Roberts was born in Phoenix, Arizona, and began playing guitar at the age of 8. By the time he was 15 he was playing professionally locally.
In 1950 he moved to Los Angeles. There, with the assistance of Jack Marshall, he began playing with musicians including Bobby Troup, Chico Hamilton and Barney Kessel. In about 1956, Bobby Troup signed him to Verve Records as a solo artist. Around that time he decided to concentrate on recording, both as a solo artist and session musician, a direction he would continue until the early 1970s.
Roberts played rhythm guitar, lead guitar, bass and mandolin, in the studio and for television and movie projects, including lead guitar on the theme from The Twilight Zone, as well as the classic guitar themes in The Munsters, Bonanza, The Brady Bunch, Green Acres, Get Smart, Batman, Beverly Hillbillies, Andy Griffith, Peter Gunn, Johnny Quest, Gidget, Mannix, Lost in Space, Dragnet, Wild Wild West, Mission Impossible, The Odd Couple, and rhythm guitar on the theme from I Dream of Jeannie.
Artists Roberts backed include Georgie Auld, Peggy Lee (Fever), Eddie Cochran (Sittin In The Balcony), Bobby Day (Rockin Robin), Jody Reynolds (Endless Sleep), Shelley Fabares (Johnny Angel), Dean Martin (Houston), The Monkees, Roy Clark, Chet Atkins, and The Electric Prunes.
In 1961, Roberts designed a signature guitar which was originally produced by Epiphone. The guitar was a modified Gibson ES-175 (Epiphone is owned by Gibson and during this period Epiphone guitars were manufactured in the same factory as Gibson guitars in Kalamazoo, Michigan), with a round sound hole and a single pickup. A redesigned version was later produced by Gibson. The Howard Roberts signature was borne by two other models made by Gibson: the Howard Roberts Custom and the Howard Roberts Fusion III.
In 1963, Roberts recorded Color Him Funky and H.R. Is A Dirty Guitar Player, his first two albums after signing with Capitol. Produced by Jack Marshall, they both feature the same quartet with Roberts (guitar), Chuck Berghofer (bass), Earl Palmer (drums) and Paul Bryant alternating with Burkley Kendrix on organ. Both albums were released on a single CD under the title Dirty & Funky on Randy Bachman's label Guitarchives in 1998. In all, he recorded nine albums with Capitol before signing with ABC Records/Impulse! Records.
From the late 1960s, Roberts began to focus on teaching rather than recording. He traveled around the country giving guitar seminars, and wrote several instructional books. For some years he also wrote an acclaimed column called "Jazz Improvisation" for Guitar Player magazine. Roberts developed accelerated learning concepts and techniques, which led to the founding of Playback Music Publishing and the Guitar Institute of Technology. As a co-founder of GIT, now known as the Musicians Institute, Roberts' philosophy remains an integral part of the curriculum.
Roberts died of prostate cancer in Seattle, Washington on June 28, 1992. His wife Patty, also active in musical education, continued in this field after his death.
Howard inspired the opening of Roberts Music Institute in Seattle, Washington, which is currently owned by his son, Jay Roberts.
Dark Ominous Clouds
Howard Roberts Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
sola y sin protección
cuando pienso en esa bestia, aumenta mi tencion
pero tengo un sueño lindo, que me hace sonreír
me conviete en un minino y me ayuda a dormir
que simba no respire mas
y a su hija pueda yo atrapar
que nala llore de aflicción
el pasado y mis rivales, e tratado de olvidar
y aunq sea incificante los quisiera yo matar
encontraste al fin a alguien que lo arrastre asia ti
se derramara la sangre es trabajo para mi
la melodia en mi rrugir y el contra punto en su gemir
es sinfonía de destrucción esa es mi canción
escar se fue mas sira sigue aqui
y al leon voy a educar
para convertilo en fiera
compacion por la malda
duermete cara de pulga
digo a que preciosidad
cuando seas un gran leon
tu el rey serás
tambores llaman a pelear
y covu rruge con malda
la cruel venganza
al fin vendra
puedo oir las voces
covu es el mejor
demuestra cruel venganza
y sangrienta rebelión
el tiempo ya llego
esa es mi cancion
jajajaja
jajajaja
The lyrics to Howard Roberts's song Dark Ominous Clouds describe a sense of being banished and hunted, with the constant fear of a looming danger that only increases with the thought of the antagonistic beast. However, the singer finds solace in a pleasant dream that turns them into a small cat, offering a form of escape and comfort. The dream turns into a desire to harm the singer's rivals and anyone who stands in their way, leading to feelings of vengeance and destruction. The singer's desire to hurt those around them stems from a past filled with trauma and a thirst for power, leading to a symphony of destruction.
The lyrics are full of references to the characters from The Lion King, such as Nala and Simba. The singer uses these characters as symbols to represent their enemies and their wish to harm them. The constant theme of revenge plays a vital part in the lyrics, showcasing the singer's self-lacking personality and their urge to seek revenge without any hesitation. The final lines of the lyrics emphasize the singer's anticipation for the ultimate battle, one of cruel vengeance and rebellion.
Line by Line Meaning
desterrada y perseguida
I've been banished and chased away
sola y sin protección
Alone and unprotected
cuando pienso en esa bestia, aumenta mi tención
When I think of that beast, my anxiety increases
pero tengo un sueño lindo, que me hace sonreír
But I have a beautiful dream that makes me smile
me convierte en un minino y me ayuda a dormir
It turns me into a kitten and helps me sleep
que simba no respire mas
So that Simba never breathes again
y a su hija pueda yo atrapar
And I can catch his daughter
que nala llore de aflicción
And make Nala cry with grief
esa es mi canción
That's my song
el pasado y mis rivales, e tratado de olvidar
I've tried to forget about my past and my rivals
y aunq sea incificante los quisiera yo matar
And even though it may seem insignificant, I still want to kill them
encontraste al fin a alguien que lo arrastre asia ti
You finally found someone to bring it towards you
se derramara la sangre es trabajo para mi
Spilling blood is my job
la melodia en mi rrugir y el contra punto en su gemir
The melody in my roar and the counterpoint in his moan
es sinfonía de destrucción esa es mi canción
It's a symphony of destruction, that's my song
escar se fue mas sira sigue aqui
Scar is gone but Sarabi is still here
y al leon voy a educar
And I'm going to educate the lion
para convertilo en fiera
To turn him into a beast
compacion por la malda
Compassion for evil
duermete cara de pulga
Sleep tight, flea face
digo a que preciosidad
I say, what a beauty
cuando seas un gran león tu el rey serás
When you're a big lion, you'll be the king
tambores llaman a pelear
Drums call to fight
y covu rruge con malda
And Kovu roars with malice
la cruel venganza al fin vendra
The cruel revenge will finally come
puedo oir las voces
I can hear the voices
covu es el mejor
Kovu is the best
demuestra cruel venganza y sangrienta rebelión
Demonstrating cruel revenge and bloody rebellion
el tiempo ya llegó
The time has come
esa es mi canción
That's my song
jajajaja
Hahaha
jajajaja
Hahaha
Writer(s): howard roberts
Contributed by Nathan N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.