Robert Lockwood Jr.
Robert Lockwood Jr. (March 27, 1915 – November 21, 2006) was an influential American Delta blues guitarist and singer, best known as the stepson of blues legend Robert Johnson and for bridging traditional acoustic Delta blues with the electrified Chicago sound through his innovative guitar work and prolific recordings.[1][2][3] Born in the rural community of Turkey Scratch, Arkansas, Lockwood learned to play guitar at age 11 under the tutelage of his stepfather, Robert Johnson, whose intricate fingerpicking style profoundly shaped his own technique.[2][4] After Johnson's death in 1938, Lockwood honed his skills in Helena, Arkansas, where he joined the influential King Biscuit Time radio program in 1941, performing alongside harmonica player Sonny Boy Williamson II and helping pioneer amplified blues broadcasts that reached wide audiences across the Mississippi Delta.[1][2] His debut recordings that same year for Bluebird Records, including the enduring track "Take a Little Walk with Me," marked him as a rising talent in the genre.[1] Lockwood's career spanned over seven decades, with significant session work in the 1950s at Chess Records in Chicago, where he contributed guitar to landmark recordings by artists such as Muddy Waters, Little Walter, and Howlin' Wolf, adapting Delta traditions to urban electric blues.[4][1] Relocating to Cleveland, Ohio, in the early 1960s, he became a fixture in the local scene, releasing his first solo album, Steady Rollin' Man, in 1970 on Delmark Records and producing over a dozen more albums that blended blues with jazz influences, often showcasing his signature 12-string guitar tone.[4][2] A versatile performer who toured internationally until late in life, Lockwood received numerous accolades, including induction into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1989, multiple W.C. Handy Awards, two Blues Music Awards, and a posthumous Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album in 2008.[4][1][5] His legacy endures as a vital link between the origins of blues and its modern evolution, with his guitar preserved in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.[4]Biography
Early life
Robert Lockwood Jr. was born on March 27, 1915, in Turkey Scratch, a small rural community on the border of Phillips and Lee counties in Arkansas, approximately 25 miles west of Helena.[6] He was the second of two children born to Robert Lockwood Sr. and Esther Reese Lockwood, who worked as sharecroppers in the impoverished African American farming community of the Mississippi Delta region.[4][7] His parents separated early in his life, after which Lockwood lived primarily with his mother and maternal grandfather, a preacher, in the Delta area.[2] Lockwood's mother, Esther, entered into a common-law marriage with the blues musician Robert Johnson around 1928, making Johnson a quasi-stepfather figure during Lockwood's formative years, though Johnson was often away traveling.[1] This family connection immersed Lockwood in the blues world from a young age, as Johnson occasionally stayed with them and shared his music. The family briefly relocated to St. Louis, Missouri, when Lockwood was about seven, but they soon returned to the Arkansas Delta, where the harsh realities of sharecropping and rural life shaped his early environment.[6] At around age eight, Lockwood began playing the pump organ in his father's church, marking his initial foray into music within a religious context that contrasted with the secular blues traditions around him.[8] Despite his grandfather's disapproval of secular music, Lockwood and his family secretly played blues tunes on the organ at home, fostering his early appreciation for the genre.[2] Growing up in the Mississippi Delta, Lockwood's childhood was filled with exposure to the region's rich musical heritage, including the call-and-response field hollers sung by laborers in the cotton fields and the lively sounds emanating from local juke joints where blues performers gathered.[9][10] These encounters with Delta work songs and informal blues gatherings laid the groundwork for his lifelong connection to the music, even as he navigated the strictures of church life and family dynamics.[2]Early career
Robert Lockwood Jr. began his musical apprenticeship under the tutelage of Robert Johnson, the legendary Delta blues guitarist, starting around age 11 in the mid-1920s. Johnson's relationship with Lockwood's mother brought the itinerant musician into their home in rural Arkansas, where he provided direct lessons on guitar fundamentals and advanced techniques, including slide playing and intricate fingerpicking. Lockwood quickly adopted Johnson's style, emulating his mentor's phrasing, tone, and rhythmic drive, which became foundational to his own sound.[11] By age 15 in the early 1930s, Lockwood had transitioned from learner to performer, making his debut in the vibrant juke joints and house parties of the Mississippi Delta. These informal venues, often rowdy gatherings fueled by moonshine and dancing, served as his training ground, where he honed his skills alongside local musicians and built a reputation for his precocious talent on both acoustic and emerging electric guitars. His sets typically featured original compositions and Johnson's repertoire, captivating audiences in places like Helena, Arkansas, and surrounding towns.[12] Lockwood's visibility expanded in 1941 through his first radio appearances on the King Biscuit Time show, broadcast daily from KFFA in Helena, Arkansas. Teaming up with harmonica virtuoso Sonny Boy Williamson II (Aleck "Rice" Miller), Lockwood provided guitar accompaniment for the program's blues segments, sponsored by the King Biscuit Flour Company; their live performances introduced amplified blues to a wide Delta audience and helped popularize the format. Later that year, on July 1, he made his recording debut as a session guitarist for Bluebird Records in Chicago, supporting pianist Doctor Clayton on tracks that showcased his emerging electric style. On July 30, Lockwood cut his first singles as a leader for the same label, releasing "Little Boy Blue" and "Take a Little Walk with Me" under the pseudonym Robert Jr. Lockwood, marking his entry into the commercial blues scene.[1][6][13]Chicago years
Following World War II, Robert Lockwood Jr. relocated to Chicago in 1950, drawn by the city's burgeoning blues scene and greater economic prospects for musicians amid the Great Migration of African Americans from the South.[4][14] This move marked a pivotal shift from his acoustic Delta roots to the electrified urban sound dominating Chicago's South Side clubs and studios. Lockwood quickly became a cornerstone of the local blues industry, serving as a studio guitarist at Chess Records during the 1950s and lending his versatile electric guitar work to sessions by iconic artists such as Muddy Waters, Little Walter, and Howlin' Wolf.[4][15] His contributions helped define the label's signature postwar Chicago blues style, characterized by amplified intensity and rhythmic drive, on tracks that captured the era's raw energy and emotional depth. Lockwood's adaptability, honed from early Delta influences, allowed him to seamlessly integrate into these high-profile recordings, supporting harmonica-driven arrangements and band dynamics.[2] In addition to session work, Lockwood formed his own combo and led performances in Chicago's lively nightclub circuit, including venues on the South and West Sides where he showcased original material and standards to enthusiastic crowds.[13] He also pursued solo recordings for independent labels like United Records in 1951–1952 and JOB Records in 1954, issuing singles such as "Take a Little Walk with Me," which highlighted his fluid slide technique and upbeat swing-blues phrasing.[16][17] These efforts underscored his emergence as both a collaborative force and an independent artist during Chicago's blues golden age.Later career
In 1960, Robert Lockwood Jr. relocated to Cleveland, Ohio, following his longtime collaborator Sonny Boy Williamson II, where he established a long-term residency and raised his family for the remainder of his life.[4][18] He quickly integrated into the local scene, securing a regular six-night-a-week gig for two years at Loving's Grill on Hough Avenue in the early 1960s, which helped solidify his presence in the city's blues community.[18][19] Over the following decades, he performed extensively at Cleveland venues including Pirate's Cove, Brothers Lounge, and Wilbert's, often leading his eight-piece band, the All-Stars, in a weekly Wednesday residency at Fat Fish Blue until his final days.[4][20] Lockwood's solo career experienced a significant revival in the 1970s, highlighted by his debut album as a bandleader, Steady Rollin' Man, recorded in 1970 and released in 1973 on Delmark Records.[21] Featuring collaborations with the Aces—guitarist Louis Myers, bassist Dave Myers, and drummer Fred Below—the album showcased Lockwood's electric guitar prowess and vocal style rooted in Delta blues traditions, marking a return to prominence after years of session work.[21] This period saw him transition from sideman roles to fronting his own projects, with subsequent releases reinforcing his status as a leading figure in postwar blues. Throughout his later years, Lockwood became a dedicated mentor to younger musicians, imparting lessons on guitar technique, blues history, and stagecraft during gigs and informal sessions at venues like Fat Fish Blue.[1][22] He extended this influence through appearances at major blues festivals, such as the 1993 Long Beach Blues Festival, where he shared stages with contemporaries like Pinetop Perkins, and workshops that preserved Delta blues lineages for emerging artists.[23][24] Into the 2000s, Lockwood remained active with performances and recordings, delivering three sets at a Cleveland club just two days before his death on November 21, 2006. His final studio album, Delta Crossroads (2000) on Telarc Records, featured reinterpretations of Robert Johnson classics alongside original material, earning a Grammy nomination and underscoring his enduring connection to his early influences.[25][26] This release, produced late in his career, highlighted Lockwood's technical command and emotional depth on electric guitar, closing a prolific chapter that included 16 studio albums overall.[4][19]Musical style and influences
Key influences
Robert Lockwood Jr.'s musical development was profoundly shaped by his stepfather, Robert Johnson, who taught him guitar techniques starting at age 11 and served as a primary mentor during Johnson's relationship with Lockwood's mother from around 1928 to 1938.[2] Johnson imparted not only fingerstyle and slide guitar methods, including the use of slide for lingering, haunting notes, but also stage presence and timing, enabling Lockwood to closely emulate Johnson's sound in performances.[27][2] Specific songs like "Sweet Home Chicago" were among those Lockwood learned directly from Johnson, forming the core of his early Delta blues repertoire.[27][28] Delta blues contemporaries further influenced Lockwood's approach, particularly through his collaboration with harmonica player Sonny Boy Williamson II (Aleck Miller), with whom he co-hosted the pioneering radio program King Biscuit Time on KFFA in Helena, Arkansas, starting in 1941, introducing amplified blues to a wide audience.[19] This partnership honed Lockwood's ensemble playing and rhythmic interplay in the raw, emotive style of Mississippi Delta blues, drawing from shared performances in juke joints and house parties.[8] The broader Delta tradition, rooted in his Arkansas upbringing in Turkey Scratch, encompassed field hollers and work songs that infused his music with a soulful, narrative depth, often performed on street corners and at local gatherings by his mid-teens.[27] From childhood, church music provided foundational rhythmic and melodic elements, as Lockwood began playing organ at age eight under the influence of his musical family, though he initially avoided secular blues on the instrument due to his preacher grandfather's disapproval.[2] This gospel exposure blended with Delta sounds to create a versatile base for his guitar work. In the Chicago blues scene after his 1950s move north, Lockwood incorporated jazz elements, developing a sophisticated, single-note phrasing influenced by guitarists like Lonnie Johnson, which added fluidity and improvisation to his electric blues style evident in early recordings.[27] These jazz infusions distinguished his approach while bridging traditional Delta roots with urban evolution.[19]Style and technique
Robert Lockwood Jr. developed a distinctive jazz-tinged electric blues style that fused the raw slide techniques of Delta blues with the amplified power of urban Chicago sounds, pioneering the use of electric guitars in rural settings during his early radio broadcasts on the King Biscuit Time show in the 1940s.[2] This blend allowed him to respond to amplified harmonica riffs with sliding jazz chords and quick fills, creating a sophisticated call-and-response dynamic that expanded the blues palette.[11] His approach incorporated swing elements and harmonic complexity, bridging the acoustic intensity of his Delta roots with the electrified energy of postwar city blues.[15] A hallmark of Lockwood's technique was his signature use of the 12-string guitar, which he adopted as his primary instrument starting in the mid-1970s after his first wife, Annie Roberts Lockwood, gifted him one around 1975.[3] He played this instrument almost exclusively for over 30 years, often a custom electric model that added resonant depth to his performances, enabling solo fingerstyle playing with a two-beat bass line and melody intertwined.[19] Lockwood initially overlooked the 12-string but embraced its rich tone after experimentation, using it to enhance both live shows and recordings with subtle textures and shades.[2] Lockwood's playing techniques, including precise fingerpicking, expressive string bending, and angular rhythmic phrasing, effectively bridged the acoustic and electric eras of blues guitar. He employed fingerstyle to deliver intricate solos, often double-timing phrases for a rolling, improvisational flow distinct from standard blues patterns.[15] His bends and slides, such as full-step shifts on extended chords like 13ths and 9ths, added emotional depth and jazz-like fluidity, while his phrasing maintained a propulsive rhythm that echoed Delta traditions yet adapted seamlessly to amplification.[15] Over time, Lockwood evolved from emulating pure Delta styles to crafting a highly personalized sound in his later albums, prioritizing clean tones and extended improvisation to showcase maturity and innovation. In works like the 1970s Trix recordings, he displayed a jazzy, improvisational flair on tracks such as "B's Blues" and "Red Top," blending swinging instrumentals with blues foundations.[29] By the 2000s, albums like Delta Crossroads highlighted his preference for crisp, bell-like notes on the 12-string, where each tone rang out distinctly without heavy distortion, emphasizing clarity and subtle echo for a refined, introspective blues expression.[30] This evolution reflected his lifelong exploration, incorporating bop influences and harmonic sophistication while preserving the emotional core of blues.[15]Personal life
Family and relationships
Robert Lockwood Jr.'s early family dynamics were shaped by his mother's common-law relationship with the renowned blues musician Robert Johnson, who became a significant mentor to the young Lockwood after moving in with the family in Helena, Arkansas, during the 1930s.[19] This connection provided Lockwood with direct exposure to Johnson's guitar techniques and musical philosophy, influencing his development as a blues artist, though it was rooted in personal rather than formal familial ties.[19] In 1960, Lockwood married Annie Wright on September 23, forming a partnership that lasted 37 years until her death on August 26, 1997.[19] Annie played a pivotal role in supporting his career, co-founding Lockwood Records and the Annie Lockwood Publishing Company alongside their son Roy Williams, which helped manage bookings and productions for Lockwood's performances.[19] Together, they raised four children—sons Roy Williams, Charles Williams, and Larry Lockwood, and daughter Deborah Lockwood—providing a stable family foundation amid his touring schedule.[19] The family's relocation to Cleveland, Ohio, in the early 1960s, following Lockwood's musical associates, contributed to greater personal stability, allowing him to balance a day job with local performances while Annie and the children established a supportive home environment.[19] This move marked a period of settled family life that underpinned his later career endeavors.[1]Later years and death
In his later years, Robert Lockwood Jr. remained active in the blues scene despite advancing age, continuing to perform at festivals and clubs while residing long-term in Cleveland, Ohio. He toured internationally, including appearances in England and Finland in July 2006, and maintained a rigorous daily exercise routine of 30 push-ups and 30 knee-bends to support his performances. His final recording session took place in October 2004 in Dallas, Texas, alongside fellow Delta blues veterans Henry Townsend, Pinetop Perkins, and David "Honeyboy" Edwards, resulting in the live album Last of the Great Mississippi Delta Bluesmen: Live in Dallas, which was released posthumously in 2007.[31][6] Lockwood's health began to decline in late 2006 due to age-related issues, culminating in a stroke on November 3 that led to his hospitalization at University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland. This event significantly reduced his activity in his final weeks, though he had shown no major prior impairments that halted his career. He passed away on November 21, 2006, at the age of 91, from respiratory failure following the stroke.[31][32][26] Lockwood's funeral was held on December 2, 2006, at the Agora in Cleveland's Flats district, near the street named in his honor, Robert Lockwood Jr. Way; he was buried in a white double-breasted suit, appearing remarkably youthful at 91. The event drew family, fellow blues musicians, and community members, with tributes emphasizing his profound influence on the genre—friend Nick Amster described him as a "giant of American music" and a key link to Robert Johnson's legacy. The blues community mourned him as a mentor and torchbearer whose longevity preserved Delta blues traditions.[31][26][6]Awards and honors
Blues Foundation awards
Robert Lockwood Jr. received numerous accolades from the Blues Foundation, recognizing his pivotal role in preserving and advancing Delta blues traditions through his guitar mastery and recordings. These honors highlight his enduring influence as a stepson and protégé of Robert Johnson, as well as his contributions to the genre's evolution from the Mississippi Delta to broader audiences.[33] In 1989, Lockwood was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame, celebrated for his Delta legacy that bridged early 20th-century blues with modern interpretations, including his innovative electric guitar adaptations of classic forms.[33][19] The Blues Foundation awarded him three W.C. Handy Blues Awards for Traditional Male Artist, in 1992, 1994, and 1999, acknowledging his consistent excellence in delivering authentic, roots-oriented performances that captured the emotional depth of Delta blues.[19][4][34] Lockwood earned multiple W.C. Handy Awards from the Blues Foundation, including the 1980 Traditional Blues Album honor for Hangin' On, a collaboration with Johnny Shines that revitalized pre-war blues styles with fresh energy. In 1999, he received a W.C. Handy Award for Traditional Blues Album for I Got to Find Me a Woman, praised for its raw, introspective tracks drawing directly from his Delta upbringing. Additional wins included the Acoustic Album of the Year in 2001 for Delta Crossroads. These awards underscored his ability to maintain traditional techniques while influencing subsequent generations of blues artists.[19][35][34][36] Additionally, in 1998, Lockwood was inducted into the Delta Blues Museum Hall of Fame, honoring his foundational ties to the region's musical heritage and his role in authenticating its historical narratives through performance and teaching.[19][6]Grammy recognitions
Robert Lockwood Jr. received three Grammy nominations and one win during his later career, highlighting his enduring contributions to traditional blues music through solo and collaborative efforts. These accolades came in the category of Best Traditional Blues Album, recognizing albums that featured substantial new recordings rooted in classic blues styles.[37] In 1999, at the 41st Annual Grammy Awards, Lockwood was nominated for his 1998 solo album I Got to Find Me a Woman, released by Verve Music Group, which showcased his guitar work and vocals drawing from Delta blues traditions.[19][38] The nomination underscored his late-career resurgence, as the album captured his technical prowess and historical ties to figures like Robert Johnson, whom he had mentored under as a young musician.[38] Lockwood earned another nomination in 2001, for the 43rd Annual Grammy Awards, for Delta Crossroads, a 2000 Telarc Blues release that featured his original compositions and interpretations of blues standards, emphasizing his role in bridging early 20th-century Delta sounds with contemporary production.[39][40] This recognition affirmed his influence in collaborative settings, as the album included contributions from other veteran blues artists, reflecting Lockwood's commitment to preserving and evolving the genre in his 80s.[40] His sole Grammy win came posthumously in 2008, at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards, for Best Traditional Blues Album on Last of the Great Mississippi Delta Bluesmen: Live in Dallas, a 2007 House of Blues release capturing a live performance with fellow Delta blues legends David "Honeyboy" Edwards, Pinetop Perkins, and Henry Townsend.[37][41] Recorded in 2004 but released after Lockwood's death on November 21, 2006, the album celebrated the twilight of a generation of Mississippi Delta pioneers, earning the award for its authentic, unamplified renditions of blues classics and originals that embodied the raw energy of their shared heritage.[3][41] This honor, shared among the performers, marked a capstone to Lockwood's career, validating his lifelong dedication to traditional blues through innovative yet faithful collaborations.[37]Other honors
In recognition of his contributions to American folk and blues traditions, Robert Lockwood Jr. received the National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts in 1995, an award presented by First Lady Hillary Clinton during a ceremony in Washington, D.C.[2][15] This prestigious honor, the nation's highest for traditional artists, highlighted Lockwood's role as a Delta blues guitarist whose style bridged rural origins and urban electrification.[2] Lockwood was also awarded honorary degrees for his musical legacy. In 2001, Case Western Reserve University conferred upon him an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters, acknowledging his influence on blues education and performance.[4] The following year, in 2002, Cleveland State University granted him an Honorary Doctor of Music degree during a commencement ceremony on May 12.[42] These academic tributes underscored his status as a living master of the genre. His deep ties to Cleveland, where he resided for much of his later life, led to civic honors including the 1997 renaming of a street in the Flats entertainment district as Robert Lockwood Jr. Drive.[4] This designation celebrated his enduring presence in the city's blues community. Additionally, Lockwood's custom blue 12-string electric guitar, a signature instrument he played extensively, was donated to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by his widow in 2013 and is now on permanent display, symbolizing his pivotal role in blues evolution.[43][4]Discography
Solo studio albums
Robert Lockwood Jr. began recording solo studio albums in the early 1970s, marking a shift from his earlier sideman roles to leading sessions that highlighted his versatile guitar work and blues vocals. These releases captured his stylistic evolution, starting with raw, electric Chicago blues infused with Delta slide techniques in his initial efforts, progressing to more polished productions in later decades that blended traditional roots with contemporary arrangements, often revisiting Robert Johnson-inspired material while incorporating modern production elements. Although he issued numerous solo studio albums over four decades—totaling around 12 in all—his work consistently emphasized conceptual depth over commercial trends, prioritizing authentic blues expression.[13][44] Key examples of his solo studio output include Contrasts, recorded in 1973 and released that year on Trix Records, which featured Lockwood's intricate guitar lines alongside a tight rhythm section, showcasing contrasts between uptempo shuffles and moody instrumentals.[45] Similarly, Steady Rollin' Man (1973, Delmark Records) served as an early leader effort with the Aces, delivering steady-rolling blues tracks that reflected his Chicago tenure's urban energy while nodding to Delta origins through originals like the title song.[46] Later albums demonstrated further refinement; I Got to Find Me a Woman (1998, Verve Records), produced by John Snyder at Suma Recording Studios, incorporated guest appearances from artists like B.B. King, emphasizing Lockwood's mature vocal phrasing and guitar tone in a mix of covers and new compositions that bridged classic and modern blues.[47] His final major solo studio release, Delta Crossroads (2000, Telarc Records), returned to his Delta heritage with 16 tracks of guitar-driven blues, highlighting evolved slide techniques and a crossroads motif symbolizing his life's musical journey.[48]| Album Title | Release Year | Label |
|---|---|---|
| Contrasts | 1973 | Trix Records |
| Steady Rollin' Man | 1973 | Delmark Records |
| I Got to Find Me a Woman | 1998 | Verve Records |
| Delta Crossroads | 2000 | Telarc Records |