Rob Constantine 1960's folk - Albany NY

Subject: RE: Rob Constantine 1960's folk - Albany NY
From: Thomas Stern
Date: 13 Jul 23 - 09:14 PM

January 19, 1967
A Publisher Extra Newspaper
Democrat and Chronicle from Rochester, New York · Page 46
Rob Constantino' Geneseo Junior Builds Folk Singing Career By BOB BICKEL Special to The Democrat and Chronicle Cuts Line mixture o f contemporary and traditional material. Constantine believes that audiences want to know what the singer as well as the songs are like and therefore has added to his programs a certain amount of talk about himself and his material. He is concerned that the personality projection be authentic, without gimmicks. He puts folk singers Judy Collins and Buffy Saint-Marie at the top of the profession not only because of the inventiveness and emotion of their work, but because "they are the same off stage as on." Constantine shares some of the present folk preoccupation with protest. In the current hassle between Joan Baez and Al Capp he is emphatically on the side of the singer and thinks Capp is way out of line in making his character "Joanie Phoanie" a hypocrite
Constantine has certain reservations about Baez's style, however. "That sweet voice and clean guitar can drive you right up the wall after a while," he says. Constantine is of medium height, lean, projects a certain taut, nervous energy. He works now with Ron Rubadeau, another Geneseo State student, who plays bass behind the singer. Geneseo will be able to hear the two of them April 13 and 14. Constantine is putting together a Genesee State Folk Festival for which he has so far booked the Greenbriar Boys, Judy Roderick, Patrick Sky, Tom Rush and Rob Constantine. GENESEO A 21-year-old State University College junior here is building a career as a folk singer. In 1963, Rob Constantine, a natvie of Amsterdam, sang in a "hoot" Competition at a coffeehouse in Boston where he was attending Emerson College. He was one of two winners, was given a booking and other bookings started to come in immediately. Since then he has sung at concerts, coffeehouses and supper clubs from Maine to North Carolina. His first album, "Rob Constantine Sings," has been distributed; a second, "Rob Constantine in Concert" is scheduled for release in the spring. He gets $450 a concert, $400 a week for a club or coffeehouse date, considers himself a professional, and believes he may have a future as a singer. Constantine's young career has the marks of the professional performer discipline imposed on talent and combined with some factor of personal magnetism. He was a boy soprano and took singing lessons when he was nine. At 13 his voice changed. When he was 15 it had settled into its present low register with a "vibrato" added. He began singing again, had to learn breath control, and worked hard at developing a personal style. He taught himself to play the guitar and has learned to use such specialized folk instruments as the mouth bow and the auto harp. ; He has a repertoire of about 350 songs,



Crimson and White VOL. XXIX, No. 5 THE MILNE SCHOOL, ALBANY, N. Y. FEBRUARY 25, 1966
Seniors Hold Concert Milne’s Senior Class will sponsor Rob Constantine in a Folk Music Concert, March 26, 1966, at 8:30 p.m. in Page Auditorium. Tickets will be $1.00 when bought in advance; $1.25 at the door. Mr. Constantine has sung professionally for three years. He and his accompanist, Ray Sabatelli, have made two records: Rob Constantine Sings and Rob Constantine in Concert. Mr. Constantine sings in area coffee houses and won a folk music contest in Virginia Beach, Va. last summer.



AMSTERDAM [NY} RECORDER July 1 1967 Amsterdam NY Daily Democrat and Recorder
TO SING AT EXPO '67
Rob Constantine, Amsterdam folk singer, is scheduled to appear.as one of the featured artists at The Canadian Folk Festival, Montreal, Canada, the festival, which is sponsored in conjunction with Expo 67, will take place at the Youth Pavlllion, July 30-Aug. 3, with Constantine performing each night. The local singer recently performed at "The SingerComposer Festival" In Provincetown, Mass. He will return to the Cape shortly to appear at the Blues Bag Coffee House, where he will be. performing with Dave Van Ronk and Tom .Rush. (Kampus Studio)



Thomas.

Subject: RE: Rob Constantine 1960's folk - Albany NY
From: Thomas Stern
Date: 13 Jul 23 - 09:12 PM

https://www.discogs.com/release/12626334-Robb-Constantine-For-A-Blue-Afternoon

United Sound USR 5120
ROBB CONSTANTINE - For a blue afternoon
Side A
Yesterday's Song 0:00
In the Quiet Morning 2:55
Until It's Time For You To Go 5:39
Song For a Blue Afternoon 9:05
My Lady, Lady-O 12:02
Carolina 14:36

Side B
Madman 18:50
Wild, Wild Flower 23:31
Bringin' Miranda Home 26:35
Just Tell Her Hello 29:22
Reach Out 32:34
She's Home Roamin' 36:37


is this the same person ????????????????????
is this a 3rd album, was the LIVE album released ??????

Thomas.

Subject: RE: Rob Constantine 1960's folk - Albany NY
From: GUEST,RE Vincent
Date: 13 Jul 23 - 05:58 PM

In 1972, I was in my freshman year of college at a two year school in Canandaigua where classes were held in trailers because the school was not yet built. Today it is called CCFL.

During my time attending that school, I was in love with a girl that lived in Buffalo that broke up with me. That's when I first heard the song; Just tell her I said hello by Robb Constantine. Some that knew him told me he was a local singer and now I am 89 years old and I still find myself singing that song.

He was a true hidden gem!

Subject: RE: Rob Constantine 1960's folk - Albany NY
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Jun 19 - 07:09 PM

Hi Folks

Little bit late to this thread, but I unearthed Rob's album last year in a junk shop outside of Rochester. I just had a chance to upload it to Youtube last night, so anybody else who is trying to listen to it can hear the songs! Here's the link (and apologies for the crackles, the copy I found was pretty beat up):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRSMZK3Gmbs&feature=youtu.be

It's really a stunning set of songs, much more polished and professional than a lot of the other early-60s folk revival presses. I'd love to give the fabled "other album" a listen if anyone has uploaded it!

—Troy

Subject: RE: Rob Constantine 1960's folk - Albany NY
From: GUEST,Robert was a funny fucker
Date: 14 Dec 18 - 10:11 AM

Robert was my mothers sisters son (first cousin)
I always got his hand me downs - kinda pissed me off that
I would get old clothers
Anyway, he always cracked me up - he was always a great showman
Used to tapdance his ass off as a 10yo
Around 20 he started singing and made a couple albums I didnt think
anyone bought besides the family
We had one but its GONE - no idea where
Robert fucked himself up drinking and drugs - died suddenly probably due to coronary artery disease
He was an amazingly creative person
anyway, the point of all this; I have been looking for copies of Roberts songs for years - long before he died.
I would have digitized them myself by now if I could find copies - but none of the relative have them. Nobody
Would one of you with copies - PLEASE - send me copies. I will pay whatever...
Thank you!

Subject: RE: Rob Constantine 1960's folk - Albany NY
From: Joe Offer
Date: 01 Dec 16 - 04:40 PM

Here's an email from a woman named Lynne. Can anyone help her?

Hi Joe,

My uncle was Robert Constantine. He cut an album in the early 70's and tonight while I was searching for some info about it online, I found a thread on mudcat.org about him (http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=158865 ). I wish I had found this thread two years ago, I could have told the people where to find him…he was still living in Amsterdam and would have been thrilled to know that people were still listening to his album. He died last Monday, very suddenly. I want to try and locate a copy of the album, or someone who would be willing to make me a digital copy of the album. With his passing, I realized that I have none of his music and I really need to have it.

If you can help and need to email Lynne, send your email to me and I'll forward it.
Thanks.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Rob Constantine 1960's folk - Albany NY
From: Hollowfox
Date: 27 Dec 15 - 05:19 PM

He was in college at the State University of New York at Geneseo in the late 1960's I didn't meet him at the time (I was also attending), and he was singing there at the time. He was featured in the first Geneseo Folk Festival in January (or February or March?) 1968, as was Ysaye Barnwell (Sweet Honey in the Rock, also a student there), and Lou Killen. I remember Rob sang Malaguena Salerosa, and I believe he followed Lou as the next act on stage. In my time in Albany (1970s) I don't remember seeing or hearing about Rob at that time. Last Vestage Records (Quail Street, Albany) might have the album you're looking for. They no longer have an online catalog, but a phone call to them might get you what you need.

Subject: RE: Rob Constantine 1960's folk - Albany NY
From: GUEST,Lin
Date: 26 Dec 15 - 09:26 PM

To Thomas Stern:

Many thanks for your reply! Do you have both albums? I just have the one, "Rob Constantine Sings." I would love to get the other album and if you have the other album I would be happy to pay for a copy made (CD-R)? Or tape? I looked at the album I have again and cannot find any release date so still trying to find that information and what happened to him after 1966? Hopefully still alive.

Thanks,
Lin

Subject: RE: Rob Constantine 1960's folk - Albany NY
From: Thomas Stern
Date: 26 Dec 15 - 09:58 AM

according to a Feb 1966 article, Constantine had
been singing for 3 years, and has 2 recordings
Bob Constantine Live (no details found - ANYONE ?????)
and
A Z Records xxxx                   LP 196?
Rob Constantine Sings
A1 Cannons Of War Written By – Robb McKay 2:50
A2 Boot Of Blue Written By – Eric Anderson* 2:57
A3 Universal Soldier Written By – Buffy Sainte-Marie 2:00
A4 Come Back Baby   2:30
A5 Malaguena Salerosa Words By – Traditional 3:44
A6 Bulgine Run Written By – Traditional 2:30
A7 Tomorrow Is A Long Time Written By – Bob Dylan 2:40
B1 Many A Mile Written By – Patrick Sky 3:15
B2 Erev Shel Shoshaniem Words By – Traditional 1:39
B3 With God On Our Side Words By – Bob Dylan 6:14
B4 Don't Follow Me Written By – Ron Constantine 1:55
B5 John's Lament Written By – Robb McKay 2:30
B6 Must I Go Bound Written By – Traditional 2:27
B7 He Was A Friend Of Mine   2:56

Best wishes, Thomas.

Subject: RE: Rob Constantine 1960's folk - Albany NY
From: GUEST,Danny
Date: 25 Dec 15 - 04:44 PM

I have this album too and you are right about Rob being a "great singer." I don't have any information about this guy or about the song "The Five Roads" So if anyone can help or know anything of Rob's whereabouts or if he ever had any other records please let us know.

By the way, there is another Rob Constantine out there who is also a singer but NOT the same person. Rob Constantine who Lin wrote about would have been in his 20's during the time the album came out in the 1960's and this other Rob Constantine is a current and younger guy.
Just has the same name but not the same person.

Subject: Rob Constantine 1960's folk - Albany NY
From: GUEST,Lin
Date: 24 Dec 15 - 02:03 AM

I have a album just called, "Rob Constantine Sings."
I was wondering if anyone might know anything about this guy and what became of him? He was from the Amsterdam, New York area and played at colleges and at clubs in the 1960's. The album appears to be about from the mid-60's and if anyone knows the exact release year please post that information too. Rob did a really great cover of
"Many A Mile" on this album. Could not find too much after trying a research on-line, just that he played a college which was mentioned in a local newspaper in New York in 1966. I think he also played at The Café Lena in Albany, New York. If anyone knows how to contact Rob, please post message. He was a great singer!

On the album liner notes it was mentioned that songwriter, Robb Mackay wrote some songs that Rob Constantine sings on the album. However, out of the three songs mentioned one song that Robb MacKay wrote called, "The Five Roads" is not on the album (the other two were on the album.) So now I am also curious about this song too and if Rob ever sang it at shows?