Austin Roberts (singer)

Austin Roberts (born George Austin Robertson Jr., September 19, 1945)^[1] is an American singer and songwriter. His most successful recording was 1975's "Rocky"; a transatlantic Top 40 hit single.

Career

His most successful single was "Rocky" which reached No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1975.^[2] The track reached No. 22 in the UK Singles Chart in November 1975; Roberts' only chart appearance in the UK.^[3]

A close runner-up was the hit "Something's Wrong With Me", written by Danny Janssen and Bobby Hart, which reached No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1972.^[2] "Keep on Singing" was another important hit for Roberts (No. 50 on the Hot 100 in 1973).^[2]

As the lead singer of the group Arkade, he had two Billboard Hot 100 hits in 1970-71, including the easy listening crossover, "The Morning of Our Lives", which became the Bridal Fair theme, later a Top 15 Adult Contemporary hit, and "Sing Out the Love (In My Heart), which reached #99 on the Hot 100.

Roberts and Hart later wrote the song "Over You" for the 1983 film, Tender Mercies. "Over You" was nominated for the 1984 Academy Award for Best Original Song, as well as the Golden Globe nomination for Best Song in a Motion Picture.

In 1988, Roberts wrote the American Gymnastics Team's theme song for the Olympics, "When You Put Your Heart in It". It subsequently became a Top 20 Adult Contemporary hit for Kenny Rogers. In 1999, Busch Gardens commissioned Roberts to write the opening song for their Williamsburg Extravaganza. Roberts has written a number of songs for soap operas, as well as many more for films, including Tornado, Within These Walls, and They Were the Mulvaneys. He has also taught a songwriting course in Charlotte, North Carolina and Chesapeake, Virginia.

In addition to his success on the charts, Roberts also has experience with the stage. He has written the music and lyrics for two musicals, Rachinoff and Damon's Song. Rachinoff, starring Rob Marshall (the future director and choreographer of Chicago), was performed at Carnegie Mellon in 1981. It was nominated for an ACE Award (Cable Emmy). Damon's Song, starring three Tony Award winners, was performed at Pennsylvania Stage Co. in 1979. Roberts also had No. 1 single success with Reba McEntire (Annie Get Your Gun) and Gary Morris (Les Misérables).

Roberts' voice is also recognizable as the singer of the theme song to the animated series, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! as well as the "chase songs" featured in season 2 of the series.

Awards

Roberts has been nominated for four Grammy Awards, two of which he won ("I.O.U" by Lee Greenwood and "Chance of a Lifetime" by Take 6). He has also won a German award (for "Mission of Love"), four Canadian awards (for "He Would Be Sixteen" by Michelle Wright, as well as the 1993 CCMA Single of the Year), a CMA Award, an ACM Award, a Music City News Award, two NSAI Awards, and numerous ASCAP and SESAC Awards for airplay. Roberts has also been nominated for an additional CMA Award and ACM Award.

Currently, Roberts lives near Nashville and is working on musicals.

Discography

Albums

• 1972: Austin Roberts (Chelsea)
• 1973: The Last Thing On My Mind (Chelsea)
• 1975: Rocky (Private Stock)

Soundtrack

• Scooby-Doo's Snack Tracks: The Ultimate Collection

Singles

• 1968: "Ricky Ticky Ta Ta Ta" (Philips)
• 1968: "Mary and Me" (Philips)
• 1970: "Runaway/Just A Little" (Philips)
• 1970: "One Night Ann" (Philips)
• 1971: "Life Is For Living" (ABC Dunhill)
• 1971: "Where You Lead" (ABC Dunhill)
• 1972: "Like a Rosebud" (Horizon featuring Austin Roberts) (Virgo)
• 1972: "Every Day in My Life With Linda" (Horizon featuring Austin Roberts) (Virgo)
• 1972: "Something's Wrong With Me" (Chelsea) - U.S. #12^[4]
• 1972: "Keep On Singing" (Chelsea) - U.S. #50^[4]
• 1972: "One Word" (Chelsea)
• 1973: "Something to Believe in" (Chelsea)
• 1973: "The Last Thing on My Mind" (Chelsea)
• 1975: "Rocky" (Private Stock) - U.S. #9,^[4] UK #22^[5]
• 1976: "Just To Make You Mine" (Private Stock)
• 1976: "This Time I'm In It For Love" (Private Stock)
• 1978: "Don't Stop Me Baby (I'm On Fire)" (Arista)
• 1980: "In the Garden" (MCA Songbird)

References