Robert Brookins

Robert Brookins (October 7, 1962 – April 15, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, producer and musician. A member of the band Earth, Wind & Fire he also worked with artists such as George Duke, Stephanie Mills, Stanley Clarke and The Whispers.

Early years Brookins grew up in Del Paso Heights, Sacramento, California. Singing, and playing keyboard and drums as a child, he formed his first band, aged 11, Little Robert & the Fondeles,

Brookins then composed on Deniece Williams 1984 album Let's Hear It for the Boy and The Isley Brothers' 1985 LP Masterpiece. and on George Duke's 1985 album Thief in the Night. He then composed on Rebbie Jackson's 1986 LP Reaction and Al Jarreau's 1986 album L Is for Lover. He also composed on Nancy Wilson's 1987 album Forbidden Lover.

In 1988, Brookins released his second solo album, Let It Be Me, featuring the top-20 R&B cover of the Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway classic "Where Is the Love?" (a duet with Stephanie Mills) and the top-40 follow-up hit, "Don't Tease Me". Later in the year, Brookins performed on George Howard's 1988 album Reflections and the following year, produced Christopher Williams on his 1989 LP Adventures in Paradise. Brookins also produced The Whispers' on their 1989 album More of the Night. More of the Night has been certified Gold in the US by the RIAA. He later produced Michael Cooper on his 1989 LP Just What I Like and Jeffrey Osborne on his 1990 album Only Human. He also became Earth, Wind & Fire's keyboardist and musical director. He went to perform on the band's 2003 album The Promise. In 2019, the city's Nuevo Park was renamed Robert Brookins Park.

Solo discography Albums Studio albums

Singles YearTitlePeak chart positionsRecord labelUS R&B 1986"Our Lives"95MCA1987"If You Only Knew"—"Come to Me"—1988"Where Is the Love" 181989"Don't Tease Me" 39 "—" denotes releases that did not chart.