Veteran Bay Area singer/songwriter robert temple’s incendiary recording, what would YOU do? says a lot about this artist, his music and his times.  Drawing from the best tradition of an earlier generation’s folk music and combining that with his love for classic R&B, rock and soul, temple asks his listeners to examine just what’s going on in our country and in our lives. Writing music designed to challenge the status quo—and to inspire the disillusioned and apathetic—he creates perhaps the ultimate socially conscious recording for post 9-11 America.

Drawing as much from the spirit of Bob Dylan as James Brown, Dave Mathews to Ani Di Franco, what would YOU do? , features temple’s mixture of soulful vocals and open tuned acoustic guitar. Its probing songs capture temple’s colorful, multi-faceted musical vibe.

In my songs, I attempt to connect to the audience, have the audience connect to each other and, connect to the outside world as well.   For example, what would YOU do?, from my most recent cd, of the same title, invites the listener to think about the experience of a citizen of any war-torn country.   I also write about day-to-day experiences that many of us share, such as careless drivers, as in turn signal.  I combine finger style and strummed guitar with open tunings to create a mood through which I reference pain, humor, and the challenge and joy of self- empowerment.   I believe in music as a unifying and healing force.   

 I have recently added the 7 string acoustic electric guitar to my repertoire and it adds a rich bass texture to my playing.  I call my music soulfolk as it draws from a range of popular music from soul to folk, James Brown to Bob Dylan, Dave Mathews to Ani Di Franco.

I have performed at hundreds of benefits concerned with everything from apartheid in South Africa, police misconduct in poor communities, opposing the war in Iraq, raising money to fight Huntington’s Disease, feeding the homeless, fighting oversized development, to raising money for music in the schools programs. 

Some of my accomplishments are:  being chosen to perform at the International Acoustic Guitar Festival in Mexico in 2007, having my song, save life, stay (by fans’ choice) on Neil Young’s Website, ”Living with War Today“ for over 18 months, reaching as high as number 69 (of over 2000 songs)  from 2006-2007,  being invited to perform at Dennis Kucinich’s speech in San Francisco in 2007, having my song, turn signal  featured on NPR  program  ”CARTALK“ in 2007 and being invited to sing my song, the truth comes home in bodybags , in 1991, to hundreds of thousands of people at an anti-war demonstration on the Embarcadero in San Francisco.

I have had many songs  win awards in songwriting contests including the Music to Life Contest at the Kerrville Folk Festival where what has asel done? finished in the top 40 in 2006 and save life  received honorable mention in the social political category of the Unisong International Song Contest in 2006.

I believe that helping raise three children and working in construction, the steel mill and driving a taxicab have all helped forge my love of people,  as well as my personality and musical style.  My art has been my most crucial ally in expressing my personal and political feelings.