ROBERT LOCKWOOD JR. was one of the greats of blues, though the general public never seemed to realize it.
Lockwood famously learned guitar from ROBERT JOHNSON, who was living with Lockwood’s mother. In future years, the laconic and sometimes bitter Lockwood vacillated between playing up this link with a legend (insisting that his name was Robert Jr. Lockwood, the Robert Sr. being Johnson) or complaining (while asking that his name be written Robert Lockwood Jr.) that it was unjustly overshadowing Lockwood’s long future development.
For Lockwood was one of the first bluesmen to acquire an electric guitar and forge a style harmonically influenced by jazz. He made his first recordings in 1941, then gained blues immortality co-hosting, with SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON (II), a “live” lunchtime program on radio station KFFA, sponsored by King Biscuit Flour. Eventually he moved to Chicago; though his guitar skills earned him plenty of studio work with everyone from Williamson and LITTLE WALTER JACOBS to OTIS SPANN, ROOSEVELT SYKES, SUNNYLAND SLIM, and EDDIE BOYD, sessions as a leader were few. But his playing still had an impact; his work with Jacobs in particular created a template for Chicago blues early in its development.
Lockwood didn’t make his first album as a leader until 1970 (the fine Steady Rollin’ Man on Delmark), by which time he was living in Cleveland, his home for the rest of his life. The ‘70s brought more work, including the excellent Contrasts and Does 12 on the Trix label; they have been packaged together and are a good place to start exploring Lockwood’s art. By then he was focusing on 12-string guitar, which struck blues purists as wrong, but he just went on doing what he wanted to.
Lockwood was born in Turkey Scratch, Arkansas in 1915. The same year brought MUDDY WATERS, WILLIE DIXON, Little Walter, MEMPHIS SLIM, Lockwood’s longtime friend and collaborator JOHNNY SHINES, and DAVID “HONEYBOY” EDWARDS; now only Edwards is still with us.
For a witty and loving first-person appreciation of Lockwood the artist and contrarian, read this article.
From his website: “Robert Lockwood Jr. may be viewed by the General Public at the Old Stone Church located on Public Square in downtown Cleveland on December 1, 2006 from the hours of 4pm – 8pm. The funeral will be held on December 2nd at 11am at the Old Stone Church.”
