The Robert Nighthawk Story

Sources & Articles

The Life & Music of Robert Nighthawk, Slide Guitar Pioneer

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Chicago Blues Anthology The Best of Chess Blues The World of Blues Power Vol. 3 Blues In D Natural Drop Down Mama Sultans of the Slide Guitar

Various Anthologies Featuring Robert Nighthawk

Not often have I felt an effect so intensely as when the first pulsating notes, ripped from the guitar by the slide, charged the Hall, sobbing behind the gloomy voice that was as heavy as a dead hand — a lonely, brooding figure pulling together moments of private sadness and hidden violence.

Don Kent, witnessing Robert Nighthawk perform

The below links contain the listed article in PDF format.

Articles & Sources

  1. All Music Guide to the Blues (Miller Freeman Books, 1996)
  2. Big Book of the Blues by Robert Santelli (Penguin, 2001)
  3. Juke Blues Magazine, Issue 19
  4. O'Neal, Jim. "Houston Stackhouse" Living Blues Magazine n17 (Summer 1974), 17–36
  5. Johnson, Matthew. "Sam Carr — Doing Terrible Things with the Sticks" Living Blues Magazine n96 (March/April 1991), 32–35
  6. Living Blues Magazine, Issue 135
  7. Kent, Don. "A Note on Robert Nighthawk" Blues Unlimited, Issue 42
  8. Leadbitter, Mike. "Robert Nighthawk" Blues Unlimited n86 (Nov 1971), 4–7
  9. O'Neal, Jim. "Robert Nighthawk" Crazy Music n11 (Dec 1977), 16–23
  10. Norris, John. Coda Issue 8
  11. Masters of Modern Blues Vol. 4 — Robert Nighthawk/Houston Stackhouse liner notes by Pete Welding
  12. And This Is Maxwell Street (T 3-CD R2641) liner notes by Colin Talcroft / Robert Nighthawk Interview Conducted by Michael Bloomfield
  13. Bricks in My Pillow liner notes by Jim O'Neal
  14. Guralnick, Peter. Robert Nighthawk: Live On Maxwell Street. USA: Rounder 2022, 1979
  15. Robert Lee McCoy: The Complete Bluebird Recordings 1937–1938 liner notes by Mary Katherine Aldin
  16. Piper, Julian. Robert Nighthawk: Black Angel Blues. Italian: Chess GCH 8108, c1989
  17. Crying Won't Help You (Houston Stackhouse) liner notes by Stephen C. LaVere
  18. Blues and Gospel Records 1902–1943 (R.M.W. Dixon & J. Goodrich, Storyville 1982, 2nd ed.)
  19. A Blues Life / Henry Townsend as told to Bill Greensmith (University of Illinois Press, 1999)
  20. Maxwell Street: Survival in an Urban Bazaar, Doubleday, NY, 1977
  21. Deep Blues by Robert Palmer. NY, Penguin Books, 1981
  22. The World Don't Owe Me Nothing: The Life and Times of Delta Bluesman Honeyboy Edwards by David Honeyboy Edwards, Janis Martinson, Michael Frank (Chicago Review Press, 1997)
  23. Sonny Boy Williamson: The Complete Bluebird Recordings 1938 (RCA 07863 66796-2) liner notes by Jim O'Neal
  24. Earl Hooker — Blues Master by Sebastian Danchin (University Press of Mississippi, 2001)
  25. Springer, Robert. "I Never Did Like To Imitate Nobody" Blues Unlimited n125 (July/August 1976), 19–21
  26. Goin' Back to Sweet Memphis edited & annotated by Fred J. Hay (University of Georgia Press, 2001)
  27. Takin' Back My Name by Ike Turner with Nigel Cawthorne (Virgin Publishing, 1999)
  28. Brisbin, John. "I Had Them Basses Rollin' Like Thunder" Living Blues n161 (Feb 2002), 19–29
  29. Hay, Fred J. "Blues What I Am: Blues Consciousness and Social Protest" in America's Musical Pulse: Popular Music in Twentieth-Century Society, edited by Kenneth J. Bindas (Westport, Conn.: Greenwood 1992)
  30. The Voice of the Blues by Jim O'Neal & Amy Van Singel (Routledge, 2002)
  31. Looking Up At Down: The Emergence of Blues Culture by William Barlow (Temple University Press, 1989)
  32. Can't Be Satisfied: The Life and Times of Muddy Waters by Robert Gordon (Little Brown, 2002)
  33. Robert Lee McCoy: Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order 1937–1940 (WBCD-002) liner notes by Paul Oliver
  34. Nothing But The Blues edited by Mike Leadbitter (Hanover Books, 1971)
  35. Sacré, Robert. "Henry Gray Discography" Crazy Music n11 (Dec 1977), 34–39
  36. Blues Southside Chicago (LK 4748) liner notes by Mike Leadbitter
  37. Cooper, Margo. "The Drums Got To Be Heard Just Right" Living Blues Magazine n171 (Jan./Feb. 2004), 11–25
  38. Escaping The Delta: Robert Johnson and the Invention of the Blues by Elijah Wald (Amistad Press, 2004)
  39. Spinning Blues Into Gold by Nadine Cohodas (St Martin's Press, 2000)
  40. Sounds So Good To Me by Barry Lee Pearson (University of Pennsylvania Press, 1984)
  41. Mike Bloomfield: If You Love These Blues by Jan Mark Wolkin & Bill Keenom (Miller Freeman Books, 2000)
  42. Blues Before Sunrise: The Radio Interviews by Steve Cushing (University of Illinois Press, 2010)
  43. Joe Wilkins Obituary by Cilla Huggins Blues Unlimited 134, March/June 1979
  44. Genesis: The Beginnings Of Rock (4 LP Box Set), UK Phonogram, 1972
  45. Dirks, Scott. I've Got Rhythm': The Rhythm Willie Story. Blues & Rhythm no. 127 (Mar 1998): 4–9
  46. van Rijn, Guido: The Chicago Blues of Joe & Charlie McCoy (Agram, 2024)

Additional information taken from phone conversations/email with Robert Nighthawk's Daughter Geni Ward, his ex-wife Hazel McCollum, Ernest Lane, Sam & Dora Carr and Richard Flohil, conducted by Jeff Harris. Additional help provided by Alan Balfour.

Take A Little Walk With Me Chicago Guitar Killers Chicago Blues The Early 1950s Chicago Slickers Vol. 2 Chicago Slickers Black Cat Trail

Various Anthologies Featuring Robert Nighthawk

From Robert Ford: A Blues Bibliography

Bibliography · Robert Ford: A Blues Bibliography, Routledge, 2nd Edition 2007 pp. 768–769

Scanned with permission of compiler.

BN151. Aldin, Mary Katherine. Robert Lee McCoy: The Bluebird Recordings, 1937–1938. USA: RCA 07863 6 7416-2, 1997.

BN152. Amos, Edward. "Robert Nighthawk.", in Gravesites of Southern Musicians. Jefferson: McFarland, 2002.

BN153. Arnaudon, Jean-Claude. "Robert Nighthawk.", in Dictionnaire du Blues, pp. 195–196.

BN154. Bogaert, Karel. "Nighthawk, Robert (Robert McCollum).", in Blues Lexicon, pp. 288–289.

BN155. Briggs, Keith. The Complete Robert Lee McCoy: Prowling Nighthawk. UK: Catfish KATCD 150, 2000.

BN156. Bruin, Leo. "Lieve Kleine en Bruine Engelen." Boogie Woogie & Blues Collector no. 29 (Jun 1973): 2–3.

BN157. Bruin, Leo. "Robert Nighthawk." Mr. Blues no. 12 (Nov 1969): 6–7.

BN158. Darwen, Norman. Robert Nighthawk and Forest City Joe: Black Angel Blues. UK: Charly CD RED 29, 1991.

BN159. DelGrosso, Rich. "The Slide Guitar of Robert Nighthawk." Blues Revue Quarterly no. 8 (1993): 44–46.

BN160. Guralnick, Peter. Robert Nighthawk: Live on Maxwell Street. USA: Rounder 2022, 1979.

BN161. Harris, Dave. "Robert Nighthawk: Slide Guitar Pioneer." Westcoast Blues Review 1, no. 2 (Dec 1993): 14.

BN162. Harris, Jeff. Prowling with the Nighthawk. UK: Document DOCD-32-20-6, 2004.

BN163. Harris, Mark. "Robert Nighthawk Discography. Pt 1: 1936–50." Pickin' the Blues no. 2 (Feb 1982): 6–7; "Pt 2: 1951–64." Pickin' the Blues no. 3 (Mar 1982): 6–7.

BN164. Harris, Sheldon. "Nighthawk, Robert.", in Blues Who's Who. 5th ed., pp. 398–399.

BN165. Hay, Fred J. "Nighthawk, Robert.", in Encyclopedia of the Blues. Vol. 2: K–Z, ed. E. Komara, pp. 724–725.

BN166. Herzhaft, Gérard. "Discographie de Robert Nighthawk." Soul Bag no. 53 (May 1976): 6–10.

BN167. Herzhaft, Gérard. "Robert Nighthawk." Soul Bag no. 53 (May 1976): 3–6.

BN168. Herzhaft, Gérard. "Robert Nighthawk.", in Encyclopedia of the Blues, pp. 272–273.

BN169. Holland, Ted. "Robert Nighthawk.", in This Day in African-American Music, pp. 140–141.

BN170. Kent, Don. "A Note on Robert Nighthawk." Blues Unlimited no. 42 (Mar/Apr 1967): 8–9. Reprinted in Nothing But the Blues, ed. M. Leadbitter, pp. 89–91.

BN171. Larkin, Colin (ed). "Nighthawk, Robert.", in The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music, p. 1829. Reprinted in The Guinness Who's Who of Blues. 2nd ed., p. 281. Reprinted in The Virgin Encyclopedia of the Blues, p. 273.

BN172. Leadbitter, Mike. "Clarksdale Days.", in Delta Country Blues, pp. 28–30. Bexhill-on-Sea: Blues Unlimited, 1968.

BN173. Leadbitter, Mike. "Robert Nighthawk." Blues Unlimited no. 86 (Nov 1971): 4–7.

BN174. Linder, Lasse. "Bluesens Legender: Robert Nighthawk." Jefferson no. 64 (Spring 1984): 44–45.

BN175. Lorenz, Wolfgang. Robert Nighthawk: Complete Discography, 1936–1967. Bonn: Moonshine Bluesbooks MBB-1, 1986. 24 pp.

BN176. Newman, T. "Blues Forum." Talking Blues no. 8 (Jan/Feb/Mar 1978): 5.

BN177. Norris, John. "Robert Nighthawk at the First Floor Club." Coda 6 (Dec/Jan 1964/65): 31–32.

BN178. Oliver, Paul. "Lee McCoy: A Provisional Listing." Discographical Forum no. 2 (Jul 1960): 4–6; Discographical Forum no. 3 (Sep 1960): 15.

BN179. Oliver, Paul. Robert Lee McCoy (Robert Nighthawk): Vol. 1. Austria: Wolf WSE 120, 1986. Vol. 2. Austria: Wolf WSE 121, 1986.

BN180. O'Neal, Jim. "Robert Nighthawk." Crazy Music no. 11 (Dec 1977): 16–23.

BN181. O'Neal, Jim. Robert Nighthawk: Bricks in My Pillow. USA: Pearl PL-11, 1978.

BN182. Piper, Julian. Robert Nighthawk: Black Angel Blues. Italy: Chess GCH 8108, c1989.

BN183. Russell, Tony (ed). "Robert Nighthawk & Forrest City Joe." The Blues Collection no. 63 (1992+).

BN184. Russell, Tony. "Robert Nighthawk (1909–1967).", in The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray, p. 150.

BN185. Santelli, Robert. "Nighthawk, Robert.", in The Big Book of Blues, pp. 312–313.

BN186. Scott, Frank. "'My Stay in Chicago'." Blues Unlimited no. 18 (Jan 1965): 8. Reprinted as "Robert Nighthawk.", in Nothing But the Blues, ed. M. Leadbitter, p. 89.

BN187. Shadwick, Keith. "Robert Nighthawk.", in Blues: Keeping the Faith, pp. 230–231.

BN188. Slaven, Neil. "Don't Look at the Camera!" Blues & Rhythm no. 155 (Dec 2000): 26–27.

BN189. Southern, Eileen. "McCoy (McCullum or McCollum): Robert Lee ('Robert Nighthawk').", in Biographical Dictionary of Afro-American and African Musicians, pp. 256–257.

BN190. Talcroft, Colin; Murphy, Allan. And This is Maxwell Street. USA: Rooster Blues CD 2641, 2000; UK: Catfish KAT3D1, 2000.

BN191. Walamies, Vesa. "Disografioiden Viidakossa." Blues News [Finland] no. 55 (1979): 6–7.

BN192. Walamies, Vesa. "Robert Nighthawk Revisited." Blues News [Finland] no. 52 (1978): 4–6.

BN193. Welding, Pete. Masters of the Modern Blues: Robert Nighthawk and Houston Stackhouse. USA: Testament T-2215, 1967.

BN194. Welding, Pete. Robert Nighthawk with Johnny Young, John Wrencher; Houston Stackhouse with Robert Nighthawk, Peck Curtis. USA: Testament TCD 5010, 1994.