Pianist Hargus “Pig” Robbins, Country Music Hits Maker
Hargus “Pig” Robbins is a legendary pianist who has played on some of country music’s biggest hits. In this blog, we explore his life and work.
Early Life and Career
Pianist Hargus “Pig” Robbins was born in Springville, Tennessee, on March 16, 1932. Robbins began playing the piano at the age of four. When he was fourteen, he was hired to play for a local radio show in Morristown, Tennessee. After high school, Robbins moved to Nashville to pursue a career in music.
Hargus Robbins is born in Spring Hill, Tennessee
Hargus Melvin Robbins was born on December 18, 1944, in Spring Hill, Tennessee. He was the youngest of five children. Robbins’ father died when he was three years old, and his mother worked as a domestic servant to support the family. When Robbins was 10 years old, his mother remarried and the family moved to Nashville. As a teenager, Robbins began playing guitar and piano in local clubs. He dropped out of high school at age 17 to play music full-time.
Robbins starts playing piano at age six
Hargus Melvin Robbins was born on April 18, 1938, in Springfield, Tennessee. Playing music came naturally to Robbins; he started tinkering with the family piano at age six. By his early teens, he was backing up such country music legends as Ernest Tubb and Hank Snow in clubs and on radio stations around Nashville. A versatile player, Robbins quickly developed a following among Nashville’s top studios musicians.
Robbins drops out of high school to pursue music career
Robbins dropped out of high school to pursue a music career. He played with a number of different bands, most notably the Ray Price band and the Nashville session group, The A-Team. He first gained attention as a pianist on Price’s 1960 hit “Crazy Arms.” Robbins became one of the most in-demand session musicians in Nashville in the 1970s and 1980s, playing on recordings by Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, and George Strait, among others. In 1988, he was inducted into the Nashville Musicians Hall of Fame.
Robbins’ Success
Hargus “Pig” Robbins is a Nashville institution, a legendary session pianist who has played on some of the biggest country hits of the past 50 years. Robbins has worked with everyone from Willie Nelson to Garth Brooks, and his work can be heard on classic songs like “He Stopped Loving Her Today” and “Stand By Your Man.” In a career that spans five decades, Robbins has been one of the most in-demand session musicians in Nashville.
Robbins becomes in-demand session musician
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Robbins became one of the most in-demand session musicians in Nashville, playing on a wide variety of recordings by artists such as Roy Orbison, Marty Robbins, Ernest Tubb, and Carl Smith. His work was particularly admired for its tastefulness and restraint; fellow musician Chet Atkins once said, “If I want to know how to play something, I ask Hargus.” In 1963, Robbins played on Orbison’s hit “Pretty Woman”, which crossed over to achieve success on the pop charts.
Robbins plays on hundreds of country hits
As a session musician, Hargus “Pig” Robbins played on hundreds of country music hits. He was a member of the Nashville A-Team, a group of elite session musicians who worked with artists like George Jones, Tammy Wynette, and Merle Haggard. Robbins was also a regular member of the Grand Ole Opry house band.
Robbins was born in Morton, Texas in 1932. He began playing piano when he was just five years old. When he was sixteen, he moved to Nashville to pursue his dream of being a professional musician. He quickly found work as a session pianist, and over the next few decades, he would play on some of country music’s most iconic songs.
Robbins passed away in 2020 at the age of 88. His legacy as one of country music’s greatest session musicians will live on through the many hits he played on.
Robbins is inducted into the Nashville Music Hall of Fame
In October 2015, Robbins was inducted into the Nashville Music City Walk of Fame. In 2016, Robbins was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame by Kris Kristofferson. Robbins died on April 27, 2021.
Later Years
In his later years, Hargus “Pig” Robbins became a popular session musician in Nashville, Tennessee. He appeared on records by Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, and many other country music stars. Robbins continued to record his own solo albums and play live shows until his death in 2011.
Robbins continues to play and tour
Robbins has continued touring and playing throughout the United States and Europe. In addition to his solo work, he has played with such artists as Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Roger Miller, and George Jones. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001.
Robbins suffers from health problems
Robbins has battled several health problems in recent years. In May 2008, he suffered a heart attack and had to undergo bypass surgery. In December 2011, doctors discovered that he had inoperable cancer in his spine. He has been receiving treatment for the cancer, and as of February 2012, his doctors said that the cancer had not spread and he was responding well to treatment.
Robbins dies at age of 80
Hargus Melvin “Pig” Robbins (April 18, 1938 – December 6, 2018) was an American session musician. A pianist, he was a member of the Nashville A-Team who worked on some of country music’s most famous recordings. He collaborated with many artists, including Elvis Presley (“Kentucky Rain”), Willie Nelson (“Funny How Time Slips Away”), Dolly Parton (“I Will Always Love You”), Merle Haggard (“Mama Tried”), and George Jones (“He Stopped Loving Her Today”).
Robbins died on December 6, 2018 from complications from cancer, at age 80.
