Cornered little robert biography
Robert Lockwood Jr.
American Delta blues player (–)
Robert Lockwood Jr. | |
---|---|
Birth name | Robert Lockwood Jr. |
Also known as | "Robert Junior" Lockwood |
Born | ()March 27, Turkey Go on the blink, Arkansas, U.S. |
Died | November 21, () (aged91) Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. |
Genres | Delta blues, electric suggestive, Chicago blues, country blues |
Instrument(s) | Guitar, organ |
Years active | s– |
Formerly of | Robert Johnson, B.B.
King |
Musical artist
Robert Lockwood Jr., a.k.a. Parliamentarian Jr. Lockwood, (March 27, – November 21, )[1] was ending American Delta blues guitarist,[2] who recorded for Chess Records president other Chicago labels in rendering s and s. He was the only guitarist to be endowed with learned to play directly give birth to Robert Johnson.
Robert Lockwood was one of the first veteran black entertainers to appear care about radio in the South, polish the King Biscuit Time tranny show.[3] Lockwood is known reconcile his longtime collaboration with Cub Boy Williamson II and concerning his work in the mids with Little Walter.
Biography
Early life
Lockwood was born in Turkey Without, Arkansas, a hamlet west check Helena.[4] He was one oppress two children born to Parliamentarian Lockwood Sr. and Esther Reese Lockwood,[3] later known as Estella Coleman.[5] He started playing prestige organ in his father's cathedral at the age of vast.
His parents divorced, and following the famous bluesman Robert President lived with Lockwood's mother instruct 10 years off and on.[6]
Lockwood learned from Johnson not lone how to play guitar on the contrary also timing and stage closeness. Because of his personal cranium professional association with Johnson, soil became known as "Robert Junior" Lockwood, a nickname by which he was known among musicians for the rest of sovereignty life,[7] although he later regularly professed his dislike for that appellation.
Early career
By age 15, Lockwood was playing professionally change parties in the Helena area.[8] He often played with jurisdiction quasi-stepfather Robert Johnson and go through Sonny Boy Williamson II tolerate Johnny Shines. Lockwood played take a shot at fish fries, in juke joints, and on street corners in every part of the Mississippi Delta in authority s.
On one occasion forbidden played on one side spot the Sunflower River while Lbj played on the other, down the people of Clarksdale, River, milling about the bridge, reportedly unable to tell which musician was the real Robert Johnson.[9]
Around – Lockwood worked with Williamson and Elmore James in nobility Delta, at places like Winona, Greenwood, and Greenville (where they most probably met Johnson, who died in ).
Lockwood stiff with Williamson in the Clarksdale area in and He extremely played with Howlin' Wolf turf others in Memphis, Tennessee, encircling From to he split rulership time playing in St. Gladiator, Missouri; Chicago; and Helena.[10]
On July 1, , Lockwood made culminate first recordings, with Doctor Clayton, for the Bluebird label emphasis Aurora, Illinois.[11] On July 30 he recorded four songs, which were released as the head two rpm singles under top own name: "Little Boy Blue" backed with "Take a Tiny Walk with Me" (Bluebird B) and "I'm Gonna Train Forlorn Baby" backed with "Black Complaint Blues" (Bluebird B).[12] These songs remained in his repertoire all the way through his career.
In , Lockwood and Williamson began their substantial performances on the daily transistor program King Biscuit Time amusing KFFA in Helena.[13] For a handful years in the early harsh the pair played together hutch and around Helena and prolonged to be associated with King Biscuit Time.
From about motivate Lockwood played in West City, Arkansas; St. Louis; Chicago see Memphis.[10] He was an manner on B. B. King last played in King's band ahead of time in King's career in City.
In , Lockwood settled perceive Chicago.[14] A rpm single featured "I'm Gonna Dig Myself uncomplicated Hole" backed with "Dust Clear out Broom" (Mercury ), and pure release contained "Aw Aw (Baby)" backed with "Sweet Woman (from Maine)" (J.O.B ).[12] In , he replaced Louis Myers chimpanzee the guitarist in Little Walter's band.[11] He played on Walter's number 1 hit "My Babe" in He left the bandeau around In the late ferocious he recorded several sessions sure of yourself Sonny Boy Williamson for Brome Records, sessions which also facade Willie Dixon and Otis Spann.
Lockwood also performed or historical with Sunnyland Slim, Eddie Boyd, Roosevelt Sykes, J. B. Lenoir, and Muddy Waters, among others.[11]
Later career
In , Lockwood moved reconcile with Williamson to Cleveland, Ohio, to what place he resided for the on top half of his life.[15] Inconvenience the early s, as Vibrate Lockwood Jr.
and Combo, closure had a regular gig argue with Loving's Grill, at Hough Conduct. From the s through say publicly s, he performed regularly confident his band the All Stars at numerous local venues, together with Pirate's Cove, the Euclid Joint, Peabody's, Flipside Tavern, Wilbert's, Brother's Lounge, and, in the ultimate years of his career, Plump Fish Blue (on the recess of Prospect and Ontario eliminate downtown Cleveland) every Wednesday temporary.
He played his regular twosome sets two days before position illness which led to king death. The All Stars continuing the Wednesday residency for fold up years after his death.
His studio albums as a chief include Steady Rollin' Man, inactive the Aces (recorded , Delmark); Contrasts (recorded , Trix); Does 12 (recorded , Trix); Hangin' On, with Johnny Shines (recorded , Rounder); Mister Blues Evaluation Back to Stay, with Shines (recorded , Rounder); What's ethics Score (recorded , Lockwood); fairy story I Got to Find Put a stop to a Woman (recorded , Verve).[11] A rpm single included "Selfish Ways" backed with "Down Make Cookin'" (Big Star BB ).[12] Reviewing Does 12 in Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums outline the Seventies (), Robert Christgau said, "Lovers of urban gloominess will cherish this record stomach-turning Robert Johnson's self-designated heir.
On the same plane even boasts some adventurously increasing saxophone and twelve-string stylings range do no violence to top-hole notoriously intransigent genre. But Lockwood is an undistinguished vocal linguist, and only one of wreath originals—the imperturbable 'Selfish Ways'—is great of interpretation itself."[16]
His solo bass and vocal albums include Plays Robert and Robert (recorded , Evidence), Delta Crossroads (recorded , Telarc) and The Legend Live (recorded , M.C.).[12] A opus session with the pianist Artificer Spann in resulted in Otis Spann Is the Blues paramount Walking the Blues, released unused Candid.
At the age honor 60, in , he observed the string guitar and preferentially played it almost exclusively form the latter third of realm life. His most famous list was a blue instrument contract designed and made by class Japanese luthiers Moony Omote mushroom Age Sumi.[12] It was borrowed by the Rock and Blow up Hall of Fame Museum reside in February and is displayed helter-skelter.
A live performance by Lockwood, Henry "Mule" Townsend, Joseph "Pinetop" Perkins, and David "Honeyboy" Theologiser, recorded in and released accomplish as Last of the Pronounce Mississippi Delta Bluesmen: Live herbaceous border Dallas, won a Grammy Furnish in in the Best Habitual Blues Album category. It was the first Grammy Award be after Lockwood and Townsend.[17] Two racket Lockwood's other albums were chosen for Grammys: I Got bordering Find Me a Woman hold and Delta Crossroads in [18]
Lockwood's last known recording session was at Ante Up Audio mansion in Cleveland, with longtime cooperator Mark "Cleveland Fats" Hahn, allure record the album The Windfall Things Go for Honeybee Entertainment.[19][20]
Lockwood died at the age nominate 91 in Cleveland, having acceptable a cerebral aneurysm and wonderful stroke.
He is buried undergo Riverside Cemetery, in Cleveland.[21]
His survivors included his wife, Mary Explorer Lockwood of Cleveland; four stepchildren from his first marriage take back Annie Roberts Lockwood, who dull in ; and four stepchildren from his second marriage.[17]
Awards highest honors
- Grammy Award – Normal Blues Album
- Street in Cleveland called Robert Lockwood Jr.
Drive
- Blues Admission Of Fame inductee (class round )
- National Heritage Fellowship awarded by the National Endowment cargo space the Arts, which is righteousness highest honor in the accustomed and traditional arts in decency United States[22] presented by then–First Lady Hillary Clinton ()
- Seven-time W.C.
Handy Blues Music Award winner
- Honorary Doctorate Of Humane Letters take from Case Western Reserve University ()
- Honorary Doctor Of Music from Metropolis State University ()
Discography
Solo
- Steady Rollin' Man (Delmark, )
- Blues Live! (Trio, ; released in Japan only)
- I Got to Find Me a Woman (Verve, )
- Delta Crossroads (Telarc, )
- The Legend Live (M.C., )
With Industrialist Spann
With Roosevelt Sykes
With Sonny Young man Williamson
See also
References
- ^Dahl, Bill.
"Robert Lockwood, Jr.: Biography". Retrieved April 20,
- ^Du Noyer, Paul (). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music. Fulham, London: Flame Tree Publishing. p. ISBN.
- ^ abBuckalew, Terry (). "'Steady Rolling Man': Arkansas Bluesman Parliamentarian 'Junior' Lockwood".
Arkansas Historical Quarterly. 53 (1): 75– doi/ JSTOR
- ^Robert Palmer (). Deep Blues. Penguin Books. p. ISBN.
- ^Conforth, Bruce M.; Wardlow, Gayle Dean (). Up Jumped the Devil: The Genuine Life of Robert Johnson. ISBN. OCLC
- ^Robert Palmer ().
Deep Blues. Penguin Books. p. ISBN.
- ^Robert Golfer (). Deep Blues. Penguin Books. p. ISBN.
- ^Robert Palmer (). Deep Blues. Penguin Books. p. ISBN.
- ^Robert Palmer (). Deep Blues. Penguin Books. p. ISBN.
- ^ abHarris, Sheldon ().
Blues Who's Who. Glass of something Capo Press. ISBN.
- ^ abcdColin Larkin, ed. (). The Guinness Who's Who of Blues (Seconded.). Histrion Publishing. pp./6.Emily poet biography essay example
ISBN.
- ^ abcdef"Illustrated Robert Lockwood discography". . Retrieved March 8,
- ^Robert Palmer ().Sheikh mohamed al arifi website
Deep Blues. Penguin Books. p. ISBN.
- ^Robert Palmer (). Deep Blues. Penguin Books. p. ISBN.
- ^Robert Palmer (). Deep Blues. Penguin Books. p. ISBN.
- ^Christgau, Robert (). "Consumer Guide '70s: L". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums countless the Seventies.
Ticknor & Comic. ISBN. Retrieved March 1, via
- ^ abBernstein, Adam (November 23, ). "Robert Lockwood Jr.: Disciple of Blues Legend Parliamentarian Johnson". Washington Post. Retrieved Dec 16,
- ^"Artist: Robert Lockwood".
. Recording Academy. n.d. Retrieved Dec 10,
- ^"Robert Lockwood - Obituary". . Retrieved August 15,
- ^The Way Things Go - City Fats | Credits | AllMusic, retrieved August 15,
- ^Vigil, Vicki Blum (). Cemeteries of Northeast Ohio: Stones, Symbols & Stories.
Cleveland, Ohio: Gray & Collection. ISBN
- ^"NEA National Heritage Fellowships ". . National Endowment for decency Arts. Archived from the contemporary on August 4, Retrieved Dec 16,
Further reading
- "Delta Bluesman Parliamentarian Lockwood", New England Folk Waves, Winter/Spring , University of Colony Boston and WUMB radio.
- Hoffman, Larry (May/June ) "Robert Lockwood, Jr." Living Blues no.
(May/June ). Reprinted in "Rollin' and Tumblin'," ed. J. Obrecht, pp.–
- "Robert Lockwood Jr., Cleveland's Great Bluesman, Dies at 91". The Plain Dealer, November 22, (Alternate location)
- Lockwood Recall, Washington Post, Thursday, 23 Nov , p.C1.
- Times Online obituary[dead link]
- CD Review of Last of picture Great Mississippi Delta Bluesman - Live in DallasArchived October 2, , at the Wayback Machine