Joseph Russel Robinson, born July 8, 1892, in Indianapolis, Indiana, was a composer, songwriter, and pianist whose work bridged ragtime, early jazz, and popular song. He began performing in vaudeville with his brother John before establishing himself as a pianist and composer in New York. Robinson became the first white musician to join the Original Dixieland Jazz Band, and his playing and writing helped shape the early recorded jazz era. His most commercially successful composition was Margie, written in 1920, which became a perennial favorite and enduring standard. He also composed Eccentric, Palesteena, and numerous rags, blues, and popular songs from the 1910s through the 1950s, collaborating with lyricists and co-writers including Spencer Williams, Noble Sissle, and Mercer Cook. Robinson contributed the title theme for the 1948 film Portrait of Jennie, featured on AllSolos, which showcased his ability to write graceful, melodic material suited to both jazz and popular interpretation. He also worked with W.C. Handy as an arranger. Robinson died on September 30, 1963, in Palmdale, California, recognized as a significant early figure in the development of jazz songwriting.
