Now over 60 years into a remarkable career Robert Lockwood Jr. shows little sign of slowing down. Lockwood learned his blues from the immortal Robert Johnson and to this day no one plays the music of Johnson with such acuity. in fact Lockwood was the only to be taught directly by Johnson as he relates: "I was the only one who Robert taught to play the music. I sat down with him in our house and we went over the songs note by note, exactly the way he played them." Lockwood's never been one to linger in the past for long, continuing to hone his style and has developed a unique swinging, jazzy style often played on his 12-string electric guitar. Lockwood continues to tour and record and was nominated for a W.C. Handy award in the category of Traditional Blues-Male Artist of the Year in 2004.

  Robert Lockwood Jr. was born March 27, 1915 in Turkey Scratch, Arkansas, a farming hamlet about 25 miles from Helena, Arkansas. The family moved to Memphis when he was four or five. In Memphis his parents separated. He was left with his father's brother before being reunited with his mother when he was eight or nine and moved with her to Helena. His first musical lessons were on the family pump organ. Lockwood related in an interview: "I knew when I was a boy that I was going to be a musician. But I wanted to be a piano player." When Lockwood's mother became romantically involved with Robert Johnson, Lockwood gained a new role model. "I really never had a desire to play the guitar until Robert Johnson came along. All the guitar players at that time-it was always two of 'em, one playin' chords and other playin' melody, and I just didn't like that. Robert showed up playin' it all by himself." From Johnson, Lockwood learned chords, timing, and stage presence. By the age of fifteen, Lockwood was playing professionally, often with Johnson; sometimes with Johnny Shines or Rice Miller, who would soon be calling himself Sonny Boy Williamson II. They would play fish fries, juke joints, and street corners.

  Following Johnson's death, Lockwood set out on his own. He was among the first bluesmen to score an electric guitar in the late 30's and eventually made his way to Chicago in 1940. Lockwood’s first recordings came in 1941, with Doctor Clayton, for the Bluebird label cut in Aurora, Illinois. During these sessions, he cut four singles under his own name. Among the songs were "Take A Little Walk with Me", and "Little Boy Blue," Lockwood staples to this day.

 In 1941, however, Lockwood returned to the Delta and the town of Helena, Arkansas. It was here that he would begin to make history in his own right. Previously, there were no radio stations where blues music - or black people in general - could be heard in the South. This changed when Sonny Boy Williamson, after being sponsored by Max Moore and Interstate Grocery, began what will forever be known as KFFA's "King Biscuit Time." "Sonny Boy got the job," Lockwood says. "He'd been in Helena for a week and asked me if I would play with him. I said 'yes' and we were on the air." That meeting led to Williamson and Lockwood becoming what author Robert Palmer called "the first blues media superstars." This show became a cultural phenomenon; everybody would listen during his or her lunch hour. Several generations of southern bluesman can trace their musical roots to the show.

  Lockwood moved around, the usual route from Memphis to St. Louis before settling in Chicago in 1950. Lockwood swiftly gained a reputation as a versatile in-demand studio sideman, recording behind harp genius Little Walter, piano masters Roosevelt Sykes, Sunnyland Slim and Eddie Boyd and many more. Solo recording opportunities were scarce, though Lockwood did cut fine singles for Mercury with Sunnyland Slim in 1951 ("I'm Gonna Dig Myself a Hole" and a very early "Dust My Broom") and JOB in 1951 and 1954 ("Sweet Woman from Maine"/"Aw Aw Baby").

  Blues was giving way to Rock and Roll, even in Chicago, so Lockwood moved to Cleveland, Ohio in 1960 at the urging of his old pal, Sonny Boy. He initially played with Sonny Boy and when Sonny Boy left Lockwood formed his own trio around 1964. In the late 1960s Lockwood would gig all around Cleveland, playing whenever he got the chance. Long-forgotten clubs like Pirates Cove and Brothers Lounge were places where Lockwood taught his blues to generations of local musicians and fans.

  Lockwood’s solo recording career, began in earnest 1970 with Delmark’s "Steady Rollin' Man", backed by old friends Louis Myers, his brother Dave Myers, and Fred Below, collectively known as The Aces. In 1974 he cut "Blues Live in Japan" backed by The Aces recorded live in Tokyo and released on the Advent label. In 1972, Lockwood hooked up with musicologist, Pete Lowry to record two of his finest albums, "Contrasts" in 1974, the first of two for Trix Records. "Does 12" followed in 1975. These records feature his first workouts on the 12-string, an instrument he uses to this day. He later joined forces with fellow Johnson disciple Johnny Shines In the early 1980s to record two albums for Rounder. "Plays Robert and Robert", a Black and Blue recording of a solo recordings was cut in 1982, was re-issued on Evidence in 1993. From the early 1980s to 1996, there were no domestic Lockwood releases. In 1998, "I've Got to Find Me a Woman" was released by Verve, gaining a Grammy nomination. This was followed by Telarc’s "Delta Crossroads", also a Grammy contender in 2000. In 2001, "What’s the Score" was re-issued on Lockwood Records which has the rights to his Japanese live recordings, previously only available on P-Vine. 2004 saw the release of "The legend Live" on the M.C. label.

 The last couple of decades have seen Lockwood finally get some measure of the acclaim he deserves. Lockwood will be forever associated with Robert Johnson but his own contributions to the blues are enormous and he shows few signs of slowing down. Lockwood continues to lead his own band performing regulalry in Cleveland as well as touring and recording consistently. Lockwood has received numerous awards in the past two decades including two W.C. Handy Awards, a street named after him in Cleveland and Cleveland Mayor Michael White even proclaimed February 3, as "Robert Lockwood Day."

Essential Listening

Sweet Home Chicago: The JOB Sessions 1950's (P-Vine): Lockwood and Johnny Shines get paired together on this release from P-Vine (essentially an expanded version of an earlier disc from Paula Records). Lockwood is in stellar form on "Aw Aw Baby", "Pearly B" and "Sweet Woman from Maine" among others.

The Complete Trix Recordings (Savoy): Collects "Contrasts" and "Does 12" both cut for the Trix label in the 70's. Perhaps Lockwood's finest recordings backed by his working band on swinging jazzy numbers like "Annie's Boogie" , "Majors, Minors & Ninths", delta blues like ""Little Boy Blue", "Terraplane Blues" and Chicago styled numbers such as "This Is the Blues" and "Little Queen of Spades." An electrifying collection.

Just the Blues (Bullseye): Collects all the Lockwood-fronted tracks from his two Rounder albums of the 80's with Johnny Shines. Lockwood shines on an eclectic mix of jazz, blues and funk. Highlights include "Here It Is, Brother", "Stake A Claim", "Just the Blues" and cooks with Johnny Shines on "We're Gonna Ball Tonight" and "I Gotta Find My Baby."

Live In Japan (P-Vine): Recorded in concert at Tokyo's Yubin Chokin Hall on November 27th and 28th, 1974, this teams Lockwood with the Aces (Louis Myers on guitar and harmonica, brother Dave on bass and Fred Below on drums). The crowd is wildly enthusiastic as Lockwood and The Aces sizzle on "Sweet Home Chicago", "Going Down Slow" and "Feel Alright Again." Originally issued on the Advent label and since reissued on CD on the Japanese P-Vine label. Worth tracking down.

Plays Robert And Robert (Evidence): One of Lockwood's finest solo dates (cut in France in 1982 for Black & Blue), playing his own songs and those of his legendary mentor, Robert Johnson. Lockwood plays primarily 12-string guitar and shines on "Kindhearted Woman Blues", "I'm a Steady Rollin' Man" and his own "Western Horizon" among others.

I Got To Find Me A Woman (Verve): Cut in 1996 when Lockwood was 81 years old. Lockwood sounds inspired on this excellent mix of solo and band numbers getting help from B.B. King, Joe Louis Walker and the fine harp work of Wallace Coleman among others.

-Hoffman, Larry. "Robert Lockwood, Jr.", Living Blues No. 121, 1995, p. 13-29.

-Dahl, Bill. "Robert Lockwood Jr. Biography", All Music Guide Entry

-Witter, David. Robert Johnson's stepson and Protege", ChicagoINNERVIEW

-Lee, Peter. Robert Lockwood, Jr.: Unlocking Some Secrets", Living Blues No. 90, p. 32-35.