Frank "Sugarchile" Robinson Caldonia (What makes your big head so hard?" from movie "No Leave No Love" 1946)
What happened?
Did his voice break?
Did the novelty of an infant boogie virtuoso suddenly lose its appeal when he hit 12?
Was he really found out to be an adolescent midget in disguise?
Frank "Sugarchile" Robinson
Caldonia
VIDEO
Once the hits had dried up and he was released from his Capitol Records contract
Summary:
Last year it was announced that a 62 year-old 👵 had been rediscovered living in Detroit, outside music (although he is rumoured to be the same Frank Robinson who co-owned the obscure Detroit-based soul label, Lando Records, in the 1960s ) and was brought out of retirement to pound the ivories once again at a music festival which celebrated pre-Motown music from the Motor City. (148)
Frank "Sugarchile" Robinson - Caldonia From movie "No Leave No Love" 1946
SUGAR CHILE ROBINSON (By Dave Penny)
Born Frank Robinson, 1940, Detroit, Michigan
The history of 20th century entertainment is littered with child prodigies; from Shirley Temple Toni Harper in the 1940s and Frankie Lymon
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Once the hits had dried up and he was released from his Capitol Records contract, there were one or two more reports in the trade papers of the day - he was reported in August 1954 as playing The Blue Note in Chicago with modern jazzer Gerry Mulligan (!) - and then nothing!
Last year it was announced that a 62 year-old "Sugar Robinson had been rediscovered living in Detroit, where he has worked mainly outside music for almost 50 years (although he is rumoured to be the same Frank Robinson who co-owned the obscure Detroit-based soul label, Lando Records, in the 1960s) , and was brought out of retirement to pound the ivories once again at a music festival which celebrated pre-Motown music from the Motor City.
Frank "Sugarchile" Robinson - Caldonia From movie "No Leave No Love" 1946 SUGAR CHILE ROBINSON (By Dave Penny) Born Frank Robinson , 1940, Detroit, Michigan The history of 20th century entertainment is littered with child prodigies; from Shirley Temple in the 1930s, Toni Harper in the 1940s and Frankie Lymon in the 1950s.
Sentences:
Frank "Sugarchile " Robinson
Caldonia "No Leave No Love" 1946
SUGAR CHILE ROBINSON 1940, Detroit, Michigan
On the whole, although precociously talented, child entertainers were usually saddled with inferior, childish material that, while perhaps cute at the time, were usually novelty acts that grew tiresome pretty quickly. Some couldn't handle the swift drop in popularity and turned to drink or drugs, while others retired gracefully and concentrated their energies in other directions.
One such was that tiny bundle of Detroit dynamite, "Sugar Chile" Robinson.
Born Frankie Robinson, the youngest of six children, in Detroit in 1940, "Sugar Chile" began pounding on the family piano as a toddler - he reputedly banged out a recognizable version of Erskine Hawkins' Tuxedo Junction at the age of two Frankie Carle
Within a year arty for e was asked to play a White House
President Harry Truman, had guested with Lionel Hampton's Orchestra and even appeared performing the title song in the 1946 MGM romantic comedy film "No Leave, No Love".
It was not until July 1949, however, that he made his first records for the Capitol label, when, in the consummate company of jazz veterans Leonard Bibbs on bass and drummer Zutty Singleton, Robinson took his first two releases into the Billboard R&B chart in late 1949;
Numbers Boogie made it to number four, while Caldonia (What Makes Your Big Head So Hard) only reached number 14 .
His subsequent national tour broke box-office records wheresoever and it is claimed that his appearance at Chicago's Regal Theatre remains the biggest one-week attraction of the theatre's entire history , easily beating the jazz royalty of the day like Count Basie and Duke Ellington.
Robinson toured with Basie in 1950 and made a celebrated musical short with the Basie Sextet and Billie Holiday in Hollywood in August to showcase his hits.
The Christmas season of 1950 witnessed Sugar Chile's first European release and Christmas Boogie c/w Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
sold well enough to spark a European tour in 1951, including rave reviews for his spot at the London Palladium.
He was a big hit on US radio and TV all through 1951 and then, while still in his pre-teens, Robinson's career was suddenly over;
Apart from a few radio transcriptions and film soundtracks, "Sugar Chile" Robinson's complete recording career - a period of just under three years - has been reissued in its entirety on one 2003 CD compilation, "Chronological Classics 1949-52".
Vooey, Vooey Vay, Caldonia and Numbers Boogie
As with other child stars, like Toni Harper, Robinson was frequently burdened with immature material, but even nursery rhyme knock-offs such as Sticks And Stones, Christmas Boogie and (Rock-A-Bye) Baby Blues were transformed into entertaining performances with hip and clever touches.
The youngster acquitted himself exceptionally well on the few instrumentals, particularly Lazy Boy's Boogie , and for variety he occasionally switched to organ or Celeste on later sessions.
Once the hits had dried up and he was released from his Capitol Records contract, there were one or two more reports in the trade papers of the day - he was reported in August 1954 as playing The Blue Note in Chicago with modern jazzer Gerry Mulligan (!)
Last year it was announced that a 62 year-old "Sugar Chile" Robinson had been rediscovered living in Detroit, where he has worked mainly outside music for almost 50 years (although he is rumoured to be the same Frank Robinson who co-owned the obscure Detroit-based soul label, Lando Records, in the 1960s) and was brought out of retirement to pound the ivories once again at a music festival which celebrated pre-Motown music from the Motor City.
The internet has been strangely silent since, so I am unsure whether the festivity l even took place.
Does anybody know? CD: The Chronological Sugar Chile Robinson , 1949-1952 (Classics 2003 )
Caldonia (Bonus Track)
'Sugar Chile' Robinson
Caldonia Writer Fleecy Moore
In 1952, he told his dad he didn't want to neglect his education.
Subsequently, he earned degrees in History and Psychology.
He was sooooooooo cute! It's great how his life turned out later, finishing his academic studies and going into psychology.
Many child prodigies are not lucky when they become adults because they are either considered washed-up or they develop issues from being exploited as children.
He must have come from a very supportive family.
After watching this video, there is only ONE conclusion that can be drawn: this black child prodigy has more talent on his fingertip than Justin Bieber's entire blip of a career (you can quote that).
Just saying.
Calldonia! Caldonia! WHAT MAKE YO' BIG HEAD SO HARD!
Oh my goodness! I use to hear my Dad sing those words out every now and then when I was a little girl.
Dad passed away last year at 89 years of age and I never asked him where those words came from
now I know.
(Big smile) After seeing this is living proof that some people are so gifted straight from God this talent don't come from no where what a doll God love him.
Brilliant just brilliant he's playing with fingers arms and fists
People could study and practice all their lives and not play like that.
Great.
"Not now. LATER."
Is it just me or was that kind of, I don't know, menacing?
He came to the UK in 53 (?) - my Mam and Dad went to see him - I've got the programmer upstairs.
wow the kid was actually playing!
now whenever a kid plays an instrument or sings in a movie, its never really them.
this was nice and refreshing, and that boys got talent!
This is one of the coolest damn things I think I've ever seen.
I love this kind of stuff!!! The old days.
They will never be repeated.
Remember Remember
I love how he uses his fist sometimes xD And then his elbow!
"Mama didn't know what Caldonia was put'n down!" omg! I love that!
amazing lol, he cant even reach some keys and has to roll his hand lmao
this little man stole my heart!
Walkin’ with my baby, she’s got great big feet, She long lean and lanky and ain’t had nothin’ to eat! But she’s my baby and I love her just the same, Crazy about that woman ’cause Caldonia is her name.
Caldonia! Caldonia!
What makes your big head so hard?
Huh! I love you, love you just the same,
I’ll always love you baby ’cause Caldonia is your name.
You know, My momma told me to leave Caldonia alone; That’s what she told me, no kiddin’! That’s what she said! She said, “Son, keep away from that woman, she ain’t no good, don’t bother with her!” But momma didn’t know what Caldonia was puttin’ down! So I’m goin’ down to Caldonia’s house, and ask her just one more time! Caldonia! Caldonia! What makes your big head so hard? Now! 58 C Howard C Howard 4 years ago Genius.
