Cynthia Robinson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cynthia Robinson
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Background information | |
| Born | January 12, 1944 Sacramento, California, U.S. |
| Died | November 23, 2015 (aged 71) Carmichael, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Funk, soul, R&B |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Trumpet, vocals |
| Years active | 1966–2015 |
| Associated acts | Sly and The Family Stone |
Cynthia Robinson (born January 12, 1944 – died November 23, 2015) was an American musician. She was famous for being a founding member of the band Sly and the Family Stone. Cynthia played the trumpet and sang in the band. You can hear her voice and trumpet on hit songs like "Dance to the Music" and "I Want to Take You Higher." Questlove from the band the Roots even called her the original "hypeman" (someone who gets the crowd excited!).
Cynthia was one of the first female trumpet players in a big American band. She was also the first female trumpeter to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
After Sly and the Family Stone stopped playing together in 1975, Cynthia was the only original member who kept working with Sly Stone. She also played in the funk band Graham Central Station starting in the 1990s. This band included her cousin and former bandmate, Larry Graham. Cynthia also worked with famous musicians like George Clinton and Prince.
| Top - 0-9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z |
Cynthia's Early Life
.jpg)
Cynthia Robinson grew up in Sacramento, California. She lived in a neighborhood called Oak Park. When she was in elementary school, she played the flute.
But when she got to high school, there were no flutes available. She was told to play the clarinet instead. Cynthia wasn't happy about this. She heard another student playing the trumpet and asked if she could try it.
In 2013, she told an online magazine called Rookie, "Everything I blew was off key, but I knew it could sound good if you worked on it, and that’s what I wanted to do."
Cynthia played the trumpet in the band at Sacramento High School. Some boys in her class would tease her for being a black girl playing an instrument they thought was "for white boys." Even some teachers suggested she try a different activity. But Cynthia loved the trumpet and didn't give up.
Her first trumpet came from a "beatnik" (a person from the 1950s who lived a non-traditional lifestyle). He told her she could have it if she played at one of his parties. She told Rookie, "It smelled bad, it had all kinds of green crud inside the tubing, so I took it home, cleaned it, soaked it in hot water, cleaned it all out, and it was mine."
Cynthia was one of the people who helped start Sly and the Family Stone in 1966.
Her Legacy and Passing
Cynthia Robinson was honored by being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This happened because she was a member of Sly and the Family Stone. In 2006, she got back together with the original members of the band for a reunion.
Cynthia Robinson passed away on November 23, 2015. She was 71 years old and died from cancer in Carmichael, California.
Cynthia had two daughters. Their names are Laura Marie Cook and Sylvyette Phunne Robinson. Sylvyette's father was the band leader, Sly Stone.
