Robin Leonard Trower (born 9 March 1945 in Catford, South East London, England) is an English rock guitarist who achieved success with Procol Harum during the 1960s, and then again as the leader of his own Hendrixesque power trio.
He grew up in the seaside resort of Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England.
In 1962, Robin Trower formed a group that would come to be known as The Paramounts, later including fellow Southend High School pupil Gary Brooker. The Paramounts disbanded in 1966 to pursue individual projects. Trower then joined new band Procol Harum in 1967, with whom he remained until 1972. After going solo in 1973 (his place in Procol Harum being taken by Dave Ball), he found the individual identity and style that have brought him acclaim to this day.
Before launching his own eponymous band, he joined singer Frankie Miller, bass player James Dewar, and former Jethro Tull drummer Clive Bunker to form the short-lived combo Jude. Although this outfit played some well-received gigs, it did not record and soon split up.
Trower retained Dewar as a bassist, who took on lead vocals as well, and recruited drummer Reg Isidore (later replaced by Bill Lordan) to form the Robin Trower Band in 1973.
Perhaps Trower's most famous album is Bridge of Sighs (1974). This album, along with his first and third solo albums, was produced by his former Procol Harum bandmate, organist Matthew Fisher.
In 1977, feeling he had already proven himself as a performer, Trower ventured into new musical realms, as demonstrated by the release of the In City Dreams album. The 1978 release of Caravan to Midnight was in a different style from the rest of his earlier work, symbolising a change in direction for him. "I am spending much more time and energy and effort on writing and arranging the material," he said at the time, adding "I think music today is suffering greatly from a cleanness. It's too set, too pat, too clever, there's not enough spontaneity."
In the early 1980's, Trower teamed up with former Cream bassist Jack Bruce and his previous drummer Lordan for two incarnations, BLT and Truce respectively.
Trower's album, Living Out of Time (2003), features the return of veteran bandmates Dave Bronze on bass, vocalist Davey Pattison (formerly with Ronnie Montrose's band Gamma) and Pete Thompson on drums - the same lineup as the mid 1980s albums Passion and Take What You Need.
Trower toured the United States and Canada in summer and autumn 2006. A 2008 World Tour will begin in Ft. Pierce, Florida on January 16. Joining Davey Pattison and Pete Thompson will be Glenn Letsch (formerly of Gamma) playing bass. Current confirmed dates show the band scheduled through March 29 in Detroit, Michigan. European dates will begin in April.
