The work of Sharon Robinson as a songwriter is clear proof of the fact that one needs not only popularity to succeed in her craft. She was known as a singer, keyboardist, producer, and writer who could improve the song and become the main vocalist herself if there was such a need. Being born in 1958 in Chicago, Illinois, Sharon became an artist with musical patience, meticulousness, and long-lasting creative partnerships with numerous colleagues. One discovers Robinson through Leonard Cohen's releases, yet her songwriting talents are evident in her work on his albums and in her independent solo records, which also deserve admiration.

Early roots

Robinson's career was created on the basis of musicianship which values multifunctionality. Not sticking to only one profession, Robinson developed her abilities to be a singer, player, arranger, and songwriter until it became her hallmark. In the case of songwriters, the ability to support the development of the whole structure of the song rather than the creation of catchy phrases is crucial, and Sharon Robinson demonstrated precisely that. Her voice can be characterized as smooth and clear; she is a songwriter in a genre that does not require flamboyant style but allows one to show emotions without excessive ornaments in the language and the music. The songs of this kind make Robinson a good collaborator, yet no less effective a solo performer and songwriter.

What is distinctive about Robinson's songwriting skills

They lie in the balance between accessibility of lyrics, which are understandable even for common people, and strictness and care in their writing. Robinson's songs do not contain any ornamentation, but rather consist of delicate details, a steady melodic flow, and accurate phrasing. Speaking generally, these are the elements characteristic of the songwriter's work:

  • writing lyrical lines sounding like ordinary conversations
  • creating arrangements that leave space for the voice of the singer
  • combining work with harmonies and the lead vocals

This kind of songwriter's work proved Sharon Robinson to be an appropriate person to collaborate with and work on records. In studio work, where sense and restraint are more important than showiness and visibility, songwriting requires solving different problems like improving lyrics, suggesting harmonies, or finding the emotional center of a certain song. It is possible to say that there is much evidence of this kind of talent in Robinson's biography — she is a songwriter whose collaboration made other musicians feel secure.

Leonard Cohen partnership

Speaking about the partnership between Sharon Robinson and Leonard Cohen, who is one of the most outstanding artists of our time, one may mention the significant impact of Robinson's talents on the development of his music. Robinson's first and one of the most remarkable contributions to Cohen's work was the album "I'm Your Man" in 1988. As a new album for Cohen, which changed his usual style significantly, it also allowed many people to know and appreciate Sharon Robinson's contribution to its making.

The collaboration between Cohen and Robinson developed further: the record "The Future" in 1992 and particularly "Ten New Songs" in 2001 allowed listeners not only to understand Robinson's style but to see her songwriting identity. Listening to "Ten New Songs", it is possible to realize the importance of Robinson's participation as an essential element of the atmosphere of sincerity, intimacy, and delicacy inherent in this album.

One of the most intriguing elements of the collaboration of Sharon Robinson and Leonard Cohen consists in the ability to share songwriting talents while still retaining one's own individuality. Collaboration, co-writings, and other forms of joint work should not lie in the complete merging of personalities but in mutual respect for the partner's talents, understanding, and conversation about them. Robinson's musical abilities helped to make Cohen's music more steady and rhythmic, while the lyrics written by Cohen gave Robinson the possibility of working in the field of her talents. These features prove that the collaboration of Cohen and Robinson lasted because of their mutual support.

Being not only a successful songwriter collaborating with famous artists, but also performing the songs with them, Robinson proved her skills as a live performer, which is one of the most serious tests for a songwriting singer. Performing on stage is not only singing on the record but giving the song life in the moment of performance and conveying it accurately to the listeners. Being involved in the collaboration with Cohen and participating as a performer at his concerts, Robinson proved her ability to perform songs of subtle mood accurately and precisely.

Solo album and legacy

Finally, after working together with other artists for a long period of time, Sharon Robinson revealed herself as a solo recording artist in the album called "Everybody Knows" in 2008. This album allowed listeners to learn about her as a performer in the role of the leading voice of the song and her favorite mood for performing: introspective, elegant, and laconic. Moreover, the release of Robinson's solo album allowed one to realize that, being a songwriter, Sharon is also able to perform solo songs with a lot of interesting ideas.

Speaking about Sharon Robinson, her career as a songwriter shows that one is not only the artist making a lot of hits, or performing in some style, or interpreting other artists' songs perfectly. It means that one is able to collaborate successfully with other musicians, create a certain atmosphere in the song, and release an interesting solo album. Thus, songwriting is not only the loudness in the process of creation. Moreover, this profession presupposes listening to other musicians, refinement, and perfection of other artists' material.

If one speaks about Sharon Robinson, it is necessary to listen to her albums in chronological order, namely starting with "I'm Your Man" (1988), listening to "The Future" (1992) and "Ten New Songs" (2001), and finally enjoying "Everybody Knows" in 2008. Through these albums, the listener understands the essence of her songwriting work, which lies in the intelligence of the details. That is why the songs by the songwriter remain popular in popular music.