J. Russel Robinson (with only one "L") was a pianist and songwriter from Indianapolis. Robinson began his career in vaudeville around 1908 as part of an act called the Robinson Brothers; his first published composition was "Dynamite Rag," which appeared in 1910. Robinson's first hit was in 1912 with "That Eccentric Rag," and in 1916 he earned a co-writing credit with W.C. Handy on "Ole Miss Rag." Although white, J. Russel Robinson collaborated a great deal with African-American musicians and performers throughout his career, including Noble Sissle, Jo Trent, James P. Johnson, Fats Waller, and Cab Calloway, and as an accompanist to blues singers Lucille Hegamin and Lizzie Miles. Extraordinarily prolific, Robinson was capable of writing lyrics and music, scoring more than two dozen hits in his four decades as a pop songwriter. From about 1916, Robinson was also a staff arranger for the QRS Company and ultimately cut a countless number of piano rolls for them.