DETROIT'S ROB STAWINSKI'S PLACE IN THE EVOLUTION OF ROCK 'N ROLL

 

I met Robby Stawinski shortly after the demise of  the Detroit band SKY:










 

  

The group SKY, featuring Doug Fieger (vocalist and bassist), John Coury (guitarist, keyboardist, and vocalist), and Rob Stawinski (drummer and vocalist) started out as their members finished high school in the Detroit, Michigan area. They earned a local following after serving as an opening act for popular groups such as Jethro Tull, The Who, Joe Cocker, Bob Seger, and The Stooges; and also playing with Traffic numerous times. The group put out two albums on RCA, 1970’s Don't Hold Back (Note: Rob Stawinski did not play on this album) and

1970's Sailor's Delight (both produced in England by the Rolling Stones' producer, Jimmy Miller). Sky broke up shortly after their second album's release.

        Shortly after SKY broke up, the incredibly talented Robby Stawinski was drumming around the Ann Arbor/Detroit area with a better than average bar band which went by the name of SATIVA. I met SATIVA, and thereby Robby Stawinski, when they were playing at Ann Arbor’s (Infamous) ODYSSEY LOUNGE. That was in 1971.

     With his background of being a member of SKY and the fact that he was operating  so far above the talent level of the rest of SATIVA (although they were a great bar band), it was obvious that Rob wasn’t far from the  “Big Time” It wasn’t long before he was out of the bars and touring as the drummer for the British group BADFINGER, touring with Rod Stewart’s Faces, starting in the Spring of 1972



     I contacted Rob the other day and was happy to know that he’s doing well. I’d asked, “Rob Stawinski? Sky, Sativa, Badfinger Rob Stawinski?” His reply was simply “Yes, that R.S.”

ROB STAWINSKI—YOU ROCK!!!


In order to avoid any copywriters infringement on my part, check out this 2004 interview by Tom Brennen…