Sharon Robinson

Biography

Sharon Robinson is an American songwriter, record producer, and vocalist. She is best known as a frequent writing collaborator with Leonard Cohen, although she has written songs for a number of other artists as well, including Aaron Neville, Diana Ross, Don Henley, Randy Crawford, and others. She toured as back-up singer for Cohen in 1979 and 1980 and again in 2008 and 2009. They collaborated on writing his much acclaimed songs "Everybody Knows" and "Waiting for the Miracle", released in 1988 and 1992 respectively. In 2001 she co-wrote, produced, arranged and performed the backing tracks (as well as appearing alongside Cohen on the cover) for his album Ten New Songs. Robinson also contributed to three tracks on Cohen's 2004 album Dear Heather, and duetted with Cohen on "The Letters". She was awarded a Grammy in 1985 for the song "New Attitude" (from the Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack), recorded by Patti LaBelle. In 2004, Sharon Robinson gave a full-length interview discussing her life, career and work with Leonard Cohen (available on her site). In 2005, Robinson's new song "The High Road" was performed by Bettye LaVette on her album I've Got My Own Hell to Raise, which was picked as #59 at Amazon's best of 2005 Editor's picks. Robinson's recent work also includes the songs written for Chris Botti. In 2015, Robinson released a four-track EP titled Sharon Robinson EP 1, covering songs by Tom Waits, Otis Redding, Bruce Hornsby, and Eric Clapton. After her second 2015 tour was postponed, she toured in Europe again in August and September 2016. In August 2016, she was the guest of honor at the 10th Leonard Cohen Event, held in Amsterdam.