Robbie King

Robbie King was born on May 27, 1947 in Malarctic, Quebec, the son of big band musicians. Robbie was legendary for his incomparable style on B3 organ and bass pedals. At age 17, he left home to play clubs in Toronto. He moved west with The Good Shepherds and at 19 signed to Motown with Bobby Taylor and the Vancouvers. He performed with many Motown artists before returning to Vancouver to become a mainstay of the emerging B.C. music scene. Robbie played on countless hit records including Tina Turner’s What’s Love Got To Do With It, Olivia Newton John’s Don’t Cry For Me Argentina and Terry Jacks’ Seasons in the Sun. He has also worked with David Foster, Bryan Adams, Bruce Fairbairn, Bob Rock, Alice Cooper, Valdy, Jim Byrnes and more. In the late 70s Robbie orchestrated the acclaimed celebration concerts showcasing local artists. Drugs and alcohol were a constant drain on Robbi’s resources and he spent his last decade living near poverty at the Yale Hotel. In the summer of 2003, he was diagnosed with throat cancer which took his life that same year.  Following the outpouring of support from friends and peers, the Robbie King Memorial Fund was established in his memory to raise funds for musicians who fall on hard times.