"I support the Ride for Hope because people in Tallahassee and North Florida should have the same or better treatment as anywhere else in the world. I would've been so grateful to have that kind of care in Tallahassee so my friends and family could be by my side. However, I'm thankful to be alive and to be a part of such an amazing event - the Ride for Hope!"

~ Robbie Russell, Billboard Chart-Topping Musician

How Robbie Kicked Cancer - Twice

Spend any time with international recording artist Robbie Russell (Robert Tharpe, Jr.) and you'll soon find that his passion for dance music is contagious. "I hear a dance song and automatically I'm in a good mood," he said.

Robbie broke into the dance music scene in the summer 2007, scoring his first Top 40 Billboard Club Hit, "Here With You." The track was released on Robbie's own label and had no formal promotion. Strictly by word of mouth, DJs across the US began spinning the song, as well as support from XM BPM and internet radio. Soon after, the song could be heard pumping in Abercrombie and Fitch stores and gyms across the country.

At the same time "Here With You" was making its way to clubs and dance radio, Robbie collaborated with Italian producer Davide Loi for his next track, "Neighbours." Months later, the new track won praise from UK tastemaker/BBC Radio One's Pete Tong, and was featured on his "Fast Traxx" radio show. "Neighbours" was signed to Portuguese label Pure Funk Records--and later licensed to other labels in France and Poland.

While the Florida native grew up playing bass violin in the Tallahassee Youth Symphony Orchestra, Robbie went on to be known as "the 14-year-old death metal drummer" to sold-out audiences. After graduating high school, he then made the trek to prestigious New York University and received his degree in film/TV production.

"I always liked up-tempo music with a good hook and bass line. But New York had (radio station) KTU. This was back in 1996 when dance music was still somewhat considered mainstream on pop radio. It was then that I knew this was the type of music I wanted to focus on."

Just as Robbie's music was coming together, tragedy struck. In April 2005 he noticed a lump on his neck and was subsequently diagnosed with Burkitt's lymphoma, a rare and highly aggressive cancer. Ironically, the very same day of his diagnosis, Harris sent Robbie an instrumental track for what would become his first single.

Continue to the rest of the story--->