Clarence Robinson I was born in Nashville, Tennessee, of African-American parents. My parents worked hard, but were poor and struggled to make ends meet for my two older sisters and one older brother. My father and his brother both died of lung cancer in their early 60s.
0-19 years I was a pretty good student, but I loved music more than anything. I had a natural ear and could play both the guitar and the piano before I was 8. My talent and hard work earned me a spot in a band when I was 12. By the time I was 16, I had quit school to go on the road. That was a good time, but tough-we ate and slept as best we could find on the road. I also started smoking and drinking when I was 15 and didn’t really start taking care of myself until I joined the army at age 18.	20-39 years I stayed with the army till I was 25, then left and continued with my music, traveling for many years with a couple of the big bands. I didn’t go to the doctor much, but, then, I didn’t need to go. I always was pretty skinny. I guess living on cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, and a woman doesn’t really promote gaining weight. I don’t think I have any children… ·
40-59 years I developed a persistent cough in my early 40s but ignored it, figuring it was natural given my age and lifestyle. By now, I had stopped traveling and had settled down in a small apartment in Nashville, working as a back-up musician, mostly on piano. I never married, but with steady work and not traveling, I started eating better and getting more regular sleep.	60+ years When I was 62, I gave up the lease on my apartment and moved in with my older sister. I had developed mild tremors by now and it was getting harder to play the piano. My cough continued-if anything, it was getting worse. When I was 67, the doctor told me I had mild emphysema. An X-ray at age 69, though, showed significant and inoperable lung cancer. Clearance died at age 70 of lung cancer. He was survived by two older sisters and one older brother.