Music

He was born in Phoenix, Arizona (USA) in 1952, but has long since chosen to live in France.

It was in Austin, Texas, that Peter Kingsbery began studying classical music at a local conservatory. He then moved on to Nashville, the country music capital of Tennessee, where he toured with a number of artists, including Brenda Lee, who performed “I'm Sorry” in 1960. In the early '80s, he moved to Los Angeles, where he continued to offer his services to artists such as Smokey Robinson, but his main ambition was to form his own band. His meeting in San Francisco with singer Anna LaCazio, born of an Italian father and a Chinese mother, was to prove decisive in the rise of Cock Robin.

In fact, the band's name is taken from a 17th-century nursery rhyme entitled “Death And Burial Of Poor Cock Robin”. You can't make it up, but Peter's probably been asked that question a hundred times! In just a few years and only three albums, between 1985 and 1989, Peter and Anna enjoyed dazzling success, mainly in Europe and especially in France. “When Your Heart Is Weak”, ‘Thought You Were On My Side’ and ‘The Promise You Made’ on an eponymous album in 1985, ‘Just Around The Corner’ and ‘The Biggest Fool Of Love’ two years later and ‘After Here Through Midland’ are their finest trophies. With some Latin influences without being bad; their third album “First Love/Last Rites” anticipates the end of a chapter... The opening track “Stumble And Fall” could even be considered premonitory. The departure of the sultry and turbulent Anna comes as no surprise to anyone.

After a few unsuccessful attempts under his own name and four albums including “Mon inconnue” (almost) exclusively in French, Peter thought that a Cock Robin reunion might prove interesting. In 2006, Anna LaCazio agreed to try again, and the legendary duo reformed. The two albums they then recorded together, before his new departure in 2015, were also nothing more than what is politely called a token success. Peter went in search of other female voices to support him. Agathe Cagin and Julie Wingina initially answered the call, before Coralie Villemin took over on stage and on the “Homo Alien” album in 2021.

Today, at the age of 72, Peter Kinsbery continues to perform live with Cock Robin, usually responding positively to invitations. In 2024, alongside Francis Cabrel and Elliott Murphy, he joined Cali for an album of duets entitled “20 ans d'amour parfait”. Blending English and French, they sing “L'amour parfait, State Of Grace” together.

(MH with AK - Photo: © Etienne Tordoir)
Photo: Anna LaCazio and Peter Kingsbery of Cock Robin in Brussels (Belgium) in June 1987.