ROB E.G.

Robert George Porter was born in 1941 and raised in Ashfield, New South Wales, a suburb of Sydney. He reluctantly took steel guitar lessons from the age of eight - he wanted to play football instead. Sydney TV show Bandstand featured hits from the UK and US played by Australian artists. As Rob E.G., Porter made his TV debut in 1959 performing the lap steel guitar instrumental "Sleep Walk" (originally by Santo & Johnny); he was soon signed to Rex Records and became a Bandstand regular.

His first single, "Your Cheatin' Heart", a cover of the Hank Williams hit, appeared in February 1960. He then signed on to the Pye label and had a hit with 'Whiplash''. In 1961, Porter received severe spinal injuries in a car accident, he adapted his playing style and continued to record. Festival then gained his services which began a roll of hits with "Si Senor (I Theenk)" which peaked at #2 in May 1962, "Jezabel" at #4 in May 1963, and "55 Days at Peking" at #1 in July; and the vocal single "When You're Not Near" at #7 in August 1964. In 1963 he supported Chubby Checker's tour and in 1964 he supported Billy J Kramer and The Dakotas.

By that time he had recorded four albums for Festival. On the advice of The Beatles' manager, Brian Epstein, Porter moved to the UK in 1964 where he wrote and recorded singles for Festival Records but had no chart success. During 1967 he moved to the USA and appeared in several television shows: Malibu U, Popendity, Daniel Boone, Mannix and The Immortal. In 1969 Porter co-starred in the movie Three.

In 1970, Porter was back in Australia where he purchased a controlling share of independent record label, Sparmac. He recorded three of his own singles for Sparmac before focusing on managing and promoting bands and producing records. Porter produced three of doo wop rock band Daddy Cool's LPs including their debut 1971 album, 'Daddy Who? Daddy Cool', which peaked at #1 and became the highest selling Australian album at the time.

Other Sparmac artists included Rick Springfield and Healing Force. In 1973 Porter started a new label, Wizard in partnership with Steve Binder, with Daddy Cool and Springfield the new label also signed Hush, Mighty Kong and Marcia Hines. Porter and Binder also managed Springfield and introduced him to the US market. He co-wrote the song "Shining" with Jill Wagner-Porter, which was recorded by Marcia Hines on her 1976 LP album 'Shining', and also wrote "Empty" and "A Love Story" on the that album. In the 1980s, Porter produced albums for Air Supply, Tommy Emmanuel and The Nauts. He returned to the US to live and worked in television production and as a horse breeder. During 2006 Porter formed another record label named, Musique, with flautist Jane Rutter. Porter died in 2021 aged 80.

SINGLES (as Rob E.G.)
''Your Cheatin' Heart / 7 Foot 2'' 1960 Rex

''Do You Love Me / Whiplash'' (#16) 1960 Pye
''My First Love / Railroadin' (#45) 1960 Pye
''Comanche Sunset (#100) / China Doll'' 1961 Pye
''5-4-3-2-1-Zero! (#13) / Jamaican Farewell'' 1962 Festival
''Si Senor (I Theenk?) (#2) / Swan River (Twist)'' 1962 Festival
''Jezebel (#4) / Stage To Cimmaron'' 1963 Festival
''55 Days At Peking (#1) / Greenhorn'' 1963 Festival
''Soul (#40) / Cotton Pickin' 1963 Festival
''Carmen! (#49) / Senorita'' 1964 Festival
''Tim-Buc-Too / Adventures In Paradise'' (#84) 1964 Festival
''When You're Not Near (#7) / Aloha Oe'' 1964 Festival
''Hawaii Tattoo (#79) / Peter Gunn'' 1964 Festival
''Dear Miss Honey (#50) / When You're In Love'' 1966 Festival

SINGLES (as Robie Porter)
''That's The Way Love Is / Yesterday's Years'' 1967 Festival
''If You'd Let Me / The Writing On The Wall'' 1968 Festival
''You Could End The World / Shure Has Been Good Loving You Baby'' 1968 Festival
''Santa Claus (And We Love Him) (Family Version) / Santa Claus (And We Love Him) (Funky Version) 1970 Sparmac
''Gemini (#28) / He Is Not He'' 1970 Sparmac
''Try To Find More Love (There Must Be A Reason) / Empty'' 1971 Sparmac

EPs

Rob-E.G.'s Big Four 1962 Festival
Rob E.G. Vocally Yours - Sings Country And Western 1962 Festival
Si, Senor (I Theenk?) 1962 Festival
5-4-3-2-1-Zero 1963 Festival
Jezebel 1963 Festival
55 Days At Peking 1963 Festival
Rob-E. G. Plays The Great Instrumentals 1964 Festival
Adventures In Paradise 1964 Festival
When You're Not Near 1965 Festival
Hawaii Tattoo 1965 Festival
Dear Miss Honey 1966 Festival

ALBUMS
'The Best Of Rob E.G.' 1962 Festival
'Jezebel And 11 Others' 1963 Festival
'Rob E.G.'s Hawaiian Guitar' 1964 Festival
'The Voice And The Guitar' 1964 Festival
'Play The Guitar' 1964 Calendar
'Guitar Sounds Of Rob E.G.' 1966 Universal
'More Sounds Of Rob E.G.' 1967 Universal
'Robbie Porter Sings' 1967 Festival
'Heart Of The Matter' 1967 MGM

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robie_Porter

http://top100singles.blogspot.com.au/