Robert Lee McCollum
November 30, 1909 – November 5, 1967
Robert Lee McCollum was a blues guitarist who for some reason changed his name at least twice during his music career. During the mid ’30s, he went by Robert Lee McCoy and landed in St. Louis where he played and recorded with Sonny Boy Williamson and Big Joe Williams. A nomadic person, McCollum soon changed his name to Robert Nighthawk and moved on. He resurfaced as an electric slide guitarist and landed a deal with Chess Records during the ’40s. Unfortunately, Muddy Waters was also on the label, so Nighthawk soon found he wasn’t as much of a priority. During the folk revival of the early ’60s. Nighthawk was rediscovered while busking on the streets of Chicago. He experienced upswing in his career, making a few more records and playing club dates before he died of a heart attack on November 5, 1967.
What You Should Own
