It took the late Charlie Robison, who died on Sunday (September 10) at 59, an album and a few years to break into country music. Once he released his sophomore album Life of the Party in 1998, he finally made his way onto the charts with continued success during the late ’90s and early 2000s with Top 40 hits like “I Want You Bad,” “My Hometown” and “El Cerrito Place.”
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Reconnecting with his deeper Texas roots later on in his career, Robison often performed with his brother Bruce and Jack Ingram, while getting back to more traditional country rock.
Also known for his classic rock covers—everything from the Rolling Stones‘ “Honky Tonk Women,” Elton John’s “Rocket Man,” and AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell,” among many more, Robison also appeared on several tribute albums, covering some of his other favorites.
[RELATED: Top 5 Charlie Robison Songs]
Married to The Chicks‘ Emily Strayer from 1999 through 2008, Robison also appeared on the group’s fourth album Wide Open Spaces in 1998 and their follow-up, Fly, in 1999, which both went to No. 1. Robison and his brother also sang on Alejandro Escovedo‘s 1992 album Gravity, and he also collaborated with country artists including Mike Rodgers and Kelly Willis.
Here’s a look at two tribute albums from the early ’00s featuring Robison on vocals.
1. “Don’t Take Your Guns to Town”
Kindred Spirits: A Tribute to Johnny Cash (2002)
Written by Johnny Cash and featured on his second album The Fabulous Johnny Cash in 1958, “Don’t Take Your Guns to Town” follows the story of Billy Joe. The young cowboy breaks away from his family, despite his mother’s pleas, to become a man, only to meet his death in a saloon.
The song went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
A young cowboy named Billy Joe grew restless on the farm
A boy filled with wanderlust who really meant no harm
He changed his clothes and shined his boots
And combed his dark hair down
And his mother cried as he walked out
“Don’t take your guns to town, son
Leave your guns at home, Bill
Don’t take your guns to town”
He laughed and kissed his mom and said, “Your Billy Joe’s a man
I can shoot as quick and straight as anybody can
But I wouldn’t shoot without a cause, I’d gun nobody down”
But she cried again as he rode away
2. “Wild Man from Borneo”
Why the hell not…” The songs of Kinky Friedman (2006)
In 2006, Robison performed “Wildman from Borneo” on the Kinky Friedman tribute “Why the hell not…” The songs of Kinky Friedman. Written by Friendman, the song was originally released on his 1992 album Old Testaments & New Revelations.
In 2006, Friedman, who released his recent album Circus of Life in 2018, ran for Governor of Texas.
I’m the star of Captain Midnite’s travelin’ show
Came to this circus many moons ago
My mother’s in your storybooks, she loved a jungle king
Left me standin’ here alone inside the center ring
In a bamboo cage I crossed the ragin’ sea
A livin’ page torn clean from history
A hairy, scary, legendary screamin’ souvenir
Now don’t you come too close to me, don’t you come too near
I’m the wild man from Borneo,
The wild man from Borneo.
You come to see what you wanna see,
Ah, you come to see but you never come to know
Photo: Randall Michelson/WireImage
