Robert Lockwood Jr.: The Only Guitarist Robert Johnson Ever Taught

On a summer afternoon in the early 1930s, a teenage boy in Turkey Scratch, Arkansas, sat watching his mother’s new partner play guitar. The partner was Robert Johnson — the man who would become the most mythologized figure in blues history. The boy was Robert Lockwood Jr. Over the next several years, Johnson taught him everything. That meant fingerpicking patterns, slide technique, timing, stage presence, and how to hold a room. Indeed, no other guitarist on earth received that education. Johnson died in 1938 at twenty-seven. Lockwood then became the sole living carrier of a style that would reshape American music.

Yet Robert Lockwood Jr. never became a Robert Johnson imitator. Instead, he took that Delta foundation and built something new. His jazz-tinged guitar style spanned seven decades. It powered the first live blues radio broadcast in the American South. That same approach anchored some of the most important Chess Records sessions of the 1950s. Over time, his restless ear led him to reinvent his sound on twelve-string electric guitar. In essence, Robert Lockwood Jr. didn’t just preserve a tradition. He pushed it forward at every turn.

Robert Lockwood Jr. and Robert Johnson in Arkansas

Robert Lockwood Jr. was born on March 27, 1915, in Turkey Scratch, Arkansas, a small hamlet west of Helena in Phillips County. His parents were Robert Lockwood Sr. and Esther Reese Lockwood, who later went by Estella Coleman. He was one of two children.

Lockwood started on organ as a young boy, drawn to music through the church. However, his path changed permanently when his mother began a relationship with Robert Johnson. Johnson lived with the family off and on for roughly ten years. This overlapped with Lockwood’s teenage years. As a result, the arrangement gave him something no other musician could claim: direct, one-on-one instruction from Robert Johnson.

In fact, Johnson taught him guitar basics and then pushed him further. He showed Lockwood the fingerpicking, open tunings, and rhythmic depth that defined the Delta blues style. Lockwood absorbed it all. In fact, he grew so skilled that locals could not tell the two apart. On at least one occasion, he and Johnson played on opposite sides of the Sunflower River near Clarksdale, Mississippi. People on the bridge could not figure out which guitarist was the real Robert Johnson.

Moreover, the connection ran deep enough that Lockwood eventually inverted his own name — from Robert Lockwood Jr. to Robert Jr. Lockwood — as a nod to his stepfather’s influence. Throughout his career, he used both forms interchangeably.

The Delta Circuit and Early Partnerships

By the late 1930s, Lockwood was working the Delta circuit on his own — fish fries, juke joints, street corners, and plantation dances across Mississippi and Arkansas. Around 1937 and 1938, he fell in with two key players. One was Sonny Boy Williamson II (Rice Miller). The other was a young slide player named Elmore James. The three then worked together around Winona, Greenwood, and Greenville.

Also, Lockwood crossed paths with Howlin’ Wolf in Memphis around 1938. From 1939 to 1940, he then split time between St. Louis, Chicago, and Helena. He built a reputation as one of the sharpest young guitarists on the circuit. In particular, his time in St. Louis proved pivotal. He met and played with Doctor Clayton there. That connection would lead directly to his first time in a studio.

The 1941 Bluebird Sessions

On July 1, 1941, Lockwood made his recording debut in Aurora, Illinois, playing on a Doctor Clayton session for the Bluebird label. Later that month, on July 30, he cut four songs under his own name for producer Lester Melrose — his first solo recordings.

Those four sides were then released as two 78 RPM singles. “Little Boy Blue” was backed with “Take a Little Walk with Me” (Bluebird B-8820). “I’m Gonna Train My Baby” was backed with “Black Spider Blues” (Bluebird B-8877). Notably, both “Little Boy Blue” and “Take a Little Walk with Me” stayed in Robert Lockwood Jr.’s live sets for the rest of his career. “Little Boy Blue” in particular showed the Johnson influence clearly. It was a solo vocal and guitar piece rooted in the Delta tradition Lockwood had learned firsthand.

Even so, these were not polished Chicago recordings. They were raw, direct, and grounded in the acoustic Delta style. Still, even at twenty-six, Lockwood’s playing had a precision and feel for harmony that hinted at where he was heading.

King Biscuit Time: Blues Hits the Airwaves

Later in 1941, Robert Lockwood Jr. and Sonny Boy Williamson II launched King Biscuit Time on KFFA radio in Helena, Arkansas. It would become one of the most significant broadcasts in American music history. In fact, it was the first regularly scheduled live blues broadcast in the South. It was also one of the first programs anywhere to feature Black entertainers on the radio.

The show aired daily, sponsored by the Interstate Grocery Company’s King Biscuit flour. In fact, the core band was Williamson on harmonica and vocals, with Lockwood on guitar. James “Peck” Curtis and Dudlow Taylor filled out the rhythm. In other words, the format was simple: live blues played straight into a microphone. It beamed across the Arkansas Delta to farmers, sharecroppers, and field workers during their midday break.

Also, King Biscuit Time did what no recording could. It brought blues into homes every single day. As a result, the show made both Williamson and Lockwood regional stars. It also gave Lockwood his first taste of what a steady, professional music career could look like. For several years in the early 1940s, the pair then worked in and around Helena. King Biscuit Time was their anchor.

The show’s influence ultimately extended far beyond its broadcast range. For instance, a young B.B. King listened to King Biscuit Time as a teenager in Indianola, Mississippi. He later credited the program as one of the sparks that set him on his own path. Indeed, the broadcast continued for decades and eventually inspired the King Biscuit Blues Festival in Helena, which still runs today.

Chicago and the Chess Records Years

In 1950, Lockwood moved to Chicago. The city’s South Side was then the epicenter of electric blues, and Lockwood landed right in the middle of it. Robert Lockwood Jr. fell in with the session musicians who backed the biggest names at Chess Records. That roster included Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Willie Dixon, Eddie Boyd, Jimmy Rogers, and the Moonglows.

As a result, Lockwood became part of the Aces. This rhythm section was anchored by bassist Dave Myers, guitarist Louis Myers, and drummer Fred Below. Together, they played a central role in what became the Chicago Shuffle. In essence, this groove defined Chicago blues in the 1950s: amplified, swinging, locked in tight, and built for dancing. Moreover, it served as a direct prototype for rock and roll.

Little Walter and “My Babe”

In 1954, Lockwood replaced Louis Myers as the lead guitarist in Little Walter’s band. The following year, he played on the session that produced “My Babe.” This Willie Dixon composition became Little Walter’s biggest hit. Notably, it was the only Dixon song ever to reach number one on the R&B charts. The session featured Lockwood and Leonard Caston on guitars, Dixon on upright bass, and Fred Below on drums.

Lockwood’s guitar on “My Babe” is restrained but essential. It provides a clean, rhythmic foundation that let Walter’s harmonica do the heavy lifting. In fact, the track is a perfect example of his growing skill as a player. He knew when to push and when to hold back. That instinct then made him one of the most sought-after session guitarists in Chicago.

He stayed with Little Walter’s band until around 1957. After that, he reconnected with Sonny Boy Williamson for a series of Chess sessions. These also featured Dixon and pianist Otis Spann. The recordings then captured a refined yet emotional sound. Two old Delta partners were playing with the polish of Chicago pros.

A Guitar Style Like No One Else

What made Robert Lockwood Jr. unique was his refusal to stay in one place. In short, he started with the deepest possible Delta roots. He had direct instruction from Robert Johnson. Then he spent seven decades expanding outward from that base.

From Delta to Jazz

By the time Lockwood reached Chicago, he had already begun adding jazz chords to his playing. For instance, he admired Count Basie and Ray Charles, and their influence showed in his chord work. Most blues guitarists of his era relied on standard I-IV-V progressions and pentatonic runs. Robert Lockwood Jr. went further. He played extended chords, and jazz-tinged passing tones. That approach gave his sound a harmonic depth almost nobody else in the blues world could match.

His approach was sometimes described as sliding jazz chords. These were quick, fluid changes that created a call-and-response feel between rhythm and lead. Ultimately, he didn’t abandon the blues. Instead, he enriched it. The raw Delta power was always there underneath, yet the surface had a polish and complexity that set him apart from virtually every peer.

The Twelve-String Revolution

In 1975, at the age of sixty, Lockwood discovered the twelve-string electric guitar. It then became his primary instrument for the remaining three decades of his life. Most blues players viewed the twelve-string as a folk or acoustic novelty. However, Lockwood turned it into something else entirely. It became a vehicle for his jazz-tinged chord work and rich voicings.

Notably, his most famous instrument was a blue semi-hollow-body twelve-string. Japanese luthiers Moony Omote and Age Sumi custom built it. That guitar is now displayed at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum in Cleveland.

Also, his album …Does 12 (1975, Trix Records) showcased the new instrument. It mixed jazz-tinged blues with bold arrangements. From that point on, the twelve-string then became his signature — a sound that no other blues artist replicated.

The Cleveland Years

In 1961, Lockwood moved to Cleveland, Ohio — his wife’s hometown. Some accounts suggest he was stranded there during a shabby tour organized by Sonny Boy Williamson. Regardless, Cleveland became his home for the remaining forty-five years of his life.

Rather than fading into retirement, Lockwood instead built himself into the cornerstone of Cleveland’s blues scene. He gigged relentlessly. Early venues included Loving’s Grill on Hough Avenue in the 1960s, then Pirate’s Cove and the Euclid Tavern. Later he played Peabody’s, Flipside Tavern, Wilbert’s, and Brother’s Lounge. In his final years, he similarly held a regular Wednesday night slot at Fat Fish Blue.

Moreover, Robert Lockwood Jr. mentored younger musicians across the Cleveland area. He passed along the same kind of direct instruction he had received from Robert Johnson decades earlier. In turn, the chain of teaching that began in Turkey Scratch, Arkansas, continued in the back rooms of Cleveland’s blues clubs.

Late-Career Recordings

Lockwood’s solo recording career had a long gap after the 1941 Bluebird sessions. Even so, it resumed in 1970 with Steady Rollin’ Man on Delmark Records. His old Chicago associates the Aces backed the album — Louis Myers, Dave Myers, and Fred Below. The result effectively captured the Chicago side of his sound: tight, electric, swinging.

From there, he recorded steadily. Contrasts (1973, Trix) and …Does 12 (1975, Trix) showed his expanding palette. Meanwhile, Hangin’ On (1979, Rounder) and Mister Blues Is Back to Stay (1980, Rounder) paired him with fellow Johnson disciple Johnny Shines. These Shines sessions blended Delta tradition with jazz. They were notably different from what fans expected. Instead of crowd-pleasing Johnson covers, the two explored swing, R&B, and new chord ideas.

Then, at an advanced age, Lockwood cut two of his finest albums. I Got to Find Me a Woman (1998, Verve) mixed solo performances with full-band arrangements and featured a guest appearance by B.B. King. It earned a Grammy nomination. Delta Crossroads (2000) likewise found him at eighty-five years old, alone with his twelve-string, playing Robert Johnson songs alongside originals and standards. It too received a Grammy nomination.

His final known session took place at Ante Up Audio in Cleveland. He worked with longtime collaborator Mark “Cleveland Fats” Hahn on the album The Way Things Go.

Honors and Recognition

The blues world recognized Lockwood’s contributions repeatedly over his final decades. Above all, he was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1989. Then, in 1995, he received the National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. It is the United States government’s highest honor for traditional artists. Hillary Clinton presented the award. He subsequently entered the Delta Blues Hall of Fame in 1998.

Also, Cleveland State University awarded him an honorary doctorate of music in 2002. The city of Cleveland also named a street in his honor: Robert Lockwood Jr. Way. Also, he received two National Blues Music Awards from the Blues Foundation and four W.C. Handy Awards over the course of his career.

The Final Stage and Grammy

In October 2004, Robert Lockwood Jr. performed live in Dallas with three other aging Delta masters: Henry “Mule” Townsend, Pinetop Perkins, and David “Honeyboy” Edwards. The recording was released in 2007 as Last of the Great Mississippi Delta Bluesmen: Live in Dallas. Ultimately, it won the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album in 2008. However, Lockwood did not live to see it. He died on November 21, 2006, in Cleveland, at the age of ninety-one, following a cerebral aneurysm and stroke. He is buried at Riverside Cemetery in Cleveland.

Key Recordings

Understanding Robert Lockwood Jr. means hearing the three distinct phases of his career:

“Little Boy Blue” / “Take a Little Walk with Me” (1941, Bluebird) — His debut solo recordings, cut in Aurora, Illinois. These capture the young Lockwood at his most Johnson-influenced — raw Delta guitar and vocal work with a precision that already set him apart.

“My Babe” with Little Walter (1955, Checker/Chess) — The number-one R&B hit where Lockwood’s restrained, rhythmic guitar work anchored one of the biggest blues singles of the decade. A masterclass in knowing when not to play.

Steady Rollin’ Man (1970, Delmark) — His first full album as a leader, backed by the Aces. Tight Chicago electric blues that showed what three decades of development had done to his Delta foundation.

…Does 12 (1975, Trix) — The twelve-string debut. Jazz-inflected blues that sounded like nobody else in the genre. This is where Lockwood’s third act began.

Hangin’ On with Johnny Shines (1979, Rounder) — Two Robert Johnson students, decades removed from the Delta, exploring the outer edges of where blues and jazz meet. Sophisticated and surprising.

I Got to Find Me a Woman (1998, Verve) — A late-career triumph mixing solo and full-band tracks with a B.B. King guest spot. Grammy-nominated.

Delta Crossroads (2000) — Lockwood at eighty-five, alone with his twelve-string, circling back to Robert Johnson material alongside originals. Grammy-nominated. The sound of a man who spent a lifetime with the blues and still had something new to say.

Last of the Great Mississippi Delta Bluesmen: Live in Dallas (2007) — Posthumous Grammy winner. Lockwood alongside Townsend, Pinetop Perkins, and Honeyboy Edwards — four men who collectively witnessed nearly the entire arc of Delta blues history, captured live in what amounted to a farewell.

Essential Listening

For newcomers to Robert Lockwood Jr., start with I Got to Find Me a Woman. It offers the fullest picture of his range. Solo acoustic tracks sit beside full-band electric numbers and a B.B. King guest spot. Then follow it with Delta Crossroads to hear the twelve-string in its purest form. After that, go back to Steady Rollin’ Man and …Does 12 to trace how he got there.

Similarly, the Last of the Great Mississippi Delta Bluesmen live album is essential. It matters not just for the playing but also for its historical weight. These were among the last men alive who had walked the same ground as Charley Patton, Son House, and Robert Johnson.

Complete Discography

Robert Lockwood Jr.’s recorded output spans six decades, from his 1941 Bluebird debut to his final Cleveland sessions. Key releases:

• “Little Boy Blue” / “Take a Little Walk with Me” — Bluebird (1941)
• “I’m Gonna Train My Baby” / “Black Spider Blues” — Bluebird (1941)
• Steady Rollin’ Man — Delmark (1970)
• Contrasts — Trix (1973)
• …Does 12 — Trix (1975)
• Hangin’ On (with Johnny Shines) — Rounder (1979)
• Mister Blues Is Back to Stay (with Johnny Shines) — Rounder (1980)
• Plays Robert and Robert — Evidence (1982)
• What’s the Score — Lockwood (1990)
• I Got to Find Me a Woman — Verve (1998)
• Delta Crossroads — Telarc (2000)
• The Way Things Go — Honeybee (2003)
• Last of the Great Mississippi Delta Bluesmen: Live in Dallas — MC Records (2007, posthumous)

In addition, Lockwood appears as a session guitarist on dozens of Chess Records sides from the 1950s, including recordings with Little Walter, Sonny Boy Williamson II, Muddy Waters, Eddie Boyd, and Jimmy Rogers.