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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZROBINSON, Sugar Chile(b Frank Isaac Robinson, 28 December 1938, Detroit) Pianist, singer. A child prodigy who could play Erskine Hawkins's 'Tuxedo Junction' at age two. Aided by bandleader Frankie Carle, he made his first record at age eight, and appeared in the Van Johnson movie No Leave, No Love the same year (1946, said to be six years old: his handlers were apparently shaving two years off his age). He played at a party for President Truman; signed by Capitol, he had hits 'Numbers Boogie', 'Caldonia' and 'Christmas Boogie' in 1949. His TV appearances included This Is Show Business and the Milton Berle show; he toured the UK including the London Palladium; appeared in short films The Negro In Entertainment and With Billie Holiday And Count Basie Sextet 1950-1, and played dates with Lionel Hampton. He gave up recording and performing in the 1950s because he wanted an education, eventually obtaining a Ph.D in psychology. He came back to music, appearing at a music festival in Britain in 2007. |