Robert June Ward Sr. (October 15, 1938 – December 25, 2008) was an American

blues Blues is a music genre and musical form that originated among African Americans in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues has incorporated spiritual (music), spirituals, work songs, field hollers, Ring shout, shouts, cha ...

and

soul The soul is the purported Mind–body dualism, immaterial aspect or essence of a Outline of life forms, living being. It is typically believed to be Immortality, immortal and to exist apart from the material world. The three main theories that ...

guitarist A guitarist (or a guitar player) is a person who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of guitar family instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselve ...

. He was known for founding the Ohio Untouchables, the band that later would become the Ohio Players. He played the guitar with a unique tone soaked in vibrato coming from a Magnatone amplifier.

Biography

Born in Luthersville, Georgia, he moved to

Dayton, Ohio Dayton () is a city in Montgomery County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of cities in Ohio, sixth-most populous city in Ohio, with a population of 137,644 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The Dayton metro ...

in 1960 and formed the Ohio Untouchables. The group released several singles on LuPine including "Your Love Is Amazing" which would become one of Ward's signature songs. They also recorded the guitar workout, "Forgive Me Darling", which was loosely modelled on

Bo Diddley Ellas Otha Bates (December 30, 1928 – June 2, 2008), known professionally as Bo Diddley, was an American guitarist and singer who played a key role in the transition from the blues to rock and roll. He influenced many artists, including Buddy ...

's, " I'm Sorry". Ward left the group in 1965. He moved to the

Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

area, actually residing in

Toledo, Ohio Toledo ( ) is a city in Lucas County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is located at the western end of Lake Erie along the Maumee River. Toledo is the List of cities in Ohio, fourth-most populous city in Ohio and List of United Sta ...

, and released singles under his name in the late 1960s. He disappeared from the music scene in the 1970s, after working as a session player for

Motown Motown is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. Founded by Berry Gordy, Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on January 12, 1959, it was incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau ...

. In 1977, both his wife and mother died, and Ward relocated to

Grantville, Georgia Grantville is a city in Coweta County, Georgia, Coweta County, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, United States. The 2020 census shows a population of 3,103. Geography Grantville is located along the southern border of Coweta County. U.S. Route 2 ...

. In the early 1990s he returned to the spotlight. He was rediscovered by

Black Top Records Black Top Records was an American, New Orleans, Louisiana-based independent record label, founded in 1981 by brothers Nauman S. Scott, III and Hammond Scott. The label specialized in blues and R&B music. The first release was "Talk To You By Hand" ...

and released his first solo album '' Fear No Evil'' in 1991. It included a re-recording of "Forgive Me Darling". He released two more albums in the next four years for the label. In the mid-1990s he did limited touring, including a date in Minneapolis with Curtis Obeda and The Butanes, and several dates in Michigan including Kalamazoo, Three Rivers and Grand Rapids. After the label went defunct in the late 1990s, WRKR Kalamazoo blues DJ Marty Spaulding, who Robert had appointed his manager, arranged a recording contract with

Delmark Records Delmark Records is an independent, American jazz and blues independent record label. It was founded in 1958 as Delmar Records and is based in Chicago, Illinois. The label originated in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1953 when then owner, and founder, ...

to release ''New Role Soul'' in 2000. In his last years he had health problems, including two strokes, which prevented him from performing or recording. On December 25, 2008, Ward died at his home in Dry Branch, Georgia.

Discography

*1991: '' Fear No Evil'' (Black Top) *1993: '' Rhythm of the People'' (Black Top) *1995: ''Hot Stuff'' (Relic), a collection of his early sides from the 1960s *1995: ''Black Bottom'' (Black Top) *2000: ''New Role Soul'' (Delmark)

References

External links

* Biography on Allmusic {{DEFAULTSORT:Ward, Robert 1938 births 2008 deaths African-American guitarists American blues guitarists American male guitarists American blues singers Black Top Records artists Singers from Georgia (U.S. state) Soul-blues musicians 20th-century American guitarists Guitarists from Georgia (U.S. state) 20th-century African-American male singers 20th-century American male singers 20th-century American singers Ohio Players members