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Robin Fitch | home
![]() ![]() Biography
![]() Robin was born to sing, at least it seems that way. Actually she was born with undeveloped lungs and after one and a half years on a breathing machine she overcame her problems. No damage, no Asthma. Her voice was loud and clear and she would echo tunes of songs from the radio or TV.
At two she was given a wind up musical toy, made by TOMY that looked like a portable cassette player. It actually used slide in cartridges and played songs like "This Old Man" and "Hickory Dickory Dock". It has a Stop, Play, and Eject button and they got a serious workout. It was a favorite toy and she sang along with the tunes for hours at a time.
On the third birthday, her toy was upgraded to a "My First Sony" portable cassette player with microphone, a volume control, and big speaker. She carried it with her everywhere she went to play. Singing with it or not, it was turned on and she listened to music. Friends and relatives sent her new tapes for birthdays and Christmas. Many tapes she wore completely out. When Robin was old enough to ride a bike, she would hang the tape player handle over the handlebars of the bike and ride around singing for neighbors up and down the street. This tape player still works, and as recent as last fall she would play and sing with it while shooting baskets in the driveway.
Robin and family belonged to a large church in NW Harris County and her mom was in the 300 member choir. Mom would have practice tapes playing in the car and Robin knew all of the songs, sometimes better than mom. There were big choir productions two or three times a year with long rehearsals and Robin tagged along wanting to be a part of the show. It was hard to keep her off the stage. She did manage to get a lot of stage time in the "kid productions" but she wanted the Big Show.
The move to Willis, TX gave Robin more opportunities to sing. We joined a small church and mom joined the choir. Robin knew all the songs and sang loud on Sundays. One of the mothers asked if Robin would like to try out for a competitive youth choir at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville. Robin auditioned and was selected to sing with the choir for the next three years. The training was excellent with the best professors and music students working with the choir members. The car pool to Huntsville disbanded and so did her opportunity to continue with the choir.
The assistant choir director at the new church turned out to also be the music teacher at school and the youth choir director at church. Robin finally got to sing a solo at church not only in choir, youth plays, but every fifth Sunday, the evening service had an "open mike" and she was getting her turn. Robin started private voice lessons with her teacher who after a few months advised us to get a professional voice coach as she believed that Robin had the talent and voice that should not be overlooked.
Drama became another big part of Robin's life in the third grade when she became a member of the "Crighton Kidz". This is a group of students who study with actors and directors with the Crighton Theater in Conroe, TX. Their studies include dance, voice, improve, pantomime, directing, set building, costumes, makeup, lighting and sound. The Kidz put on plays open to the public for fundraisers for themselves and audition for and act in plays with the adults. Robin has had many minor and lead parts. In one play, Rumplestliskin, she was the wife of the farmer who had bragged to the King that his daughter could spin straw into gold. Robin was so mean that most people commented that she would never get a boyfriend or husband. Acting credits are listed in another section of this biography. Robin is still a Crighton Kid, however singing at the various Opry's has taken a toll on her time to be active in plays.
Robin likes to sing the Broadway show tunes. She really likes to sing like Barbara Streisand, especially "Memories". Problem is, there aren't many places to sing these kinds of songs, in Willis, or Conroe, Texas. Robin thrives on a crowd. The bigger the crowd the better the performance.
Robin started studying classical voice in 99'. This same year she joined the schools 6th grade band and choir. Robin played percussion in band. Her first voice teacher Mr. Herbert Armentrout, Director of the Conroe Symphony was transferred after about five months. Before he left he searched for someone to take his students that would instill the same award winning principles he was teaching his students. Luckily, he found Lauri Lee Cosby who had just moved to Conroe from Tulsa, OK. She had been a music director for a church and had a large voice studio in Tulsa. They have been a good match and Robin has learned a lot from Lauri. In fact the fall classes start August 30th.
Robin started singing Country Music because she wanted to sing in public and country was about the only kind of music that gave her the opportunity. She had been singing country about a year before her teacher found out. Robin was learning a song to enter for the True Value Country Talent Contest and she asked her teacher to help her with it. After Lauri caught her breath, she did agree to help her once. Then we found out that her husband was a big country music fan. Lauri likes opera. Robin didn't mention that she had been performing country at the Montgomery County fair, Astro-World, and other places. It still is a subject not mentioned much. Robin will continue to study the classical music since the school choir UIL competition uses much of the same music she studies. In order for her to get a scholarship to college in Music, she will have to study hard. Of course if she is lucky and gets a recording contract or a hit CD, who knows what kind of story this, will be.
Summer 2001 has been busy for Robin. Besides singing at the local Opry's she has been working on a CD project. It has turned into work, hard work. Hard enough that you might decide singing isn't as much fun without a crowd. Obtaining the copyrights to music, working with the recording company, band and other musicians require a lot of time. Now designing the CD graphics and the box insert is one more big project. Getting the Web site together is another big deal. The photo shoot for the promo pictures was fun but choosing the correct picture out of the 55 good ones was a real task. Still is.
Trying to get original music is impossible if you aren't somebody with a good track record.. If you find a good song and would like to try it, no one will give it to you since you are an unknown. The whole family tries to write but most of it goes in the trash.
She does have a couple of new song ideas and is working on them.
Robin wants to learn to play the " steel guitar". She attends the steel guitar player's association meetings and is friends with several of the old timers. Jody Sanders, who plays on her new CD, has offered to teach her, but first we need the instrument.
Robin keeps the country music side of her at home. Country isn't "cool" at school. Only a few close friends know and have heard her sing. They are impressed and support her. If the CD ever gets finished and a copy makes it to school - then we will see what happens.
We moved to another big church and guess what? The music Minister won't let kids sing solos. Robin takes songs to him, he listens and gracefully says if he ever needs that song, he will think of her. In the meantime she goes to the monthly gospel show in Conroe and sings her Christian music there.
Robin and her mom went to a seminar last February put on by Jayne Labrand Wesson, owner of the Image Factory and Johnnie High, owner of the Johnnie High Country Music Revue in Arlington, TX. It was suggested that she pass out comment cards after she sings at the local Opry's. This would be free criticism, good or bad, and would help her correct the problems noticed by her fans. I leave you with a few comments from the audience:
"A Star to Be", "Her Grandpa Song Should Be Recorded", "Never Heard Any-
One Sing So High", "A Beautiful Voice", "When Will She Be Back", "As Different A
Voice as Dolly Parton", "I Can't Believe That She Is Just 13".
Thank you for reading about Robin. Please check her performance schedule located on another screen on this web site. Robin hopes you enjoy her music as much as she enjoys bringing it to you.
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