celebrated as one of the most recorded drummers in music history. Born
into a musical family, he began piano at age five and took up drums by
eight, forming his first band at ten
notsomoderndrummer.com+13en.wikipedia.org+13innovativepercussion.co
m+13. He honed his craft through jazz band camp and at Berklee College
of Music, where education under luminaries like Alan Dawson and
Gary Chaffee refined both his technique and groove en.wikipedia.org.
Robinson’s big break came in 1978 when he joined Rufus & Chaka Khan
for their world tour, soon catching the ear of Quincy Jones. This led to his
defining role on Michael Jackson's Off the Wall, where his iconic drum fill
opens “Rock with You.” His part on Steve Winwood’s “Higher Love” album
further cemented his reputation
axispdc.com+11drummercafe.com+11remo.com+11. Over his career,
Robinson has contributed to over 30 No. 1 singles—like Whitney Houston’s
“Greatest Love of All,” Lionel Richie’s “All Night Long,” Madonna’s “Express
Yourself,” and Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories—while being
credited on more than 60 Grammy-winning projects
drummerszone.com+5remo.com+5remo.com+5.
Beyond recording, Robinson has acted as the go-to studio drummer for
scores of film and television soundtracks—from Space Jam to The
Hangover trilogy—also serving as musical director for artists like John
Fogerty, Barbra Streisand, and David Foster
johnjrrobinson.com+2remo.com+2axispdc.com+2. His peers, including
Quincy Jones and Peter Frampton, applaud his uniquely fluid,
“chameleon-like” feel, and his contributions earned Rolling Stone acclaim in
its Top 100 Greatest Drummers list
learningdrums.com+13gratefulweb.com+13en.wikipedia.org+13. From
early jazz studies to shaping the sound of pop, R&B, funk, and film scores,
Robinson’s groove has undeniably left an indelible mark on modern music.
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