Former Cumberland Three and Highwaymen Member
Dead at 80
 Yet another folk singer has gone to sing in God’s choir. Gil Robbins died April 5, 2011, of prostate cancer at his home in Esteban Cantu, Mexico just two days after his 80th birthday. In the early 60s, Gil was a member of the Cumberland Three with John Stewart, the Belafonte Singers and The Highwaymen (shortly after the release of their hit “Michael, Row the Boat Ashore”), and he performed with Tom Paxton. He spent three years with The Highwaymen, singing baritone, writing songs and playing the guitarron, a large six-string guitar, on five albums. He was part of the Greenwich Village scene back then, well known by other folk artists of the day. In the late 1960s, following the breakup of The Highwaymen, Robbins was manager of the Gaslight, a popular folk music club in the Village.
Robbins was also the father of Academy Award winning actor/director Tim Robbins, who said in a statement “His commitment to social justice was evident to us from an early age, as was his infectious mischievous sense of humor. His passing has created great sadness for all of us and our mother, but we take comfort in knowing that the angels will soon be soothed by the songs coming from his beautiful baritone voice.” We like that sentiment and extend our sympathies to Gil's family and friends, particularly including the other members of The Highwaymen.
Robbins was a stage actor in New York, and also made brief appearances in three films directed by his son: Cradle Will Rock, Dead Man Walking and Bob Roberts. "I wouldn't be an actor if it wasn't for him," Tim Robbins said.
Acting wasn’t the only influence passed from father to son. Tim Robbins is currently in the midst of a world tour with his Rogues Gallery Band and is performing to rave reviews. Like Gil, Tim seems to favor consciousness-raising folk, but with a little rock thrown in. His major musical influences are the Texas school of songwriters such as Townes van Zandt and Guy Clark, and the more pointed work of folk writers he lauds such as Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan. Rolling Stone said of his show in Italy, “Tim holds the dignity of the best of American songwriting in the line of Bruce Springsteen. A Beautiful evening.” Critics all over Europe and Australia have said that if Tim’s performance on stage were a movie, he would win another Academy Award.
Gilbert Lee Robbins is survived by his wife Mary, Tim and another son, David; two daughters, Adele and Gabrielle; a brother, Tom; and four grandchildren.
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