Chris Rob can do it all. He’s a singer, a songwriter and a producer. The native Chicagoan has traveled around the globe performing and recording with music legends like the incomparable Stevie Wonder. He has worked on projects with Ye, performed at inaugural parties for former President Barack Obama and most recently did the musical score for Netflix’s hit show, “The Upshaws.”
Music has always been a part of Rob’s life, and recently he shared with rolling out what inspires him, why he chose music as a career and what to expect at his upcoming “Disco to Go Brunch” at the City Winery.
You’ve been making remarkable music for a long time. What keeps you inspired?
This is what I love to do. I love creating music with dope people whether I’m the artist and it’s my show or performance, or performing with my brother Craig Robinson.
I love contributing to people getting lifted up in the show. I know that music means a lot to people. I know how much it means to me. So, that’s why I love to do it. I love to make sure that people are having a good time and just keep the party going.
What made you take on music as a career?
It kinda chose me. My mother, Flo Robinson was a pianist. She was a music teacher and she started me at a real young age playing music. It was a big thing in our family every holiday. Music was celebrated in our house. It’s one of those things where I just started doing it as an extracurricular activity and then it just morphed into getting paid. I love doing it so much that it eventually just kind of took over.
Of all the things you can do musically, which one would you choose to do if you could only do one?
Probably just perform live and play keys. Music is universal, so every time you play a groove on a piano or you play a riff, people can feel that connect with that and it brings the whole room together.
On Oct. 9, you’re doing the “Disco to Go Brunch” at City Winery, why was it important to do that in Chicago?
This is a celebration of coming home just to say, “Hey man, let’s turn up and have a really good time.” Let’s celebrate the music we know and we love. I love City Winery. I performed there before, and we had a really good turnout and a really good time. This time this is more about the party kinda vibe.
