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369:, where he was serving a life sentence for fatally shooting a man in a nightclub in 1956, an act which he claimed was in self-defense. Oster and Allen recorded Williams performing several of his songs about prison life, 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
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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 was at first chiefly influenced by
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In 1970, Williams began to perform once again, in cofeehouses, concerts, and in blues and folk festivals throughout the United States and Europe, including at the renowned 1970 Ann Arbor Blues
Festival. His music has appeared in several films notably, the
358:. He 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.
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His most popular recordings included "Prisoner's
Talking Blues" and "Pardon Denied Again". Williams has been inducted into the Louisiana Blues Hall of Fame. In 2014, he was inducted into the
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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
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438:(Louisiana Folklore Society LFS A-3, Collector JGN 1003, reissued Arhoolie 2011), recorded 1959, includes five tracks by Williams
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by Jimmy Beyer, 1980. Publisher: Arts and
Humanities Council of Greater Baton Rouge, ASIN: B0006E5DPW
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446:(Folk-Lyric FL-109), recorded 1959 - reissued in 1971 (Arhoolie 2015) with altered track listing
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By 1965, he was able to tour the country, traveling to Los
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Robert Pete
Williams (L) with Mance Lipscomb (R) at the 1970 Ann Arbor Blues Festival
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musician. His music characteristically employed unconventional structures and
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Baton Rouge Blues: A Guide to the Baton Rouge
Bluesmen and Their Music
634:"Poor Bob's Blues - Robert Pete Williams - Songs, Reviews, Credits"
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519:(Arhoolie 2004 ARHCD 511), recorded 1959–1980, Folk-Lyric label
488:(Storyville SLP 225), recorded 1972, includes three tracks with
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Williams reduced his activities by the late 1970s, and died in
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392:. In 1966 he also toured Europe. In 1968 he settled in
557:"Robert Pete Williams | Biography & History"
297:(March 14, 1914 – December 31, 1980) was an American
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59:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
590:. Dubai: Carlton Books Limited. pp. 188–189.
402:Roots of American Music; Country and Urban Music
588:The Blues – From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray
412:(1972) the last two being French-made films.
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719:Illustrated Robert Pete Williams discography
486:Robert Pete Williams with Big Joe Williams
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119:Learn how and when to remove this message
779:20th-century American singer-songwriters
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470:(Ahura Mazda AMS 2002), recorded 1970
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57:adding citations to reliable sources
482:(Blues Beacon 1932), recorded 1972
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804:People from Maringouin, Louisiana
799:Singer-songwriters from Louisiana
754:American blues singer-songwriters
824:American male singer-songwriters
794:20th-century American guitarists
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476:(Southland SLP-4), recorded 1971
406:Out of the Blacks into the Blues
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375:Butch Cage and Willie B. Thomas
44:needs additional citations for
784:Blues musicians from Louisiana
774:People from Zachary, Louisiana
464:(Takoma b-1011), recorded 1966
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612:"Award Winners and Nominees"
504:(Paris Album DISCODIS), 1979
367:Louisiana State Penitentiary
341:, Louisiana, to a family of
289:Louisiana State Penitentiary
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510:(Spalax 6.818), 1980 with
496:Legacy of the Blues Vol. 9
16:American singer-songwriter
819:Southland Records artists
809:Guitarists from Louisiana
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744:American blues guitarists
474:When I Lay My Burden Down
458:BVLP 1026), recorded 1961
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749:American male guitarists
764:Country blues musicians
759:Blues revival musicians
436:Angola Prisoner's Blues
614:. The Blues Foundation
586:Russell, Tony (1997).
426:on December 31, 1980.
347:Baton Rouge, Louisiana
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153:Background information
68:"Robert Pete Williams"
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383:Newport Folk Festival
365:and Richard Allen in
356:Blind Lemon Jefferson
337:Williams was born in
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697:United States portal
468:Robert Pete Williams
410:Blues Under the Skin
390:Berkeley, California
377:at Thomas's home in
295:Robert Pete Williams
163:Robert Pete Williams
135:Robert Pete Williams
53:improve this article
424:Rosedale, Louisiana
198:Rosedale, Louisiana
443:Those Prison Blues
417:Blues Hall of Fame
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181:Zachary, Louisiana
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498:(Sonet 649), 1973
352:Peetie Wheatstraw
311:Captain Beefheart
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42:This article
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789:Prison music
711:Blues portal
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641:. Retrieved
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508:Ferraillages
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316:Safe as Milk
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250:Years active
193:(1980-12-31)
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109:October 2015
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51:Please help
46:verification
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739:1980 deaths
734:1914 births
643:January 22,
618:October 29,
430:Discography
408:(1972) and
363:Harry Oster
232:Instruments
215:Occupations
728:Categories
566:October 7,
524:References
456:Bluesville
451:Free Again
394:Maringouin
224:songwriter
174:1914-03-14
159:Birth name
79:newspapers
333:Biography
638:AllMusic
561:AllMusic
553:Cub Koda
492:on kazoo
404:(1971);
329:(2004).
266:Arhoolie
221:Musician
379:Zachary
339:Zachary
307:covered
93:scholar
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259:Labels
241:guitar
238:Vocals
205:Genres
200:, U.S.
183:, U.S.
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656:Notes
323:, on
271:Sonet
100:JSTOR
86:books
645:2019
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592:ISBN
568:2015
354:and
188:Died
168:Born
72:news
309:by
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