'Soup Bone' bares the blues on his harmonica

Last Thursday, Joan “Shelly” Barnes called The Western News to report that the previous day she had seen Billy Powell playing at Cabinet Mountain Brewery with a man named “Soup Bone” on harmonica.

“It was magic,” Barnes said. “People stopped talking and watched. I come from LA and I know good jazz, and this man is amazing.”

Barnes knew little about the man, so The Western News called the brewery to investigate further.

“Oh yeah, I know who you mean,” said Randy in the kitchen. “He played the heck out of that harp.”

On Friday Soup Bone was reported sitting at the bar and awaiting an interview.

Lyle Robinson is his name. He sips root beer and speaks with a direct gaze.

“I like Billy,” he said. “He’s a good guitar player, plays with his heart. He didn’t want me to play with him the other night, said he didn’t like my gun belt. But after he heard me, he said “you can play with me anytime,” and I said “thank you, I will.”

The nickname comes from a period 15 years ago when he was very sick and lost 35 pounds, Robinson explained.

“A friend, a Native American man, said to me when I came back to play with him, ‘Why, you’re nothing but a soup bone,’” Robinson said. “All flavor, no meat.”

Having grown up in Shelby, Robinson said he was burned out after traveling with various bands for years after retiring from a career working on oil rigs.

With a friend in Libby, Robinson said he is spending an unspecified amount of time here.

“I like it up here,” he said. “I like fishing and hunting, and I’m not so sure I won’t move here. If I could find a band to play with I’d stay for the winter.”

Robinson said he doesn’t care what kind of music is being played, he likes to join in, although he himself writes blues songs.

“I’ve loved the harmonica since my dad gave me one when I was eight,” he said. “I think the first song he taught me was ‘Red River Valley’ and he told me to go out to the barn and stay out of trouble. I knew (then) it was what I wanted to do.”