Roy Roberts

Remember that funny bit of hyperbole that goes: "It's so good if you look in the dictionary under so-and-so and you'll find a picture of so-and-so" . Well, if you look in the dictionary under "Soul Blues" you'll find a picture of "Roy Roberts" (at least in a perfect world). Roberts exemplifies this music form, a healthy amalgam of Memphis Soul & Modern Electric Blues replete with real horns and stinging guitar licks. He's released 9 terrific records thus far, including one live and one "Best Of" but his new CD "Sicily Moon" is simply his best. A true Soul album. A contender for Album Of The Year for sure. Equally praiseworthy is his work as producer for records by Chick Willis, Lou Pride, Eddie Floyd, Floyd Miles, Priscilla Price and Tommy Thomas (see reviews at bottom of page).

Blues singer, guitarist, song writer, producer and label mogul Roy Roberts was born Oct. 22, 1942 in Livingston, TN. He first learned piano and gospel music with his mother but eventually he bought his first guitar, a “Sears Silver Tone”, and began playing R & B with a Greensboro Ponderosa club house band. There he had the opportunity to play in the same venue as legends like Clarence Carter, Joe Tex, Eddie Floyd, Dee Clark, Solomon Burke, and Otis Redding. He even was for a time part of Solomon Burke’s orchestra and later in Eddie Floyd's group (Some 30 years later Roy produced Eddie's comeback CD "To The Bone", released on Roy's Rock House Records imprint). Perhaps his greatest learning experience came in 1965 when he played guitar for the "Big O" Otis Redding! In honor of the departed legend Roy cut his very first single "The Legend Of Otis Redding" following Redding's tragic death. For a time he was on the road with his band as the Roy Roberts Experience throughout the late 60s and 70s until Disco reared it's ugly head and stalled the careers of many Soul, R & B & blues singers. But that didn't stop this musician because Roy Roberts went Country! (Take that Bee Gees!) He teamed up with C & W artist and friend O.B. McClinton and hit the road. Roy even threatens to cut a Country record soon. After McClinton’s death in 1989, Roy concentrated on gospel music . But one day while in the studio he heard a song on the radio that sounded a lot like himself..it was Robert Cray's "Phone Booth" and suffice it to say Roy was soon back to the blues...

Album Discography

"Introducing Roy Roberts" (New Moon 1994)

1. Me & My Baby
2. What Should I Do?
3. Comin' Thru the Back Door
4. Lovin' You Is Easy
5. Why You Didn't Come Home Last Night
6. Nobody But You
7. Baby, What You Want Me to Do
8. She's So Fine
9. Jammin' With My Friends

"A Woman Needs Love" (New Moon 1995)

1. My Baby Left Me
2. A Woman Needs Love
3. Out Having a Good Time
4. Sweet As A Honey Bee
5. It's All Over
6. So Much In Love
7. I Pity the Fool
8. Everyone Knows About My Good Thing
9. I Don't Want You Anymore
10. Lonely Feelings

"Live" (New Moon 1995)

1 Jammin' With My Friends
2 Me And My Baby
3 Thrill Is Gone
4 Why You Didn't Come Home Last Night
5 Comin' Through The Back Door
6 What Should I Do
7 Medley
8 Ain't No Sunshine
9 My Baby Left Me
10 A Woman Needs Love

"Every Shade Of Blue" (King Snake 1997)

1. I'll Understand
2. I Got a Gypsy Woman
3. Hard to Find a Woman
4. What Should I Do?
5. Comin' Through the Back Door
6. Why You Didn't Come Home
7. Have You Seen My Baby?
8. My Baby Left Me
9. Sweet as a Honey Bee
10. Woman Needs Love, A
11. Let's Wrap Up
12. You and Me Together

"Deeper Shade Of Blue" (King Snake 1999)

1. Let Me Help You Tonight
2. Blues Get Off of My Shoulder
3. Tonight Your Love Belongs to Me
4. Mr. D.J.
5. I Tried
6. I Can't Go On
7. I'll Chase Your Blues Away
8. Learning to Love You Again
9. My Shade of Blue
10. I've Been Makin' Love
11. Let Our Love Last Forever
12. We Always Work It on Out

"Burnin Love" (Rock House 2001)

1. Burnin Love
2. Couldn't See the Tears for the Rain
3. Next Time, The
4. Leave My Woman Alone
5. Dirty Old Man
6. Can't Have It Your Way
7. I've Got Troubles
8. Let's Straighten It Out
9. I'm in Love
10. That's Alright

"Daylight With A Flashlight" (Rock House 2003)

1. Touched by an Angel
2. Just One More Blues Song
3. I Want to Love You
4. Daylight With a Flashlight
5. Sometimes You Love Me
6. Everytime I Turn Around
7. Your Troubling Mind
8. I Slipped
9. No More Tears
10. Anniebell
11. Raise a Little Hell

"Partners And Friends" (Rock House 2004)

1. Don't Let This Love Slip Away
2. How Long
3. You Are the One for Me
4. Country Boy
5. Reach Out
6. Can't You See
7. What's Been Going On
8. Shaggin Down in Carolina
9. Making a Fool of Me
10.Let's Go to the Beach

"Sicily Moon" (Rock House 2006) LISTEN

1. Sicily Moon
2. If You Can't Put It Out
3. Turn That Thang Around
4. Tonight Your Love Belongs to Me
5. I'm Gonna Love You
6. You Better Pack Up
7. Soul On Fire
8. Let Our Love Last Forever
9. Baby
10. Show Me What You Got

"By Request: The Best Of" (Rock House 2006)

1. I'll Understand
2. I Got a Gypsy Woman
3. Tonight Your Love Belongs to Me
4. My Shade of Blue - Roy Roberts, Greenlee, Bob
5. Burnin Love
6. Dirty Old Man
7. Coming Through the Back Door
8. The Next Time
9. Woman Needs Love
10. Mr. D.J.
11. My Baby Left Me
12. She's So Fine
13. What Should I Do
14. Let Me Help You Tonight
15. Why You Didn't Come Home
16. Blues Get off My Shoulder
17. Let Our Love Last Forever
18. I Slipped

"Man With A Message" (RockHouse 2007) LISTEN

1 Jesus is Knocking
2 Working for Jesus
3 He Lifts Me Up
4 God is Never Late
5 I'll Let Nothing Seperate Me
6 I Don't Know Where Death Is
7 Glory Glory
8 Everyone Will Live Forever
9 Jesus is the Best Thing
10 Amazing Grace Medley

Roy Roberts & Friends "Blues & Soul Review" (Rock House 2008) LISTEN

1 If You Can't Put it Out-Roy Roberts
2 Three Old Blues Men-Floyd Miles, Chick Willis, Roy Roberts
3 Gonna Put My Foot Down-Priscilla Price
4 Country Boy-Johnny Rawls & Roy Roberts
5 I Want to Love You-Roy Roberts
6 It's Good to Go-Skeeter Brandon
7 Don't Let this Love Slip Away-Johnny Rawls & Roy Roberts
8 I Know a Hoochie Mama-Chick Willis
9 Give Me A Chance-Priscilla Price
10 You Put that Dog Ahead Of Me-Tommy Thomas
11 Daylight With a Flashlight-Roy Roberts
12 You Let the Fire Go Out-Maria Rolls
13 Mr D.J-Chick Willis
14 I Truly Love You-Skeeter Brandon
15 Dutch Boy Playing the Blue-Mark Van Mourik
16 Let's Go to the Beach-Johnny Rawls & Roy Roberts

"It's Only You" (Rock House 2008) LISTEN

1 Got To Watch My Step
2 Going Out Tonight
3 It's Only You
4 Looking Bad Situation
5 Singing Another Blues Song
6 Cheerwine
7 The Rain Was Falling
8 Step Out Of My Dreams
9 Picture Of Beauty
10 Motherless Child

  "Strange Love" (Ocean Beach 2011) LISTEN

1. My Love Bone
2. I Truly Love You
3. Hey Baby
4. Strange Love
5. I'm Never Gonna Stop
6. Wait for Me
7. A Woman Needs Love
8. We Still Together
9. The Next Time
10. I Can't Wait

Roy Roberts Johnny Rawls Barbara Carr "Three Pair" (Ocean Beach 2012)