Robert Lockwood Jr: 1915-2006

Another Blues Legend Passes into History

by Andrew McElwee

Saying goodbye to such an influential artist as Robert Lockwood, Jr., especially over the Thanksgiving holidays, is never easy.

And yet, when considering how deep his musical genius intertwines throughout history, one can't help but be thankful. His talent, voice, and charisma fashioned a vital cornerstone in American culture. Lockwood wasn’t just a guitar player. He was an architect.

Born in Turkey Scratch, Arkansas on March 27, 1915, Lockwood’s first exposure to performing came while playing the pump organ at his father’s church. At age 11, he was introduced to the guitar by famed bluesman Robert Johnson, who came to live with Lockwood’s mother after his parents divorced.

Robert Johnson (whose blues origins were steeped in mystery) taught Lockwood everything from chords to timing to stage presence. It was no easy task, especially since Johnson never taught his apprentice/stepson the same method more than twice. But, by age 15, he had mastered his stepfather’s technique. So well, in fact, that during a riverside show in Clarksville, Mississippi, fans could hardly tell the two guitarists apart.

After signing with Bluebird Records in 1941, Robert Lockwood, Jr. embarked on a prolific recording career that spanned almost 7 decades. That same year, he and fellow bluesman Sonny Boy Williamson II gained widespread recognition by performing on the historic KFFA, during a program known as "King Biscuit Time." The cultural impact of the show was far-reaching, inspiring countless southern blues musicians including Lockwood’s protege, B.B. King.

From 1944 to 1949, Lockwood toured the Midwest extensively, playing at venues in St. Louis, Memphis, and Chicago. By the early 1950’s, he had become the signature recording artist for Chess Records, the most prominent of blues record labels in the Windy City.

As rock and roll progressively dominated the music scene, Lockwood focused his energies exclusively on the blues. During the late 1960s and 1970s, Robert aggressively recorded on various labels, collaborating with Muddy Waters, Pete Lowry, and the Aces. Giving high-profile performances in almost-forgotten clubs around Cleveland, Lockwood shared his talents with fellow blues players and fans.

Such was Robert Lockwood, Jr.’s dedication to the genre that, unsurprisingly, his achievements garnered national recognition. Over the next 20 years, he received countless awards for his contributions to blues and roots music. In 1980, Lockwood was handed the first ever W.C. Handy Award for best blues album (three more were soon to follow). He was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame 1989, and in 1995, he received the National Heritage Fellowship Award from then-First Lady Hillary Clinton. Not content to rest on his laurels, Lockwood earned an honorary doctorate in 2001 from Case Western Reserve in Cleveland, and a second from Cleveland State University the following year.

But what justified Robert Lockwood, Jr. weren’t his lofty accolades. It came down to one word: character. Despite a seemingly gruff demeanor, he exuded an uncanny level of generosity towards his fellow man. For Lockwood, every statement of instruction or motivation always had an action to back it up. His philosophy was a simple one, not unlike that of a samurai warrior: success comes only through practice and personal dedication.

In his final years of his life, Robert found the perfect medium to demonstrate that philosophy. Thanks to The Blue Shoe Project, a non-profit organization promoting awareness of blues in education, Lockwood became involved in a series of performances and educational programs geared towards students. Most notably, he was featured alongside fellow blues contemporaries David "Honeyboy" Edwards, Joe Willie "Pinetop" Perkins, and the late Henry James Townsend in The Last of the Great Mississippi Delta Bluesmen showcase earlier this year.

As an artist, performer, mentor, and family man, Robert Lockwood, Jr. truly experienced life from all angles. His integrity, backed by nearly a century of unmatched skill, is what musicians, fans, and now students, will remember for generations to come.

This story was contributed by a member of the Pegasus News community.