St. Sing Family

Artist Statement

In Warren County, regional musicians are likely to mention Macon’s St. Sing Family among those of whom they are most proud. “[Robert St. Sing is] one of the best country guitar players I've ever heard,” says harmonica player Matt Nelson. “He could have been a professional if he’d gone to Nashville. Anything he heard he could play. There aren't many like him.” Longtime residents of Warren County, Robert St. Sing and his brother Zeb began playing music at an early age. “My oldest brother ordered a guitar from Chicago,” Robert remembers. “Zeb got to fooling with it, and then I got to fooling with it. We learned it that way. I must have been nine years old.” Inspired by the popular hillbilly music of the day, the St. Sing brothers were soon competing in local fiddle contests. With Zeb on fiddle and Robert on guitar, the duo frequently took home the purse. “We used to go to the fiddlers’ conventions in Norlina and play,” says Robert. “We were little bitty things, and we were scared to death, but we went up there and did it.” In time, the St. Sings were making their musical names entertaining at local functions, including square dances at the Armory in Warrenton and house parties. “They would go to somebody’s house and clear out one whole room,” explains Robert’s son Robin, laughing. “The place would just pile up with people. That’s what a dance consisted of.” By the time the brothers St. Sing were drafted into the military during World War II, they were without peer as multi-instrumentalists in the region. Robert remembers that “I had to get it from the radio and records, because nobody could show me nothing back then.” Following in his footsteps, Robert’s sons Robin and Bobby became excellent musicians—on the Dobro and fiddle, respectively—in their own rights. Robin plays most weekends at the Norlina Jamboree and the Ridgeway Opry House, and Bobby moved to Nashville where he worked as a session musician for several years before settling in Kentucky. Perhaps most remarkable is the emotion that comes through in the St. Sings’ playing. Robin says, “Somebody told me once, ‘You really play from your soul.’ Well, that might be a good way to look at it.” Robert concurs, “Music’s good for you—any kind.”