My Hometown, The Charlie Robison Music Foundation For Youth
About Charlie
Charlie Robison was a legendary Texas singer-songwriter, a major-label Nashville recording artist, a television personality, and a defensive end on the 1982 Southwest Texas State Bobcat football team that won the Division II National Championship—all achievements that would have been wild-eyed pipedreams when he was growing up in Bandera, if they crossed his mind at all. Back then, he was a dirt-poor kid who liked to play drums and play ball, with grades that bore next to no relation to his smarts and charm. But he was a born storyteller, a talent he honed on close listens to true lions like Guy Clark, John Prine, and Townes Van Zandt. Oblivious to the long odds, he took a guitar into the wider world, playing tiny dives in Texas and beyond, where he saw that the songs he sang about who he was and where he was from were the ones that connected with people. When he finally found success, putting classics like “Loving County,” “Sunset Boulevard,” “El Cerrito Place,” and his masterpiece, “My Hometown,” into the Texas Music canon, he committed to giving a hand up to other small-town kids with similarly seeming narrow horizons. Fulfilling that legacy is the mission of this foundation.
(For a shorter, much more enjoyable version of this bio, just hit play on “My Hometown.” Charlie put his whole self into the lyrics to that song.)
~John Spong, Texas Monthly
Our mission is to enrich the lives of children and young adults through the transformative power of music, inspired by the legacy of Texas country music artist Charlie Robison. We strive to provide access to music education, instruments, and opportunities for artistic expression to youth from all backgrounds. Through partnerships with schools, community organizations, and music professionals, we aim to foster creativity, confidence, and resilience in young minds, ensuring every young person has the chance to thrive and find their unique voice.
However, the foundation is not just limited to music, we are also dedicated to empowering all underprivileged kids from anywhere in Texas. Inspired by Charlie’s passion for music, storytelling, and his hometown roots, the foundation provides opportunities in areas he cherished most: music, sports, rodeo, band, 4H, FFA, and beyond. With a focus on diversity and supporting communities, schools, and charities in need, the foundation aims to help Texas Hometown boys and girls gain confidence and a leg up in the world by providing financial assistance through scholarships and donations.
Join us in our cause by donating below today!
