A Short Biography of Robert Burton Hubele, Poet of The Blues

Robert is the oldest of eight children, raised in the prairies of southern Alberta, Canada. At 14, he laboured at a steel mill and then became a heavy equipment operator. At 21, he wrote his first song. Robert’s world view is that love and harmony are all. Writing songs and giving concerts are Robert’s focus in life - making a difference in the world through his songwriting and concerts, causing people to see their lives in a new, more harmonious light. And it is not always the big things in life that are the most important. Robert writes about the little things that make a difference. Robert is entirely self-taught. His love for the blues started with listening to popular music on the radio as a teen. What caught his ear was Eric Burden’s ‘House of the Rising Sun’. He had no idea that it was the blues, but he just had to learn to play that song. His friend Butch Williams, a Redcap and co-worker at the Canadian Pacific Railroad, offered to loan him his electric guitar and amplifier and teach him how to play it. Robert became fascinated with the earthy beat and emotional impact of the blues. He began listening to and playing along with B.B. King, Howlin’ Wolf, Willie Dixon, Muddy Waters, and Freddie and Albert King. Robert’s introduction to jazz was through Chuck Tracy, a hard-core lounge musician and really funny guy who was his roomate for a while. In listening to him rehearse and perform, Robert got turned onto the music of Tom Waits, Mose Allison and Fats Waller. He also listened to Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, Benny Goodman and - especially - Cab Calloway and Louis Jordan. There is also a touch of country in Robert’s music from growing up on the prairies on the fringe of Calgary, where music by Hank Williams, Hank Snow, and Marty Robbins was the background of his life. Robert’s interest in slide dobro began when he first heard Bonnie Raitt in the early 70s. She had learned to play slide from Mississippi Fred McDowell and Robert just had to learn how to make that ‘slidey’ sound himself. He figured out how to tune his guitar to slide tuning, and made a lot of racket for a couple of years until eventually he got the hang of it. Robert writes when the song comes to him, about one each month. It takes one-half to two hours to write a song. The best ones often come the fastest. Polishing and learning a song takes a couple of weeks. Robert and his wife Susan, an artist in ceramics and multi-media painting, make their home in Calgary, Alberta, in a beautiful suburb called Tuscany on the north-western edge of the city.

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Discography:

 Lucky Man The Sleepy Time King Hubele Arts Music, 2019 Hubele Arts Music, 2016
She Won't Talk To Me Hubele Arts Music, 2016
Highway of Dreams Hubele Arts Music, 2012
I Get Lonely Hubele Arts Music, 2011
 Life is Good  Hubele Arts Music, 2010
 Three Little Words  Foff Records, 2004 FRCD 0304
Halfway To Everywhere  Foff Records, 1998 FRCD0220
 When The Sky Falls   Foff Records, 1995 FRCD0219
 Robert Burton  Attic / A&M, 1988 Cat. 1245
Bug Bug  Company 125, 2008
 (collaboration on "Known Mystery")
Sweet Talk-Song (Winner, Canadian Songwriting Contest)  Independent cassette, 1984
Coaldust Grins (A Compilation) Song: Jenkin Evans Cambria Publishing, 1999
Living On The Land (A Compilation) Songs: Wild Alberta Rose, Deliver Me Adfarm Agency, 2000
 Made In Alberta (A Compilation) Song: Red Wine  Karo Design Calgary, 2000

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Robert Burton Hubele - Promotional Photos

Download Hi-Resolution Photos:

Robert Hubele Black Signed (1317 x 1980)

Robert Hubele on Stage - Best Signed (2743 x 3843)

Robert Hubele - White Suit Signed (2181 x 3300)