Robert Ward RIP
Marty Spaulding / Kalamazoo MI
Day at about 3:30 Pm.
He had been ill with kidney and other problems recently, and had been in
failing health since a couple of minor strokes over this past decade.
He was watching a video of a European concert appearance he had made back
in the 90's with his wife, Roberta, and she stepped into the kitchen just
a few feet away to grab a snack for them. When she returned minutes later,
he was gone.
Roberta said he hadn't made a sound and passed in peace.
The Wards have 68 grandchildren and live in Dry Branch GA, about 6 miles
from Macon.
Funeral arrangements are being made. Robert was a veteran of the US Army.
Donations are being accepted to assist with interment costs, they can be
sent to:
Roberta Ward
Post Office Box 217
Dry Branch GA 31020
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Larry Chastain
Robert's body was ravaged by the many health issues he had lately,
including pain that required narcotics. Pasted below is my recent post on
Mr. Ward's status. It is not clear when today he passsed or specifics of
the pending arrangements. I hesitate to contact Mrs. Roberta at this time.
I will share more as I learn it.
Thanks,
Larry Chastain
Winder, GA
>Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2008
>Subject: Robert Ward
>
>Robert Ward, distinguished guitarist, writer, and vocalist, turned 70 in
>October. His various health ailments have dragged him down in recent
>years. And things have turned worse since his birthday.
>
>Starting in the summer of 2000, shortly after the release of New Role Soul
>on Delmark, Ward had several health events -- a mild heart attack,
>congestive heart failure, and a series of strokes. The strokes caused his
>speech to slur and diminished his hands' and arms' agility. He never
>performed publicly again, but sang joyfully in the church congregation. I
>think he did a little garage guitar playing with some buddies, but not in
>a while.
>
>Robert had already had coronary and respiratory problems for years and had
>angioplasty earlier in 2000. In 2001, Mr. Ward had a defibrillator
>implanted (and later replaced). In recent years, he had numerous
>hospitalizations for congestive heart failure, kidney failure, pulmonary
>edema, blood problems, and others. When he was discharged from the
>hospital a couple of weeks ago, he was placed under hospice (terminal) care.
>
>Robert Ward's plaintive vocals, soulful and sometimes mystical lyrics, and
>watery-sounding, tremelo-drenched Telecaster guitar through Magnatone amp
>are each a trademark. (Lonnie Mack was so smitten by Ward's sound that he
>got a Magnatone.) Robert has spent the last many years living with his
>wife Roberta just off Black Bottom Road in Dry Branch, GA. Mrs. Ward has
>also had a number of health problems and some automobile accidents, but
>somehow she keeps going.
>
>The Wards would appreciate your thoughts and prayers. Feel free to send
>them a card or letter if you would like:
>
>PO Box 217
>Dry Branch, GA 31020
>
>Ward scored in the 1960s: backing Wilson Pickett and the Falcons, leading
>the Ohio Untouchables (who later became the Ohio Players), and under his
>own name. He and the similarly under-recognized Roy Lee Johnson were in
>the Brassettes in Hogansville, Georgia in the mid-50s, played a little
>together on and off through the 60s and 70s, and have remained friends to
>this day.
>
>Robert was not doing much in the way of recording or touring after the
>late 60s and he lapsed into total obscurity. He returned full throttle in
>1991 with Fear No Evil and a few more distinguished albums on the Black
>Top label. Mrs. Ward sings on some of the Black Top tracks. Label owners
>Hammond and Nauman Scott had to shut down the Blacktop label in 1999. Ward
>made another splash with critics and fans releasing New Role Soul in 2000
>on the Delmark label -- said by some critics to be his finest work.
>Roberta is also featured on New Role Soul. Robert Ward was slated to cut a
>second Delmark recording, but alas it was not to be.
>
>Robert Ward's recordings are a little difficult to come by, but they are
>sometimes available through specialty outlets (such as
>www.bluebeatmusic.com) and used CD outlets. His 1961-1967 material is
>documented on the 1995 album Hot Stuff on Relic Records. The four CDs from
>the Black Top era went somewhat early to download on Emusic (since the
>label had folded). I assume the Black Top tracks are still available from
>Emusic's download successors. I think the Wards still have copies of the
>Black Top "greatest hits" album Twiggs County Soul Man (good selections,
>actually). A few tracks that are not on his main albums are (only) on
>Black Top compilations, such as Costume Party and Cocktail Party. I think
>the New Role Soul CD is still available at www.delmark.com and elsewhere.
>
>Regards,
>Larry
>Winder, GA
Rocky Raccoon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiWaFGKneIY&feature=related
I also enjoy Aaron Moore and Big Time Sarah on Delmark (there are also short clips of them on this video too)
-Rocky
--- On Thu, 12/25/08, Marty Spaulding / Kalamazoo MI <martysp...@SBCGLOBAL.NET> wrote:
Twin Cities Blues
Love Is Amazing":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qX8b0hVXk28
Shawn "Too Blue" Wallin
Twin Cities Blues
http://www.twincitiesblues.com
On Thu, Dec 25, 2008 at 7:30 PM, Marty Spaulding / Kalamazoo MI <
martysp...@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> Black Top and Delmark recording artist Robert Ward passed away Christmas
> Day at about 3:30 Pm.
>
> He had been ill with kidney and other problems recently, and had been in
> failing health since a couple of minor strokes over this past decade.
>
> He was watching a video of a European concert appearance he had made back
> in the 90's with his wife, Roberta, and she stepped into the kitchen just
> a few feet away to grab a snack for them. When she returned minutes later,
> he was gone.
>
> Roberta said he hadn't made a sound and passed in peace.
>
> The Wards have 68 grandchildren and live in Dry Branch GA, about 6 miles
> from Macon.
>
> Funeral arrangements are being made. Robert was a veteran of the US Army.
>
> Donations are being accepted to assist with interment costs, they can be
> sent to:
>
> Roberta Ward
> Post Office Box 217
> Dry Branch GA 31020
>
> Blues-L web site: http://www.netspace.org/~blues-l/<http://www.netspace.org/%7Eblues-l/>
Tom Hyslop
>Here is a great video of Sean Costello performing the Robert Ward song "Your
>Love Is Amazing":
>
>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qX8b0hVXk28
>
>Shawn "Too Blue" Wallin
>Twin Cities Blues
>http://www.twincitiesblues.com
>
Thanks for the link, Shawn. Sean also frequently performed Robert
Ward's "Peace of Mind" live, very well.
Jeff Konkel
enjoyment from his music. a true original. RIP.