Robert Laughlin started learning piano at age 6 and guitar at age 11. He quickly absorbed the basics of blues guitar playing and eventually learned to play blues on piano as well as guitar. His early influences included Dylan, Peter, Paul and Mary, Pete Seeger, Bob Wills, Mike Bloomfield, Mississippi John Hurt.
He eventually drifted over to more jazzy influences like Django Reinhardt, bossa novas, American Songbook and Brazilian choroes. And he’s been playing blues since he was 14 years old.