Wounded Warrior Press Release Robert Larrabee had been a professional entertainer for over 25 years, he’s performed as a multiple full costume, audience interactive, tribute artist in his one man show An Evening With The Legends in which he performs over 50 impersonations, also a recording artist with a new Nashville recorded CD “Middle of Something” on sale on iTunes, the album was written with Top Billboard charting Nashville songwriter, Jess Cates, the single “Who Cares” has charted over seas. Now all that being said when ACMA contacted Robert and asked if he would donate his time as an original singer songwriter for The August 1st 2014 weekend “Wounded Warrior Weekend” in Slave Lake, Robert thought what a great way to introduce people to his music and do some service work at the same time. When he arrived in hi mini van Robert had driven past hundreds of people lining the roads and streets cheering for these solders. “I witnessed men and woman with prosthetic limbs jumping out of planes, putting up tents, and stages, servicemen and woman. I was struck with a profound sense that I really didn’t have a clue what service work was. I met many of these solders, two that stick out in my memory are Belt Drive Betty, and Joe Gunny two ladies that I met in the Hotel lobby where I was staying. I was sitting on a couch playing my guitar and singing a song I had just written, these two woman approached me and sat and listened. They liked my music, Joe asked me what it meant to me, to be a part of “Wounded Warrior Weekend” and if I knew much about Wounded Warriors. I had to admit I didn’t know anything really, and as far as me being there I was just part of the entertainment. Then this woman Joe Gunny who is one of only 3 females in the forces that can operate the big Machine Gun on the armoured vehicles, began to tell me about PTSD and Beachwood Cemetery, and all the struggles these folks go through. I asked if I might take notes, they said of course. So I sat there and typed, as these woman opened up there hearts to me, both wiping away tears as they told me there story, I asked if it would be alright with them if I wrote a song about our visit together. They where both very interested in that, so I said I open the band stand tomorrow morning, if I finish the song today I’ll sing it in the morning. So I stayed up most of the night writing a song about hope and survival as I felt that was what was needed. The next day I sang the song “Warrior Will Survive” and Joe came up on the stage and hugged me while I performed. Then a man named Dixon who is shooting a documentary about Wounded Warriors asked me to perform the song in front of his camera, then another lady names Shelly who’s husband is a deceased Wounded Warrior asked what I was going to do with the song, I said I wasn’t sure, she said you must record it and I’ll pay for it. So now the tune is in Nashville and my producer Dave Bechtel has it almost done. So to say I was blown away with my trip to Slave Lake is an understatement, the tune will be finished by end of January 2015. It is beautiful we have a marching snare, bagpipes, bugles playing taps and the the last stand. While I was in Slave Lake I also met Blake Emmons and I felt this connection with him, actually he reminds me allot of my dad who died from Suicide when I was 17. Blake and I have become good friends so now every Legends show I do a portion of proceeds will go to Wounded Warriors the next Wounded Warrior Weekend will be held in August in Chilliwack and I’m hoping to donate a nice big cheque from all my shows from now until then. I’m planning on doing as many shows as I can, and I’m contacting all the Legions and asking if they will host the show, anyone else that has a venue and a desire to give back to these Warriors is welcome to host our my show, I will also be performing some of my own music, and ending the show with the new song “Warrior Will Survive” which will be downloadable on iTunes by the end of Januray, again with a portion of proceeds benefiting Wounded Warriors. So it’s been a life changing experience  for me, and it is my hope that it is a life changing experience for many Wounded Warriors that I might be able to help with the support of the public. These truly are men and woman that know what service really is.” “An Evening With the Legends” appearing at Forest Lawn Legion Branch 275 Calgary Saturday February 7th 2015 call for tickets - 403-272-5585 for more information and concert dates visit http://www.legendshow.net

Robert Larrabee "What About Today"

Wounded Warrior Slave Lake, August 4th 2014 Monday August 4 Robert Larrabee opened the Ho Down in Slave Lake for the wounded warriors with a song he wrote the day before, called "The Wounded Warrior Will Survive" The song was inspired by two woman Robert met on Sunday August 3rd in the lobby of the Big River Hotel. "I met Belt Drive Betty, and her friend Gunny as I was sitting in the lobby playing a song I wrote about the girl that works at the lobby desk. The two ladies walked over and sat with me, as we visited they spoke to me about the PTSD that Gunny suffers from also, about the SOS tree in Beachwood, a cemetery for veterans, and how the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder had claimed many of the veterans after they had returned home, through suicide. I just sat and took notes, I knew I had to write a song about it. I wanted the message to be about hope, so the title ended up being, "This Wounded warrior Will Survive" Larrabee wants to record the song, and Gunny wants it to be the theme song for the Wounded Warriors time will tell if any funding will become available to record the song.

http://writer.songoftheyear.com/robertlarrabee.htm

http://writer.songoftheyear.com/robertlarrabee.htm

"Who Cares" music video, for the artist Robert Larrabee

Robert Larrabee "Middle of Something" review

Country music, in its purest Nashville and Grand Ole Opry forms (or its Achy Breaky derivatives), usually has me running for the Scottish hills with an iPod full of Todd Rundgren or Pat Metheny.

But there are always exceptions to the rule and the highest compliment I can bestow upon Canadian singer Robert Larrabee’s Middle of Something is the fact I’m reviewing it.

And enjoying it. 

But then a good song is a good song, no matter the arrangement, and Robert Larrabee has his fair share of good songs on Middle of Something.

The bulk of the material was co-written by Larrabee and noted Nashville-born songwriter Jess Cates, who has written or co-written Billboard 100 hits for many artists.

Three other numbers were co-written with Chad Cates, brother of Jess.

Larrabee and the Cates brothers’ ear for melody and a well-crafted chorus is perhaps best exemplified by the title track, a great slice of melodic, mid-tempo country that tells the tale of trying to find time for the things that are all too easily interrupted. 

Geared for radio play, 'Middle of Something' is guaranteed to have the listener humming the chorus long after the song has faded from the dial.

Lyrically, the countrified soft rock of ‘Guy Thing’ is self-explanatory but the gal is going to love the twist in the chorus – and her guy.

And any song that contains the line “when we’re surfing them channels one by one and I see those helmets and jerseys on… I’m glued to the screen” is going to score a Touchdown here at FabricationsHQ.

Great line, pity about the grammar (but that’s Nashville country, y’all).

‘When You’re Gone’ is a missing you already ballad that succeeds where so many saccharine cookie cutter ballads fail because there’s a genuine sincerity to both the lyric and Larrabee’s vocal, complimented by an under-stated but perfectly weighted arrangement.

By contrast the light rock of ‘Courageous’ would not be out of place on melodic rock station playlists while ‘Godly Man’ works where so many Christian rock songs fail because not only is it a great light-rock ballad, Robert Larrabee sings of a personal declaration of Faith.

The latter makes for a more sincere number and is a welcome change from the usual preaching to the converted (or unconverted) approach. 

But it wouldn’t be a country album without a line-dancing, fiddle and banjo clap-a-long and ‘Round Here’ fits the bill right down the cry of “Woo-hoo!”

Too late to close the barn dance door, boys, this cowboy and his horse have already bolted.

But that’s the only song on the album I’m galloping away from.

Musically, Robert Larrabee is definitely in the Middle of Something.

But, based on the strength and quality of the tracks contained within, Robert Larrabee deserves to be at the Start of Something Big.

Robert Larrabee radio tour, country radio 103, country radio 103 kamloop...