Biography

Edward O. "Stoney" Robinson was born in Arkansas, one of three sons of Otto Robinson and Faye Alexander. He was a musician, singer and songwriter and starred as the lead singer ("Kevin Tucker") of a struggling R&B music band in the independent film "Stony Island," named after that tough inner-city neighborhood on Chicago's South Side. Filmed on location in Chicago during 1977 and released in 1978, it was well received by critics and audiences at the 14th Chicago Film Festival in 1978 and the Utah/US Film Festival (forerunner to the Sundance Film Festival). However, despite enthusiastic reviews from critics and audiences, the film suffered from limited theatrical distribution and had lost visibility until its release on DVD in May 2012. Not long after the film's 1978 theatrical release, Stoney Robinson was found dead at age 26 in his home at 739 W. Belmont Avenue in Chicago. He had been preparing to go on tour the following week. The cause of death was determined to be thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, a rare disorder of the blood-coagulation system, causing extensive microscopic clots to form in the small blood vessels throughout the body. His funeral service was held at 8 p.m. Wednesday April 11, 1979 at the Halsted Memorial Chapel (aka Banks Funeral Home), 2035 E. 79th St., with burial the following day. His survivors included his mother, Mrs. Faye Jones; his father, Otto Robinson, two brothers, Stevie and Ricky; a half brother, Harvey Jones Jr.; two half sisters, Pamela and Deloise Jones; and his stepfather, Harvey Jones. Bio credit to Neal Underwood.