Eric Roberson

Singer/songwriter Eric Roberson creates some of the best songs in soul music today. As a songwriter, Roberson’s credits include tracks for Jill Scott, Musiq, Dwele, Carl Thomas, Vivian Green, 112, and Will Downing. As a singer, he’s amassed a loyal following of die-hard soul music heads in the States and abroad. And it’s not hard to see why. If Roberson’s latest release, “Presents: the Vault 1.5” is not permanently in your CD changer or iPod, you’re missing one of the best soul releases of 2004, right up there with Rahsaan Patterson’s “After Hours,” Lalah Hathaway’s “Outrun the Sky,” and Jill Scott’s “Beautifully Human.” And much like soul music’s resident poet laureate Jill Scott, Roberson’s songs tell stories—honest, universal, and strikingly poignant stories, told over melodies that stay in your head long after the record ends. A few listens to songs like “Couldn’t Hear Me,” “Def Ears,” “Past Paradise,” “Right Back to You,” and “Rock Wit You,” and you’ll be singing the hooks from these songs to yourself all day long. There’s a clarity and warmth in Roberson’s voice: smooth and almost intoxicating when paired with the record’s head-bopping beats and soulful, jazzy melodies.

Roberson spoke recently about the joys of being an in-demand singer and songwriter, the deal with the two Vault records, and the politics of the music industry.

For more information about Eric Roberson, visit http://www.ericrobersonmusic.com