Charlie Robison, the country singer-songwriter known for rootsy Texas staples including “My Hometown” and “New Year’s Day,” died Sunday in San Antonio. He was 59.
Robison, who grew up on a ranch in Bandera, died in the hospital after suffering a heart attack, according to an Associated Press report. In a Facebook post, his wife Kristen said he was surrounded by family and friends.
Although Robison never burst into the country music mainstream, he cut a significant figure in the ’90s Red Dirt music scene that also included artists such as Robert Earl Keen.
Robison began pursing a music career after an injury left him unable to play college football. His debut album, Bandera, dropped in 1996, and he had a cult hit with his next LP, Life of the Party, which came contained some of his best-known tracks.
After signing with a major label, Robison released the 2001 album, Step Right Up, which yielded his only Top 40 single, “I Want You so Bad,” according to Rolling Stone.
Complications from throat surgery forced Robison to retire from music in 2018. However, he appeared to be working on a comeback at the time of his death, according to the Austin Chronicle. The singer was reportedly booked to play a show at the Moody Theater with other artists in January.
Robison married Emily Erwin of the Chicks in 1998, and the couple had three children together. Their romance, which ended in a 2008 divorce, inspired the Chicks’ song “Cowboy Take Me Away,” Rolling Stone reports.
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This article appears in Sep 6-19, 2023.
