Artist Biography

“Robby Romero is an articulate artist and advocate for the causes and concerns behind a cultural resistance that is older than this country.” - Danny Schechter, Media Channel

Some are born knowing who they are and where they are going. Others spend their entire lives trying to find out. Some never do. Robby Romero has always known.

Robby’s early life was spent in the age-old tradition of living out of the proverbial suitcase. Only his suitcase bridged a cultural divide. He traveled between two very different worlds – namely that of New Mexico with its Native customs, and Hollywood with its own set of customs unlike any other.

Robby’s father worked in show biz for the David Wolper Organization while his mother appeared in numerous motion pictures including a series of Elvis Presley films. Robby even met The King.

Surrounded by some of the most artistic minds of the time, Robby spent much of his childhood in the company of Dennis Hopper, a relationship that would in turn have a powerful impact on his own creativity.

As Robby matured, he learned to combine the best of what he loved about both those worlds. By thirteen, he was singing his songs in Taos Plaza Cantinas and Cafés, and recording in Hollywood with celebrated Native American guitarist Jesse Ed Davis, recording artist Johnny Rivers, virtuoso Van Dyke Parks, producer Rob Fraboni, and legendary hipster Thomas Jefferson Kaye. Robby’s music had its radio debut on KROQ introduced by “The Mayor Of Sunset Strip”, Rodney Bingenheimer.

Throughout his youth, Robby performed in Hollywood’s talked about club scene. He played the Palomino, the Troubadour, the Starwood, and the most infamous of all, the Whiskey A-Go-Go. He toured with country singer and academy award nominee Ronee Blakley, Rick Danko of The Band, Gene Clark of The Byrds, and Paul Butterfield of The Butterfield Blues Band. But it was his apprenticeship with Latin activist Reyes Tijerina and Native American activist Dennis Banks that would change the course of Robby’s life and put him on the red road he was born to follow.

In 1989 Robby founded Native Children’s Survival (NCS), a non-profit organization devoted to the healing of Mother Earth and all her children. As part of NCS’s mission to create awareness through music, Robby has conducted many performances around the world, including: a series of concerts in Indian Country which earned Robby a certificate of acknowledgement and appreciation from the National Congress Of American Indians; the “Sacred Run” concert series with Hopi Elder Thomas Banyacya that benefited the Sacred Run for Land & Life; the “All Our Colors” and “Sacred Sites” concerts with Carlos Santana and Chief Oren Lyons that benefited the American Indian Institute Traditional Circle of Elders and youth; and the “Concert For Peace” also with Carlos Santana and with Yusuf Islam (a.k.a. Cat Stevens) that benefited the Milagro Foundation in San Francisco, and the Desmond Tutu Peace Center in South Africa.

Following President Gorbachev’s historic environmental message at the 1990 Global Forum of Spiritual and Parliamentary Leaders in Moscow, Robby’s first NCS music video campaign, “Is It Too Late”, was broadcast around the world from the Kremlin on ORT Channel One Russia and at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City. This endeavor earned Robby the title of United Nations Ambassador of Youth for the Environment and a certificate of appreciation from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) signed by Executive Director, Mostafa K. Tolba.

Robby also formed a Native Rock band, Red Thunder, with roots deep in the heart of Indian Country. Robby & Red Thunder debuted live from the Apache Territories of the Southwest as part of MTV’s “Street Block Party” broadcast. Robby’s music and likeness were featured on the TBS star-studded hit cartoon “Captain Planet”. Robby & Red Thunder made a special appearance on the PBS hit puppet show “Puzzle Place” that went on to become the most watched and requested episode of the series.

Crossing cultural boundaries around the world, Robby performed at historic events including: the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit in South America; the Nuclear Free Forum in Austria; the World Forum on Racism in Australia; the United Nations World Forum on Sustainable Development in South Africa; the Concert for Peace in Germany; the Indigenous Peoples Global Summit on Climate Change in Alaska; the United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP15) in Denmark; the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in New York City; and the United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP17) in South Africa. He shared the stage with Yusuf Islam aka Cat Stevens, Carlos Santana, Jimmy Cliff, Bonnie Raitt, John Lee Hooker, Arlo Guthrie, Steve Miler and many more.

As part of MTV’s “Free Your Mind” campaign, Robby created several stereotype breaking public service announcements, introducing contemporary Native Peoples to the music television generation. The campaign won the industry’s prestigious Cable Ace Award. Robby was featured on VH1′s Inside Music and he co-wrote, directed and scored a World Alert Special, “Makoce Wakan: Sacred Earth” that generated the highest viewer response than any other show on the network at that time and earned the network more than one hundred and sixty-thousand new subscribers.

In 1994, Robby launched Red Thunder’s debut soundtrack to his VH1 World Alert Special, “Makoce Waken/Sacred Earth” exclusively in Indian Country, and with their single “Heartbeat” in rotation on MTV2, Red Thunder began their groundbreaking and critically acclaimed Indian Country Tour.

They were invited on the H. O. R. D. E. Tour in 1995 and 1996, a Blues Traveler founded festival that came to define a genre of explosive live performances and intense fan loyalty. Robby & Red Thunder were featured on MTV’s “Crossroads” and “H.O.R.D.E. Bootleg Special” along with Lenny Kravitz, Natalie Merchant, the Dave Matthews Band, and Rickie Lee Jones. They toured with blues legend Taj Mahal, Sheryl Crow, Ziggy Marley, and the Black Crows, and joined Blues Traveler for a Fall tour.

With laurels from critics and throngs of new fans, Robby & Red Thunder returned to Indian Country in 1997, rolling onto the Navajo Nation for the Annual Hodiits’a concert with Native post punk band, Blackfire, and punk rocker, Joey Ramone. They stormed the Pacific Northwest for the grand opening of Chief Leschi Schools and headed east for the Onondaga Nation Music festival.

In 1998, Robby co-wrote, produced, scored and directed “Hidden Medicine”, an experimental film dealing with the mystical relationship between Indigenous Peoples and the environment. The film premiered at Sundance Film Festival, screened at International Film Festivals around the world, and debuted on Sundance Channel in 1999. The soundtrack was released exclusively on Turtle Island and Robby & Red Thunder hit the road in 2000 from the Native territories of North America to the Aboriginal territories of Australia.

In 2002, the “Indigenous” Product Line, created and developed by Robby with the Aveda Corporation, was launched. “Indigenous – Beauty in balance with Nature”, is a Purifying Collection sustainably harvested by Native Peoples that included a Purifying Pure-Fume Composition, Purifying Hair and Body Cleanser, and Purifying Aroma Candle. To date, the “Indigenous” Collection has donated over one million dollars to Indigenous and Environmental Organizations.

Also in 2002, Robby documented “America’s Last Frontier”, a musical journey through the homelands of the Gwich’in Nation in Alaska. “America’s Last Frontier” premiered at the United Nations World Summit in South Africa, United Nations Geneva, Switzerland, and at the United Nations Permanent Forum On Indigenous Issues in New York City. “America’s Last Frontier” was broadcast first on SABC Africa and SABC Africa 2 along with the exclusive CD release of the soundtrack in America’s First Nations Territories.

In 2003, Robby created another Public Service Announcement campaign called “r u 2 cool 2 care…”. The first in the series, “Save The Arctic Refuge” focused on protecting the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from the mandate to drill oil. “Save The Arctic Refuge” was launched nationally on music television and internationally on the world-wide-web.

As America prepared for it’s 2004 Presidential Election, so did Indian Country. Native Nations launched a national “Get Out the Vote” campaign and Robby & Red Thunder hit the road on the “Rock The Rez Vote” Campaign Tour, targeting swing-states in Indian Country. In support of a new generation of Indian Country leaders, Robby performed at the Presidential inaugurations of Floyd “Buck” Jourdian, Chairman of the Red Lake Nation; Cecilia Fire Thunder, President of the Oglala Sioux Nation; and at the Wendell Chino Mescalero Apache Humanitarian Award Banquet.

In 2005, Eagle Thunder Records released a limited edition of Robby’s work entitled, “Native Children’s Survival, If not now, when? If not you, who?” This essential CD/DVD is a collection of music, music videos, rockumentary films, exclusive interviews on MTV, VH1 and Sundance Channel, and public service announcement campaigns about the critical need to permanently protect our last remaining wild places and safeguard Indigenous Peoples culture, lands and territories.

Following the release, Robby began work on the next project of the “r u 2 cool 2 care…” public service announcement campaign. “Native Wind” had its debut at the Clinton Global Initiative in New York City on September 16, 2005, with some of the world’s most influential political and business leaders in attendance. “Native Wind” made its film festival premier at the 2006 American Indian Film Festival, Palace Of Fine Arts in San Francisco, CA and went on to showcase at the Festival De Cannes – Short Film Corner in Cannes, France, the Wild & Scenic Environmental Film Festival presented by Patagonia, Robert Redford’s Sundance Summit, and at the United Nations World Environment Day celebration.

In 2006, Sony/BMG released “Encounters II – An Alliance For Children”. The album featuring a duo with German Rock Legend Peter Maffay of Robby’s Indian Country hit single “Heartbeat”. The release was followed by a string of TV and Radio appearances including BRAVO Magazine’s 50th Anniversary Celebration of music history and youth culture with a live three-hour international television satellite feed, an AOL International Live broadcast, and a 2007 15-city Arena Tour. The TV lineups included Tokio Hotel, Beyonce, Keith Urban, Sting, and more. The “Encounters” project was successful in raising over One Million euros to benefit Children’s programs around the world including the building of the “Sacred Hoop” Lakota Language School in Oglala, South Dakota on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

In 2007, “Pathfinder”, a 20th Century Fox film in which Robby produced the Traditional Native Music and was a consultant for the production, was released. “Pathfinder” is based on the Academy Award nominated film for best foreign film by Nils Gaup, and is directed by Marcus Nispel and produced by Phoenix Pictures’ Mike Medavoy and Arnold Messer. Robby also produced the self-titled debut CD of The P.Town Boyz, the acclaimed Ojibwe youth drum group from the traditional village of Ponemah on the Red Lake Indian Reservation.

During the summer of 2007 Robby joined Carlos Santana, Peter Maffay, Yusuf Islam (a.k.a. Cat Stevens), Archbishop Desmond Tutu, President Mikhail Gorbachev, and President Shimon Peres in a Concert for Peace in Bochum, Germany. Robby had the honor of performing with and signing Carlos Santana’s classic hits “Black Magic Woman” and “Oye Como Va” before performing his own hits, “Heartbeat” and “Hidden Medicine”. Proceeds from this concert supported the humanitarian projects of the Milagro Foundation in San Francisco, and the Desmond Tutu Peace Center in South Africa.

In 2008 Robby released “Painting The World”, a limited edition CD/Single that celebrates the historical adoption of the United Nations’ “Declaration on The Rights of Indigenous Peoples”, and raises awareness about global warming and climate change. Featuring Indigenous artists from around the world, this new release bridges the gap between Indigenous Peoples, human rights, and the environment. The CD release party took place during the United Nations Permanent Forum On Indigenous Issues Cultural Event on Earth Day April 22 at United Nations Headquarters in New York City with a live performance by Robby and Indigenous performers from around the world.

In 2010, Robby began producing Dakota Romero’s debut music release in San Francisco, CA. Working with Carlos Santana band member Karl Perazzo and renowned musicians Ray Obiedo, Marc & Paul van Wageningen, Steve Erquigua, and David K. Mathews, the west coast sessions capture the essence of Dakota’s multi-cultural background.

On April 22, 2009, the United Nations’ General Assembly made a historic move by proclaiming the day International Mother Earth Day. The effort was led by Bolivian Indigenous President, Evo Morales Ayma, in which he applauded the members of the world body for taking “a historic stand for Mother Earth”. To commemorate the UN’s unprecedented occasion and celebrate International Mother Earth Day, NCS partnered with ETE to produce a music picture of Robby’s song, “Who’s Gonna Save You”.  The music picture had a sneak peak broadcast premiere on South Africa’s number 1 network, SABC Africa during the United Nations Climate Change Conference November 28-December 9, 2011 in South Africa, reaching millions of African viewers.

On Mother Earth Day April 22, 2012, Robby will launch the NCS 2012 Climate Change Awareness Campaign For The Rights Of Mother Earth And All Her Children with a US national TV broadcast of “Who’s Gonna Save You”. The broadcast premiere is designed to create awareness about the overwhelming threat and impacts of climate change from an Indigenous perspective. The “music picture” is a combination of music video and motion picture woven into a poetic call to consciousness for the restoration of life in balance, celebrating the power of music and film to inspire, educate, and motivate audiences into awareness and action.

Up-coming releases include Robby’s highly anticipated “Native Rock The Singles”, a unique limited collection of new live and digitally re-mastered hit singles never before released outside Indian Country.

With rare performances outside of Indian Country interspersed throughout his career, from the Roxy Theater in Hollywood to Berlin’s renowned Komische Oper opera house, Robby Romero continues to stand up and celebrate what he believes in. It is the reason he has been honored and supported around the world by Indigenous leaders, politicians, celebrities, fellow artists, friends and fans. Weaving the new into the old, it is just the beginning….