Lockwood, Robert Jr., 1915-2006

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Guitarist and blues legend Robert Lockwood, Jr., a native of Turkey Scratch, Arkansas, was born on March 27, 1915. Lockwood, who held honorary doctorates from Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland State University, received his early education in Arkansas.

Lockwood's first instrument was the pump organ, which he began to play as a young child; he later learned to play guitar from his stepfather, legendary blues artist Robert Johnson. Lockwood left school and began his professional career at age fifteen, traveling throughout the Mississippi Delta playing in juke joints and parties with Johnson, harpist Sonny Boy Williamson (a.k.a. Rice Miller), Johnny Shines, and others.

Lockwood made his first recordings in 1941 with Doc Clayton on his famous Bluebird Sessions in Aurora, Illinois. Among the four singles made were Take a Little Walk With Me and Little Boy Blue. Later that year, Lockwood returned to Helena, Arkansas, where he hosted a popular live radio broadcast on station KFFA, sponsored by the King Biscuit Company. Lockwood performed in all of the major blues centers, including Memphis, Tennessee, and St. Louis, Missouri; by the early 1950s he was working as one of the top session artists for Chess Records in Chicago.

In the 1960s, Lockwood moved to Cleveland, Ohio, settling down in the Hough community, where he purchased a home and raised his family. Lockwood's solo recording career began in 1970 with the album Steady Rollin' Man. In the 1980s, Lockwood and longtime friend Johnny Shines recorded three albums.

Lockwood won a number of awards, including the W.C. Handy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album in 1980, and the National Heritage Fellowship Award in 1995. In 1989 Lockwood was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame, and in 1998, he was inducted into the Delta Blues Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Mississippi.

Lockwood and his wife Mary lived in Cleveland, Ohio; he passed away on November 21, 2006.

From The HistoryMakers™ biography: https://www.thehistorymakers.org/biography/A2005.017

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Lockwood, Robert, 1915-2006. Just a feeling. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Spann, Otis, 1930-1970. Ninety nine. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Leake, Lafayette, 1919-1990. Too close together [Multimédia multisupport]. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
referencedIn Pantsios, Anastasia. Anastasia Pantsios Photographs 1979-1983, undated. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Library and Archives
creatorOf Spann, Otis, 1930-1970. It's sad to be alone. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Spann, Otis, 1930-1970. Born blind. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Spann, Otis, 1930-1970. Let me explain. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Lockwood, Robert, 1915-2006. I got to go. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Lockwood, Robert, 1915-2006. Boom, boom out goes the lights [Multimédia multisupport]. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Lockwood, Robert, 1915-2006. Shake dancer [Multimédia multisupport]. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
referencedIn Southern Folklife Collection Artist Name File, 1940-2005 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Folklife Collection.
creatorOf Leake, Lafayette, 1919-1990. Trust my baby. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Leake, Lafayette, 1919-1990. Too close together. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Lockwood, Robert, 1915-2006. Last night [Multimédia multisupport]. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Spann, Otis, 1930-1970. Let me explain [Multimédia multisupport]. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Lockwood, Robert, 1915-2006. Keep it to yourself. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Spann, Otis, 1930-1970. Nine below zero. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Spann, Otis, 1930-1970. It's sad to be alone [Multimédia multisupport]. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Lockwood, Robert, 1915-2006. Teenage beat. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Leake, Lafayette, 1919-1990. Trust my baby [Multimédia multisupport]. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Lockwood, Robert, 1915-2006. Thunderbird. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Spann, Otis, 1930-1970. Nine below zero. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Lockwood, Robert, 1915-2006. Teenage beat [Multimédia multisupport]. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
referencedIn Walter J. Brown Media Archives and Peabody Awards Collection. Rayburn Moore collection, circa 1938-1967.
creatorOf Spann, Otis, 1930-1970. Ninety nine. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Spann, Otis, 1930-1970. Let your conscience be your guide. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Spann, Otis, 1930-1970. It's sad to be alone. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
referencedIn Hubbell, Ken. Postcard [Left to right], Sonny Boy Williamson, [Sam Anderson] announcer, Robert Junior Lockwood [graphic]. Arkansas History Commission
creatorOf Lockwood, Robert, 1915-2006. Shake dancer. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Spann, Otis, 1930-1970. Let me explain. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Lockwood, Robert, 1915-2006. Keep it to yourself [Multimédia multisupport]. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Lockwood, Robert, 1915-2006. Last night. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Lockwood, Robert, 1915-2006. Ah'w baby. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Lockwood, Robert, 1915-2006. My babe. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Spann, Otis, 1930-1970. Checkin' up on my baby. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Spann, Otis, 1930-1970. Nine below zero [Multimédia multisupport]. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Lockwood, Robert, 1915-2006. It's too late brother. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Lockwood, Robert, 1915-2006. I got to go [Multimédia multisupport]. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Lockwood, Robert, 1915-2006. Keep it to yourself. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Lockwood, Robert, 1915-2006. The Key : to your door. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
referencedIn Interstate Grocer Company. King Biscuit papers, 1939-2001.
creatorOf Spann, Otis, 1930-1970. Let your conscience be your guide. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Lockwood, Robert, 1915-2006. Boom, boom out goes the lights. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Leake, Lafayette, 1919-1990. Too close together. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Spann, Otis, 1930-1970. Checkin' up on my baby. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Lockwood, Robert, 1915-2006. Just a feeling [Multimédia multisupport]. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Spann, Otis, 1930-1970. Let your conscience be your guide [Multimédia multisupport]. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Lockwood, Robert, 1915-2006. The Key : to your door. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Lockwood, Robert, 1915-2006. It's too late brother [Multimédia multisupport]. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Leake, Lafayette, 1919-1990. Trust my baby. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Spann, Otis, 1930-1970. Ninety nine [Multimédia multisupport]. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Lockwood, Robert, 1915-2006. The Key [Multimédia multisupport] : to your door. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Spann, Otis, 1930-1970. Born blind. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Lockwood, Robert, 1915-2006. Ah'w baby [Multimédia multisupport]. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
referencedIn Connor, Anthony, 1946-. Robert Neff and Anthony Connor blues collection : [oral history], 1973-1974 (inclusive). Yale University Library
creatorOf Spann, Otis, 1930-1970. Born blind [Multimédia multisupport]. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf The HistoryMakers Video Oral History with Robert Lockwood, Jr. The HistoryMakers
Relation Name
associatedWith Interstate Grocer Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Pantsios, Anastasia. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Cleveland (Ohio)
Turkey Scratch (Ark.)
Subject
Occupation
Blues Guitarist
Activity

Person

Birth 1915-03-27

Death 2006-11-21

Birth 19150327

Death 20061121

Americans

Information

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