MENIFEE RESIDENT
Jerome Robinson
Second generation member of the world famous Platters
by Robbie Motter Menifee resident Jerome Robinson has led an interesting life. The Vietnam veteran, former police officer and popular singer has traveled the world performing for sold-out crowds. He has been written about in newspapers and magazines across the country and received numerous awards, including a proclamation from the City of Banning for his performances there and a certificate of appreciation from President Barack Obama. He was born the son of a couple from Nassau, Bahamas, James and Barbara Burgess. They gave Jerome – then named Jerome Benjamin Alexander Burgess – up for adoption when he was just four weeks old. He was taken in and adopted “by a wonderful woman named Ruby Robinson,” he said adding that he had been told his entire life that his natural family had passed away by Ruby. So it came as quite a shock when Ruby called him while he was on the road with a group called The Spirit of St. Louis and told him his biological father was trying to get in touch with him. “He was living in Baltimore, Maryland and he had tracked me down. I did get a chance to meet him about two years before he passed away,” Jerome said. “It was a very emotional and unique experience.” Upon meeting his father, Jerome learned of a family he had never seen and of a father that wished to share his love. He was a big, tall gentleman with a full head of white hair,” Jerome said. He was able to pick him out of the crowd. “After I wiped the tears from my eyes there was nothing left for me to say,” Jerome said. Unfortunately Jerome’s father passed away just two years after they met. The experience was life changing for him. It led to Jerome to record his hit record “I Never Sang for My Father.” The song was part of the 1979 “Pieces of Love” album he recorded under the name Alexander Love, his stage name at the time. “I sent him a recording of the song and it was very emotional for him; It was a very beautiful song,” Jerome said. “The record did OK; it got some airplay.” 46
Jerome began singing and developed his love for music as a young child, singing with the children’s choir in Springfield Baptist Church, in Washington, Georgia. I was about six or seven when I was singing in the children’s choir,” he said. “I’ve basically been singing all my life.” Jerome, who is best known for his performances with the popular Second Generation Platters, did leave the music business for a while and became a police officer in Washington, Georgia. “I went to Vietnam and when I came back, that is when I joined the Second Generation Platters,” he said. Jerome has a repertoire of almost 600 songs, from “Sentimental Journey” to Credence Clearwater’s “Proud Mary.” Amazingly, he also has the ability to lend his voice to impersonations of such greats as Billie Holiday, Lou Rawls, Nat King Cole, Patsy Cline, Tom Jones, Johnny Cash, Louie Armstrong, Neil Diamond, Dean Martin and more. He left the Second Generation Platters and struck out on his own, starting his own show and traveled throughout the United States for about a decade. “I was young and I wanted to go out on my own,” he said. Jerome eventually settled in Las Vegas where he performed for several years but when he was faced with a health problem, he decided to move closer to his son, Jerome Jr. who lived in Hemet at the time. “It wasn’t really serious, but it was serious enough that I felt I needed to be where my family could help me if I needed them.” The year 2003 brought about many changes for Jerome; he moved to Menifee from Las Vegas that year and he placed second in the NBC hit show “America’s Most Talented Seniors – Second Chance!” Jerome Jr. was gone a lot, according to Jerome so one day Alexander Love and the Love Affair: he decided to walk down to a Alexander Love (Jerome), John Shalakes (back), Chris Hughson (right). Hemet restaurant. Courtesy photos SOURCEBOOK MENIFEE 2015