Son of John Johnson (lutenist to Elizabeth I), and lutenist at the court of James I, Robert Johnson (c.1580-c.1634) found steady employment providing music for the many court masques and entertainments during the Jacobean era, and became royal lutenist in the King’s "Private Musick" from 1604. He was later lutenist to Prince Henry (until his death in 1612) and continued service at the court of Charles I until 1633, becoming “Composer for Lute and Voices”.

Johnson collaborated regularly with poets and playwrights such as Ben Jonson, as well as Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher (who were a regular team) and was also employed as a composer for Shakespeare's theatre company, the King’s Men, from 1610-1617. With the King’s Men, he apprenticed to Sir George Carey, the company’s patron.

He composed the original settings for some of Shakespeare's songs, most notably those from The Tempest: "Where the Bee Sucks", “Full Fathom Five”, sometimes writing pieces for dances, interludes and sometimes taking text from Shakespeare’s play and setting them to music to be sung within the play itself.

Johnson also composed a number of other songs and "catches" or rounds, and drinking songs. (Wikipedia)

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