Robert Lowery: From Arkansas to eternity

Robert passed in 2016, at the age of 85. The storied Delta Blues guitarman and story singer conveyed a traditional, down-low sound with roots in an America that is today but a dim memory. His plain and expressive voice, though, bears no expiration date. It shouts with eternally coursing blood. 

The success of 2003's Hold Your Head High (Freepott) was shared between Robert and longtime collaborator Virgil Thrasher; Mr. Thrasher's intuitive, adroit accenting imbued wholly American passages with meatiness. 

According to area player and engineer Mark MacDonald, most of the the disc's 14 cuts were minted in the moment; sublimity does not require retakes.

"Robert and Virgil did almost all the songs in one take together," Mark once emailed me. "We miked a plywood piece on the floor under Bob's foot for beat...I could tell Bob was making a lot up. Virgil was hearing it for the first time, and just playing along like he knew the song."

Birthed in 1931 Arkansas, Robert received his first guitar from his father, also a blues guitarist. That gift would prove consequential. 

By the 1960s, Robert was backing legendary shouter Big Mama Thornton. She doubtless recognized in his playing the natural life-spark and bold assertiveness that carried him far.

After backing Thornton, Robert took his acoustic Delta Blues to far-flung audiences. He appeared at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, the San Francisco Blues Festival (for three years), Philadelphia Blues Festival, Arkansas' Eureka Springs Festival, Italy's San Remo Blues Festival, and the Netherlands' Northsea Jazz Festival.

"The thing about Lowery is his amazing agility and finesse as a guitarist," CountryBlues.com would later declare. "He can slide and fingerpick, and for anyone who wants to hear the truehearted, gritty, authentic old Blues, Lowery is an incomparable treat. He sings in a rich tenor, and accompanies himself in the typical Delta guitar style, rhythmic, deep roots sound, gritty and rough, but sweet."

Freepott Records: "Bob plays a custom-made steel guitar with a single cone National Resonator. It has a sound as unique and appropriate for the Blues as his inimitable playing style. A lifetime of playing has taken him all over the world, and acquainted him with the better-known Blues statesmen of the world -- which he rightly deserves a place amongst."

Over the decades, Robert trod stages with Taj Mahal, Albert Collins, Buddy Guy, Jimmy Rodgers, Honeymouth Edwards, and Gatemouth Brown. 

Appreciators were to a man struck by his stylistic heritage.

Living Blues writer Tom Mazzolini observed that Lowery's "vocal and guitar intonations are remarkably close to Robert Johnson's. And if one should happen to close one's eyes, the feeling could be that Robert Johnson is performing."

Pulse reviewer Michael Point wrote that, "If anyone doubts the existence of credible modern purveyors of Johnson-influenced music, they haven't heard longtime West Coast Bluesman Robert Lowery."

Lowery's unpretentious, gutbucket-on-the-front-porch sound was "in the tradition of Lightnin' Hopkins and Robert Johnson," said All Music's Thom Owens. "He weaves stories and plays deceptively complex rhythms."

Again, sadly, Lowery passed in 2016. Stroke. 

Here is the depressing yet uplifting manner in which significant art endures: as Golden Era icons pass from currency, their contributions find eager reflection by incoming generations. Acolytes craft their own works, in their unique tongues, availing themselves of predecessors' creations as era-grounded foundations.

Robert Lowery made authentic music. And that is the highest recommendation any player can receive.

Videos: "Hold Up Your Head"   "Lowery's #2 Boogie"   "Trouble No More"

Wikipedia (Robert)

Facebook (Virgil)