Various Artists|website=Rockabilly.nl}}

Russell's drumming can also be heard as a portion of the sound track for the 1973 action movie Gordon's War, where New Birth performed the song "Come On and Dream Some Paradise",{{Cite web|url=http://www.kovideo.net/come-and-dream-some-paradise-theme-from-gordon-s-war-lyrics-new-birth-561850.html|title=Gordon's War - New Birth lyrics|website=Kovisdeo.net}} and around 2006-07 a Jeep Compass commercial was aired on television using an altered sample of New Birth's "Got to Get a Knutt",{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cb767WY8b5c|title=Jeep Compass Commercial/New Birth sample|publisher=YouTube}} of which Russell is a co-writer.

File:Robin Russell Griffith Park 1974.jpg

With an appreciation for the forests and other scenic wonders of mother nature, Russell developed a passion for drumming outdoors, and frequently set up in the mountains of Los Angeles's Griffith Park,{{Cite web|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/grumpeeone/5777086956/|title=2860-HDRLR|date=May 28, 2011|via=Flickr}} where he was known to hold sunrise-to-sunset solo drum sessions.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7dnDvowYSI|title=Robin Russell - Documentary - The Griffith Park Drumming Experience|publisher=YouTube}} Russell was also a solo performer (aka "Drum Beats") at the Los Angeles Marathon from 2004,{{Cite web|url=http://www.lamarathon.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Marathon-Events.pdf|title=Page 105 of the Official 2011 Honda Los Angeles Marathon Race Information Guide|website=Lamarathon.com}} and at the Orange County Marathon from 2013,{{cite web|url=http://www.ocmarathon.com/for-community/participation/cheering-entertainment.aspx |title=Orange County Marathon Entertainment page|website=Ocmarathon.com}} typically drumming non-stop for hours as a source of inspiration and energy for race participants.

;As Robin Russell

• Drum Beats (CD Baby, 2004)

;As New Birth

• Birth Day (RCA, 1973) US #31, US Black Albums #1
• It's Been a Long Time (RCA, 1974) US #50, US Black Albums #7
• Comin' From All Ends (RCA, 1974) US #56, US Black Albums #20
• Blind Baby (Buddah Records, 1975) US #57, US Black Albums #17
• Love Potion (Warner Bros. Records, 1976) US #168, US Black Albums #22
• Disco (RCA, 1977)
• God's Children (PNEC Records, 1998)

;As The Nite-Liters

• A-Nal-Y-Sis (RCA, 1973) US Black Albums #34

;With Little Richard

• The London Rock and Roll Show - CD (2001 TKO/Magnum Music)

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• {{Official website|http://www.home.earthlink.net/~rrussell007/}}

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Category:1951 births

Category:2021 deaths

Category:American rhythm and blues drummers

Category:Musicians from Los Angeles

Category:Crenshaw High School alumni