Robert Gary Natanson brought a lifetime of experience across musical and visual art forms, the result of being born into a family where a number of relatives painted as well as played instruments.

Bobby was the first musical director for the Dallas Playboy Club in 1974. He performed at jazz festivals around the world, including the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland with Champion Jack Dupree, and the Monterey Jazz Festival with the Vince Guaraldi Quartet featuring Jimmy Rushing.

He performed on numerous network television shows, including the Dean Martin Show and the Kraft Music Hall with Lou Rawls. One of his favorite sessions was the original one-through-ten counting segment on Sesame Street — Denny Zeitlin on piano, Mel Graves on bass, Bobby Natanson on drums, and Grace Slick of Jefferson Airplane doing the counting.

He was later an artist-in-residence at the University of Southern Illinois music department, serving as guest artist for their Spring Concert in 1978.