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Artist of the Week!
August 2008, week 3
Get artist's profiles and valuable community arts information each month in The Community Arts Cafe magazine!
Read more about Joe Robinson and his music in the October 2007 issue of The Community Arts Cafe.
Joe Robinson
Story & Photos by Martin Tucker
It might be said that 'if it had been a snake, it would have bit him'. Joe Robinson grew up in the Happy Hills section of Winston-Salem. When he was 12, he and some friends were playing in the woods near his house and one of the boys discovered a bugle in the leaves. As soon as Joe saw it, he remembers thinking, "Oh, I hope he doesn't want it." Sure enough, his friend started asking if anyone wanted the old instrument and Joe quickly said, "Yes!" "I fell in love with that bugle. I took it home and started blowing it."
And so began the career of one of the Triad's most popular jazz musicians. As Joe got better, he realized the limited range of the bugle. He knew he wanted to continue playing music and decided a trumpet was the instrument of choice for him. "I wanted a trumpet, but my mother wouldn't get me one. Empire Loan had a Victory trumpet in their window. I used to walk with my grandmother into downtown on Saturdays. She'd do the grocery shopping and I'd carry the bags home for her. We passed by Empire Loan and I told her I wanted that horn and she bought it for me. I started playing it immediately..."
