Robert Pete Williams
Encyclopedia
Robert Pete Williams was an American
Louisiana blues
musician. His music characteristically employed unconventional blues tunings and structures, and his songs are often about the time he served in prison. His song "I've Grown So Ugly" has been covered by Captain Beefheart
, on his album Safe as Milk
(1967), and in 2004, by The Black Keys
, on Rubber Factory
(2004).
, Louisiana
, to a family of sharecroppers
. He had no formal schooling, and spent his childhood picking cotton and cutting sugar cane. In 1928, he moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana
and worked in a lumberyard. At the age of 20, Williams fashioned a crude guitar by attaching five copper strings to a cigar box, and soon after bought a cheap, mass-produced one. Williams was taught by Frank and Robert Metty, and began to play for small events such as Church gatherings, fish fries, suppers, and dances. From the 1930s to the 1950s, Williams played music and continued to work in the lumberyards of Baton Rouge.
He was discovered in Louisiana State Penitentiary
, by ethnomusicologists Dr Harry Oster
and Richard Allen, where he was serving a life sentence for shooting a man dead in a local club in 1956, an act which he claimed was in self-defense. Oster and Allen recorded Williams performing several of his songs about life in prison, and pleaded for him to be pardoned. Under pressure from Oster, the parole board issued a pardon, and commuted his sentence to 12 years. In December 1958, he was released into 'servitude parole', which required 80 hours of labor per week on a Denham Springs
farm without due compensation, and only room and board provided. This parole prevented him from working in music, though he was able to occasionally play with Willie B. Thomas and Butch Cage at Thomas's home in Zachary
. By this time, Williams' music had achieved some favorable word-of-mouth reviews, and he played his first concert outside Louisiana at the 1964 Newport Folk Festival
.
By 1965, he was able to tour the country, traveling to Los Angeles, Massachusetts, Chicago and Berkeley, California
. In 1966 he also toured Europe. In 1968 he settled in Maringouin
, west of Baton Rouge and began to work outside of music.
In 1970, Williams began to perform once again, touring blues and folk festivals throughout the United States and Europe. His music has appeared in several films notably, the Roots of American Music; Country and Urban Music (1971); Out of the Blues into the Blacks (1972) and Blues Under the Skin (1972) the last two being French-made films.
His most popular recordings included "Prisoner's Talking Blues" and "Pardon Denied Again". Williams has been inducted into the Louisiana Blues Hall of Fame.
Williams had slowed down his work schedule by the late 1970s, largely due to his age and declining health. Williams died in Rosedale, Louisiana
on December 31, 1980, at the age of 66.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Louisiana blues
Louisiana blues
Louisiana blues is a genre of blues music that developed in the period after World War II in the state of Louisiana. It is generally divided into two major sub-genres, with the jazz-influenced New Orleans blues based around the city and the slower tempo swamp blues incorporating influences from...
musician. His music characteristically employed unconventional blues tunings and structures, and his songs are often about the time he served in prison. His song "I've Grown So Ugly" has been covered by Captain Beefheart
Captain Beefheart
Don Van Vliet January 15, 1941 December 17, 2010) was an American musician, singer-songwriter and artist best known by the stage name Captain Beefheart. His musical work was conducted with a rotating ensemble of musicians called The Magic Band, active between 1965 and 1982, with whom he recorded 12...
, on his album Safe as Milk
Safe as Milk (album)
Safe as Milk is the début album by Captain Beefheart & his Magic Band, originally released in 1967. It is a heavily blues-influenced work, but also hints at many of the features—such as surreal lyrics and odd time signatures—that would later become trademarks of Beefheart's music.The album is also...
(1967), and in 2004, by The Black Keys
The Black Keys
The Black Keys are an American rock duo consisting of vocalist/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer/producer Patrick Carney. The band was formed in Akron, Ohio, in 2001. As of October 2011, the band has sold over 2 million albums in the U.S....
, on Rubber Factory
Rubber Factory
- Personnel:*Dan Auerbach: guitars, vocals, fiddle, lap steel, hand claps*Patrick Carney: drums, percussion, hand claps...
(2004).
Biography
Williams was born in ZacharyZachary, Louisiana
Zachary is a city in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, United States, in the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 11,275 at the 2000 census.-History:...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, to a family of sharecroppers
Sharecropping
Sharecropping is a system of agriculture in which a landowner allows a tenant to use the land in return for a share of the crop produced on the land . This should not be confused with a crop fixed rent contract, in which a landowner allows a tenant to use the land in return for a fixed amount of...
. He had no formal schooling, and spent his childhood picking cotton and cutting sugar cane. In 1928, he moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
and worked in a lumberyard. At the age of 20, Williams fashioned a crude guitar by attaching five copper strings to a cigar box, and soon after bought a cheap, mass-produced one. Williams was taught by Frank and Robert Metty, and began to play for small events such as Church gatherings, fish fries, suppers, and dances. From the 1930s to the 1950s, Williams played music and continued to work in the lumberyards of Baton Rouge.
He was discovered in Louisiana State Penitentiary
Louisiana State Penitentiary
The Louisiana State Penitentiary is a prison farm in Louisiana operated by the Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections. It is the largest maximum security prison in the United States with 5,000 offenders and 1,800 staff...
, by ethnomusicologists Dr Harry Oster
Harry Oster
Dr. Harry Oster was an American folklorist and musicologist, working at The University of Iowa, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences from 1964 to 1994....
and Richard Allen, where he was serving a life sentence for shooting a man dead in a local club in 1956, an act which he claimed was in self-defense. Oster and Allen recorded Williams performing several of his songs about life in prison, and pleaded for him to be pardoned. Under pressure from Oster, the parole board issued a pardon, and commuted his sentence to 12 years. In December 1958, he was released into 'servitude parole', which required 80 hours of labor per week on a Denham Springs
Denham Springs, Louisiana
Denham Springs is a city in Livingston Parish, Louisiana, United States, and part of the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Statistical Area. Downtown Denham Springs has transformed itself from hardware stores, drug stores, doctor's offices, and a single movie theater to a collection of various and varied...
farm without due compensation, and only room and board provided. This parole prevented him from working in music, though he was able to occasionally play with Willie B. Thomas and Butch Cage at Thomas's home in Zachary
Zachary, Louisiana
Zachary is a city in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, United States, in the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 11,275 at the 2000 census.-History:...
. By this time, Williams' music had achieved some favorable word-of-mouth reviews, and he played his first concert outside Louisiana at the 1964 Newport Folk Festival
Newport Folk Festival
The Newport Folk Festival is an American annual folk-oriented music festival in Newport, Rhode Island, which began in 1959 as a counterpart to the previously established Newport Jazz Festival...
.
By 1965, he was able to tour the country, traveling to Los Angeles, Massachusetts, Chicago and Berkeley, California
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
. In 1966 he also toured Europe. In 1968 he settled in Maringouin
Maringouin, Louisiana
Maringouin is a town in Iberville Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 1,262 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Maringouin is located at ....
, west of Baton Rouge and began to work outside of music.
In 1970, Williams began to perform once again, touring blues and folk festivals throughout the United States and Europe. His music has appeared in several films notably, the Roots of American Music; Country and Urban Music (1971); Out of the Blues into the Blacks (1972) and Blues Under the Skin (1972) the last two being French-made films.
His most popular recordings included "Prisoner's Talking Blues" and "Pardon Denied Again". Williams has been inducted into the Louisiana Blues Hall of Fame.
Williams had slowed down his work schedule by the late 1970s, largely due to his age and declining health. Williams died in Rosedale, Louisiana
Rosedale, Louisiana
Rosedale is a village in Iberville Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 753 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Rosedale is located at ....
on December 31, 1980, at the age of 66.
Discography
- Angola Prisoner's Blues, (1961) (Arhoolie 2001)
- Free Again, (1961) (Prestige 7808)
- Louisiana Blues, (1967) (Takoma b-1011)
- Legacy of the Blues Vol. 9, (1971) (Sonet 649)
- Those Prison Blues, (1981) (Arhoolie 2015)
- Robert Pete Williams, (1994) (Ahura Mazda 2002)
- 101 Sugar Farm Blues (Beacon 1932)
- Robert Pete Williams and Snooks Eaglin (Fantasy 24715)
- When I Lay My Burden Down (Southland 4)