Robin Banks

Lost in Austin

Dallas Blues Society Records

Miss Robin Banks is a Canadian-born artist who for seven years made Dallas, Texas, her musical home. Her journey through blues, R&B, soul, Americana, and jazz has created a distinctive voice that resonates with authenticity and emotional depth. As an entertainer, Robin connects with the people. With a career spanning over 30 years, she has graced stages from intimate jazz clubs to Jamaican resort hotels, bringing her signature blend of blues, roots, and contemporary sensibilities to audiences across North America, Europe, and the Caribbean. Robin’s performances are marked by powerful vocals, genuine storytelling, and an ability to connect with listeners on a profound emotional level.

Recorded in Austin, Texas, at Alnico Studio, each track tells a story of love, loss, and resilience. The songs on Lost in Austin represent Robin’s musical evolution and artistic growth. Featuring friends, the band members include Johnny Moeller on guitar (Fabulous Thunderbirds, James Cotton, Ann Barton Lou); Jay Moeller, drums; bassist Drew Allain; Bruce Bears on keyboards (Dale Robillard); the Juno-winning Steve Marriner on harmonica; Roly Platt on harmonica; and Dale Rivard on pedal steel. All songs were written, arranged, and produced by Robin except for “Some Other Day Some Other Time” and “Cold, Cold Feelin’.”

Robin opens with “Not Today,” as she sings, “When you wake up in the mornin’, and bad news hits you without warnin’, just rollover and keep snorin’, and say not today. And then when you finally wake up, look in the mirror and brush your hair and do your makeup, just give your world a little shake up, and say not today…don’t mess with me today. Not today all of you hear me when I say, don’t mess with me today,” with solos from Johnny Moeller and Bruce Bears.

On “Supersonic Rocket Ship,” with harmonica from Steve Marriner, Robin chimes, “I’m gonna build a supersonic rocket ship, and fly right out of this world. Everything’s goin’ crazy or is it just me? Cuz, I been around the world, long enough to know that I don’t know anything, but I would give anything to keep these people I love, right where I can see…when things was crazy, you was good to me…more than just a resident, could have run for President and I would have voted for you, if those people would let me…even Sammy could see you was good to me.” Robin dedicates this album to her late friends Chuck Nevitt (Dallas Blues Society Records) and Debbie Dvoracek.

“It’s My Time” features Robin as she chants, “I’m a do what I wanna do, I ain’t lying baby, get ready cuz, I’m warning you, I done paid these dues and I worn out my shoes. And working so it’s my time. It’s my time, I’mma sing what I want to sing…I’m not the only one whose gonna have some fun, it’s my time…I’m going to pop this time honey, it’s my time.”

On “Modern Man,” Robin groans, “In one hand and right out the other, Is where my money goes, brother, brother fighting each other, everybody knows I really can’t understand it, how did we get so cold? Modern man, modern man, oh. It’s time to feel again. 2025 still alive…but he should be in jail, I really can’t understand it, how did he get so bold, modern man, modern man, oh, it’s time to heal again.”

“These Days” features harmonica from Roly Platt, as Robin moans, “Well now writing songs, and righting wrongs. Is all I seem to do, these days. I’m trying to stay strong, and just move along, maybe things will be better than they are. These days, and I can’t imagine, living in a world without you…10 years ago I’d say that, it ain’t true, it can’t be true…who could imagine living in a world without you…so I’m writing songs…maybe things will be better, than they are these days.”

On “It’s Too Late,” with some great pedal steel from Dale Rivard and a solo from Johnny, Robin cries, “It’s too late for you to love me, it’s too late for you to care, just like that old Willie song, you say ‘I’m always on your mind’. I ain’t playing second fiddle, I played in that band a thousand times…it’s too late, too late to be sweet on me, I know I’m still sexy…it’s too late.”

“Never 51/Maple Leave It Alone” features Robin as she declares, “My home, my home, my home, my home will never be 51 Maple, leave it alone. Land of corn that’s where I’m born, my home, my home will never be 51 Maple, leave it alone,” with some nice Hammond B-3 from Bruce Bears.

On “Some Other Day Some Other Time,” written by Leonard Bernstein with lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green for the musical On the Town, and further popularized by Tony Bennett in 1975, Robin belts, “Every time I want to hold you, every time I want to kiss you, you just say, hey, hey, baby, some other day some other time…tell me why you keep treating me this way…tell me why you keep teasing, just give me one good reason, you just say, hey, hey, baby, some other day some other time.”

“Cold, Cold Feelin'” is a song written by Albert Collins and released in 1978 as part of the album Ice Pickin’. Robin bursts, “I’ve got a cold, cold feeling, it’s just like ice around my heart. I know I’m gonna quit somebody, every time that cold, cold feelin’ starts. You treat me like a prisoner because my hands are tied, everything you do to me, is stackin’ up inside.”

On the closer, “Talk Dirty to Ya,” Robin croons, “Yeah, yeah, mmm baby, alright, like it greasy, like that Ow! I said oh babe, ooooh, wasn’t that good for you? I said Oh daddy ooooh…wasn’t that good for ya’. I can tell by the look on your face, yeah, that it was good for you…sock it to me one more time, I know you’re getting old, but one more, one more time…slow motion tonight, yeah oooo.”

This record wasn’t planned. Robin states she had no idea it was coming until it was right up on her. Lost in Austin is a soulful journey showcasing Robin’s mastery of blues, R&B, and country soul, that might make you dance. Each track tells her stories of love, loss, and resilience. It’s time to catch up with Miss Robin Banks.

Richard Ludmerer

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