Musician grew up with ‘talented artists’

Robby Romero has lived a most interesting life.

Born to parents in show business, Romero practically grew up in the Taos home of Dennis Hopper right after Hopper’s 1969 counterculture hit “Easy Rider” made the scene.

“I was fortunate to grow up with incredibly talented artists of the time. I was able to play music with them and live with them,” said Romero, a musician and filmmaker who still makes his home in Taos.

When Romero got good enough at playing guitar and singing, he had to be accompanied by an adult when he started playing bars in Taos and Hollywood, and Hopper served as his ward. It was the beginning of a close relationship that lasted until Hopper’s death in 2010.

“He was a father, a brother and a friend,” Romero said.

Romero lived the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle, touring and playing alongside Bob Dylan, Paul Butterfield and Carlos Santana. But his interests extended beyond music, and as a young man he was heavily influenced by Latino activist Reyes Tijerina and Native American militant Dennis Banks.

Romero began blending his music with social activism in the 1980s. He formed a Native rock band, Red Thunder, and founded Native Children Survival, a non-profit organization devoted to healing Mother Earth.

When Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev delivered his environmental message at the 1990 Global Forum of Spiritual and Parliamentary Leaders in Moscow, Romero was there, and NCS’s first video project, “Is It Too Late?” was debuted on a broadcast from the Kremlin. The recognition he received led to him being named the United Nations Ambassador of Youth and the Environment.

Many of his songs carry an environmental message, including “Heartbeat” and “Prayer Song,” which both received a lot of airplay on MTV and VH1 in the ’90s. He’s continued to make music and has traveled the world spreading the message and raising awareness of climate change and advocating human rights.

A mix of Spanish, Apache and Pueblo Indian blood, much of his efforts have been directed at defending the rights of indigenous people.

“I’m using the gifts the Creator gave me to share with the world my feelings about the rights of the Earth, and the rights of indigenous people,” he said.