Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Robert Ward R.I.P.



Guitarist Robert Ward died on Christmas day. He's best known for leading The Ohio Untouchables, who backed Wilson Pickett and the Falcons on the original version of "I Found A Love." That, and his signature sound which was was aided and abetted by the vibrato from a Magnatone amplifier. That sound was later co-opted by none other than Lonnie Mack on his early recordings.

Download:

"Let's Kiss and Make Up" mp3
by The Falcons and the Ohio Untouchables, 1962.
Wilson Pickett - vocals
available on Hot Stuff

"What To Do" mp3
Benny McCain and the Falcons with the Ohio Untouchables, 1962.
available on Hot Stuff

"(I Will) Fear No Evil" mp3
by Robert Ward, 1967.
available on Hot Stuff




"I Found A Love" mp3
by The Falcons and The Ohio Untouchables, 1962.
Wilson Pickett - vocals
available on Hot Stuff

********************************************

"Wham!" mp3
by Lonnie Mack, 1963.
available on The Wham of That Memphis Man!

4 comments:

The Hound said...

Funny, he doesn't look Jewish.
I'll be posting on the same subject tomorow over at the Houndblog (link on right) w/a few extra tunes and photos, I especially like his instrumentals.
happy new yr....the Hound

Anonymous said...

Man, he was one of the great guitar players - a true unsung master. W.

Jukeboxmafia said...

I'm very sorry to hear this. I got to know Robert a little in the mid-nineties when I worked for Black Top Records. In addtion to being a hellacious guitarist, he was also a hell of a nice guy and very funny too...

Anonymous said...

Man, what a bummer. Reading this like a year late but what a loss. Discovered his music when he released the "Fear No Evil" album in the 1990s. Loved the "underwater" sound of his guitar.