Eric Roberson … Honest Music
“She would sit and listen for hours as I played guitar yo
Sing my songs upon the radio while she was in her car yo
Her interest would grow
She came to my show
She knew every note
Each line that I wrote… Suddenly she was in love”
The story of Eric Roberson is typical yet not so typical. Talented musician shops material to various record labels…typical. Record label loves the material…typical. Artist signs deal with record label…typical. Artist pours heart into project because this is the opportunity of a lifetime…typical. Record exec says (in nasal annoying tight ass voice) “We like you just the way you are but we would love you like this” oh so typical.
What’s not typical is the talent that Eric Roberson possesses from writing, producing and performing he is an artist in every sense of the word. The Rahway N.J. native’s professional musical journey begins with being signed to Warner Brothers Records at the age of 19. The relationship started out just like the opening quote “She would sit and listen for hours … suddenly she was in love”. Warner released a single “The Moon” which went to #33 on Billboard’s R&B Singles chart. The label loved his work but the a&r that signed him left the company and Eric’s support had disappeared…typical.
“ In time I met this little girl was attracted to ways yo
What took years for some couples to build for us it just took days yo
So as time went on
I wrote her more songs
Not knowing that storms
Would soon come along…leaving me in pain”
Eric Roberson’s frustration with the situation led him to go back to school and refocus his energy on his craft. In doing so he may have done too good of a job. “I completely re dedicated myself to being an artist” he says, “ I was doing about 20 songs a month.” Eric while shopping the material would constantly get execs wanting the songs on his album for other artist “ I would show up at labels like every 3 months…every time I go to them they would be listening to the album and point out tracks that they would want for there artist and I would be like yo this is my album! “. The labels would coincidently pick the more personal songs that had just started out as part of a journal or letters he had written. Noticing this Eric decided to focus on those songs rather than try to force something that wasn’t there.
“The show must go on
Unfortunately
I’m all alone not for my dreams
‘cause she couldn’t hear over the music
Didn’t hear me over the music
Couldn’t hear me over the music
She never really knew my song …”
Taking the independent road Eric released an album of material called “The Esoteric Movement” that has become a hard to find underground classic “that’s what set it off I was new to having my own company and new to just having the freedom to do what I do” Eric explains of the rawness of the project. But coupled with that rawness resided an amazing amount of emotions “I tore my heart and put it on that album … it can’t get any realer than that and I pray my life doesn’t ever fall apart to the level that I have to write my testimony” says Eric. That rawness and vulnerability is what makes Eric special as a writer and a singer. He says what men want to say but can’t find the right words to say take “Be with U” off of Eric Roberson presents The Vault 1 the commitment to the one he loves is so strong that if he dies coming back as “ A ring on your figure” is enough or “Def Ears” on The Vault 1.5 a song asking god what should he do about a woman he desires but doesn’t know and finding no answers. You get a chance to feel what he is going thru without it being glossed over by over processing. The “The Vault 1.5” is a collection of songs that dare to be melodic in this day and age of hyper machismo , boring song structures and overly digitized vocals. ”I like to call my music honest music cause whatever I am going through is what I put down” says Eric. His music is his life and when you hear Vivian Green or Musiq or Dwele or Carl Thomas sing one of his songs you are actually getting a glimpse into the soul of Eric Roberson. If and when the industry eventually decides to hear him “over the music” what they will hear will be far from… typical
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