Bright Notes and Family Threads: Robin Cryer

Basic Information

Early Life and Family Threads

Robin Cryer was born into a household of stage lights and songbooks. She arrived in the early 1960s to a family already steeped in theater and songwriting. Her father is a veteran stage and screen performer and her mother is a playwright and lyricist, which meant Robin learned early that words and melody could be tools as powerful as any stage prop. She grew up alongside at least two siblings raised in that marriage and later shared family ties with several half siblings from a second marriage. The family resembles a small constellation – bright points tied together by shared vocation and public presence.

Family names anchor her biography: David and Gretchen, the parental pair who crafted careers in acting and musical theater; Jon, a sibling who chose a high profile acting path; Shelley, another sister whose portrait appears in family notes; and a set of half siblings whose names recur in public family listings. These relationships form both context and contrast for Robin, who carved a path that moves between restaurant kitchens and intimate music venues.

Music Career – New York Nights and a Duo Called Girlfriend

In the 1990s Robin emerged as a singer-songwriter in the New York City independent scene. She performed with Phil Hyland as the duo Girlfriend, sharing lead vocals and writing credits. They played the East Village circuit – venues known for fostering raw, immediate talent – and recorded material that circulated in the late 1990s market. An album attributed to the duo, The New Me, appears in market listings with a release around 1999, and live sets from that era survive in camcorder-era recordings.

Her voice in this setting is intimate rather than stadium scaled. The duo format allowed for close harmonies and conversational lyrics. The music operated on a modest scale – club dates, recorded CDs, and the kind of grassroots momentum that keeps songs alive across decades through dedicated fans and occasional archival revivals.

Culinary Life and Return to Community Music

Robin’s biography is not a single-track career. At some point she pursued a culinary path, working up to titles such as executive chef. Public profiles in later years describe her as a retired executive chef who lives in Tulsa. That second life in kitchens and culinary study reflects a practical artistry that parallels her music – a focus on composition, timing, taste, and presentation.

In recent years she is visible again in musical contexts that are communal rather than commercial. Worship music settings, family band posts, and local performances show her continuing to sing and write. The shift is less about fame and more about rooted practice – the way a gardener returns to soil, tending a familiar plot.

Timeline of Public Milestones

Discography and Performances – The Small Prints That Matter

Robin’s recorded footprint is compact but consistent. The duo Girlfriend produced a CD-length offering and several songs credit her as lyricist or co-writer. Live recordings from small clubs provide the most direct testimony to her stage presence: raw takes, crowd noise, the small imperfections that prove the performance was real. Those artifacts are the kind of evidence that builds careers in the long tail – modest at first, then rediscovered by listeners who prize authenticity.

Public Presence and Recent Mentions

In the 2020s the duo’s archival recordings resurfaced in posts by band associates, bringing renewed attention to Robin’s earlier work. Social profiles in Tulsa describe a life divided between food and music, both pursued with practical devotion. Recent posts show her in family music contexts, contributing to worship songs and local performances that emphasize collaboration rather than chart success.

Family Details – Names and Continuities

The Cryer household spans generations and branches. Parents practiced their crafts publicly, and multiple children followed creative tracks of their own. The extended family includes both full and half siblings and traces of grandparents that appear in archival records. For Robin, family is both heritage and resource – a network that contains theatrical training, songwriting instinct, and the kind of contact list that helps a singer find an audience in the clubs of New York or the churches of Tulsa.

Style and Influence

Robin’s work lives in an intimate register. Her lyrics lean conversational, her melodies favor clarity, and her performance settings were often rooms built to listen. The combination of culinary discipline and musical craft gives her work a particular texture – precise yet warm, like a dish plated with care and a song delivered as if to an old friend. She stands as an example of a modern artist who balances public creativity with private vocation.

FAQ

Who are Robin Cryer’s parents?

Robin’s parents are David Cryer and Gretchen Cryer, both established in theater and songwriting.

What musical project is Robin best known for?

She is best known for her role in the duo Girlfriend with Phil Hyland and the album The New Me.

When was Robin Cryer born?

Public records place her birth in the early 1960s, around 1963 to 1964, but no exact date is publicly listed.

Where does Robin live now?

She is based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she has combined culinary work with local music.

Did Robin work as a chef?

Yes, later public profiles list her as a retired executive chef who trained in culinary programs.

Is Robin related to Jon Cryer?

Yes, Jon Cryer is one of her siblings.

Are there recordings of her live performances?

Yes, live club performances from the 1990s survive as archival video and audio recordings.

Has Robin received major commercial awards?

No mainstream awards or chart-topping honors are publicly recorded; her recognition is mainly within indie music circles and community music settings.