Biography
Robert Lockwood, Jr. absorbed the fundamentals of blues directly from its most legendary figure, Robert Johnson. Although he could summon the haunting essence of Johnson's playing at will, Lockwood refused to remain anchored in earlier styles, instead favoring a lively swing reminiscent of jazz that colored the phrases he delivered on his 12-string electric instrument.
Born during 1915, Lockwood stood among the final surviving connections to Johnson's storied tradition. After his mother entered a relationship with the wandering musician in Helena, AR, the reserved youth acquired both an inspiring figure and an intimate companion—so close, in fact, that Lockwood viewed himself as Johnson's stepson. Under Johnson's guidance, Robert Jr. mastered the guitar in short order, fully internalizing every aspect of the older player's approach.
Johnson's murder in 1938 prompted Lockwood to pursue an independent path filled with fresh explorations. He ranked among the earliest blues performers to acquire an electric guitar that same year and soon traveled to Chicago, where he recorded four groundbreaking sides for Bluebird. Jazz inflections gradually surfaced in his intricate guitar work, even if his longstanding partnership with Sonny Boy Williamson on the renowned KFFA King Biscuit Time broadcasts from Helena, AR, in the early 1940s placed less emphasis on that particular strength.
After establishing residence in Chicago during 1950, Lockwood quickly earned recognition as a flexible and sought-after session musician, contributing to sessions behind harmonica master Little Walter, pianists Sunnyland Slim and Eddie Boyd, along with numerous others. Opportunities to lead his own dates remained limited, yet he produced notable 78s in 1951 for Mercury that included "I'm Gonna Dig Myself a Hole" and an early version of "Dust My Broom," followed by the 1955 JOB coupling "Sweet Woman from Maine" backed with "Aw Aw Baby."
Lockwood's strongest contemporary recordings under his own name appeared on Pete Lowry's Trix imprint, highlighted by bold excursions on the 12-string guitar he had boldly incorporated into his setup in 1965. He later teamed with another Johnson adherent, Johnny Shines, for a pair of wide-ranging Rounder albums issued in the early 1980s. Additional projects encompassed a tribute collection devoted to Robert Johnson and the creation of his personal label, Lockwood. In 1998 Lockwood joined Verve to release the Grammy-nominated I Got to Find Me a Woman, which included guest appearances by B.B. King and Joe Louis Walker. He maintained a regular weekly performance schedule in Cleveland until a brain aneurysm struck in early November 2006, leading to his death on November 21.
Born during 1915, Lockwood stood among the final surviving connections to Johnson's storied tradition. After his mother entered a relationship with the wandering musician in Helena, AR, the reserved youth acquired both an inspiring figure and an intimate companion—so close, in fact, that Lockwood viewed himself as Johnson's stepson. Under Johnson's guidance, Robert Jr. mastered the guitar in short order, fully internalizing every aspect of the older player's approach.
Johnson's murder in 1938 prompted Lockwood to pursue an independent path filled with fresh explorations. He ranked among the earliest blues performers to acquire an electric guitar that same year and soon traveled to Chicago, where he recorded four groundbreaking sides for Bluebird. Jazz inflections gradually surfaced in his intricate guitar work, even if his longstanding partnership with Sonny Boy Williamson on the renowned KFFA King Biscuit Time broadcasts from Helena, AR, in the early 1940s placed less emphasis on that particular strength.
After establishing residence in Chicago during 1950, Lockwood quickly earned recognition as a flexible and sought-after session musician, contributing to sessions behind harmonica master Little Walter, pianists Sunnyland Slim and Eddie Boyd, along with numerous others. Opportunities to lead his own dates remained limited, yet he produced notable 78s in 1951 for Mercury that included "I'm Gonna Dig Myself a Hole" and an early version of "Dust My Broom," followed by the 1955 JOB coupling "Sweet Woman from Maine" backed with "Aw Aw Baby."
Lockwood's strongest contemporary recordings under his own name appeared on Pete Lowry's Trix imprint, highlighted by bold excursions on the 12-string guitar he had boldly incorporated into his setup in 1965. He later teamed with another Johnson adherent, Johnny Shines, for a pair of wide-ranging Rounder albums issued in the early 1980s. Additional projects encompassed a tribute collection devoted to Robert Johnson and the creation of his personal label, Lockwood. In 1998 Lockwood joined Verve to release the Grammy-nominated I Got to Find Me a Woman, which included guest appearances by B.B. King and Joe Louis Walker. He maintained a regular weekly performance schedule in Cleveland until a brain aneurysm struck in early November 2006, leading to his death on November 21.
Albums
The Complete Trix Recordings
2003
Delta Crossroads
2000
I Got To Find Me A Woman
1998
Presenting Robert Lockwood, Jr.
1938
Singles
