You Tube Gold: A Forgotten Child Prodigy

Photo by Gilles Petard/Redferns Sugar Chile Robinson, portrait, USA, 11th September 1945.As we said the other night, while most of our You Tube Golds are about basketball, sometimes we veer off into other directions. One of the great lost musicians of mid-century America is Frank “Sugar Chile” Robinson.

Born in Detroit, Robinson was a child prodigy who went on tour with major musicians of the day and held his own.

He toured with guys like Count Basie and his hands were so small that he tossed his his fists and elbows to get it done.

He performed for President Truman in the White House at the age of eight.

As a young man though he decided that he would much rather get a college education than a…