Robert Hazard(1948-2008)

Robert Hazard was born Robert Rimato on August 21, 1948 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His father was a tenor opera singer with the Philadelphia Opera Company and owned a jeweler's shop. Hazard began writing and singing songs at age ten. He grew up in Springfield, Pennsylvania and graduated from Springfield High School in 1966. Robert started out as a folk singer performing in local folk clubs and coffee houses in his native Philadelphia in the early 1970's. Following a brief stint as a reggae band member, he formed the New Wave rock group Robert Hazard and the Heroes in the late 1970's. Hazard recorded a demo of his own composition "Girls Just Want To Have Fun" in 1979; Cyndi Lauper did a cover of this song in 1983 that went on to become a huge international smash (it peaked at #2 on the US Billboard pop charts in 1984). Robert's group recorded a five song EP in 1982. The Heroes had a minor hit with the single "Escalator of Life" in 1983. Hazard released the full length album "Wing of Fire" in 1984. This was followed by the album "Darling" in 1986. Robert reunited the Heroes for a 10th Anniversary reunion concert at the Chestnut Cabaret on 38th Street in Philadelphia. In 1998 Hazard recorded the album "Howl" with his new band the Hombres. Robert released the album "The Seventh Lake" in the summer of 2003. The album "Blue Mountain" came out the next year. Hazard's final album "Truobadour" was issued on the Rykodisc label on October 9, 2007. In his latter years Robert also ran an antique shop with his wife Susan nearby their home in Old Forge, New York. Hazard died on August 5, 2008 at age 59 after surgery for pancreatic cancer at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. He's survived by his daughter Corrina and sons Rex and Remy.