Dennis Robbins

Dennis Anthony Robbins is an American country singer, songwriter and guitarist. He was born in Hazelwood, North Carolina. He was raised on bluegrass and rock and roll, and he got his first guitar when he was twelve years old. After a duty of service in Vietnam, he first started off in music in the 1970’s as a part of the Detroit rock band “The Rockets”, he toured and recorded records with that band, but left in the early 80’s to pursue a solo career. He moved to Nashville in 1983 and a couple of years later, he got his first solo deal with MCA Records. He released an album called “The First of Me” in May 1986 and a couple of low-charting singles of his own in ‘87. His lack of success led him to form a band called “Billy Hill” with fellow songwriters, John Scott Sherrill and Bob DiPiero. Around this time, many of Robbins’ material were later picked up and cut by other artists, such as: “Just Say Yes” for Highway 101, “The Church on Cumberland Road” by Shenandoah, “Finally Friday” by Earl Thomas Conley, and “Two of a Kind, Workin' on a Full House” (which Robbins had charted while on MCA) by Garth Brooks. While with Billy Hill, the group recorded with Reprise Records and charted one Top 40 hit called “Too Much Month at the End of the Money” and released an album called “I Am Just a Rebel”. After Billy Hill disbanded in 1990, Robbins was approached by three different record labels, he chose Giant Records, a pop label that was just branching its way into country, because his old Nashville friend from MCA days, producer and drummer James Stroud, was the head of the new operation. Stroud co-produced Robbins' 1992 album, “Man With a Plan”, along side Richard Landis. The album produced Robbins' only solo Top 40 hit, “Home Sweet Home”. Man With a Plan also included Robbins' rendition of the title track on the Billy Hill album, “I Am Just a Rebel”, as well as a song called “Paris, Tennessee” which was also recorded by Tracy Lawrence and Kenny Chesney. He released a couple more singles off "Man With a Plan”: “My Side of Town” (#59) and “Good News, Bad News”. He released his second Giant album, “Born Ready”, on July 19, 1994, which produced one more charting single, “Mona Lisa on Cruise Control” (#68). And since then, Robbins has not released any more albums or singles.