A Piano Player's Piano Player

Category: Obituary/News

Again we have to pause and say farewell to a Country Music Hall of Fame member.  This time, it's Hargus "Pig" Robbins, who died this morning (January 30).

Robbins' daughter broke the news on Facebook on Robbins' page.  "Dad has been hospitalized twice in the last two months.  He suffered from a bacterial infection in his bloodstream, kidney disease, heart disease, etc.  It all became too much for his body to handle."

Blinded at age three in a knife accident, Hargus Melvin Robbins began playing piano at the age of seven.  While classically trained through the Tennessee School for the Blind, Robbins picked up the pop and jazz sounds in the 40s and early 50s.  He got his nickname "Pig" from, as he told the Country Music Hall of Fame, from sneaking out of class to play and would get "dirty as a pig."

Robbins' style was anything and everything.  He did the rollicking piano on "White Lightnin'" by George Jones, the subtle performance on Roger Miller's "Dang Me," and the Floyd Cramer-like soulfulness on Charlie Rich's "Behind Closed Doors."  

In addition to his country accolades, Robbins played on albums by acts as diverse as Bob Dylan, Gordon Lightfoot, Leon Russell, Rosemary Clooney, Aaron Neville, and Neil Young.  He toured as part of Young's band the "International Harvesters" in support of Young's 1985 country album Old Ways.

Dolly Parton told Rolling Stone that she wanted to use Robbins as the piano player on her upcoming album, but his health would not permit it.

Robbins' endless contributions to the sound of country music earned him his spot in the Hall of Fame in 2012.

Farewell to Pig Robbins, who was 84.