Robert johnson biography devils blues

American blues musician (1911–1938)

For repeated erior people named Robert Johnson, put under somebody's nose Robert Johnson (disambiguation).

Not to examine confused with Lonnie Johnson.

Musical artist

Robert Leroy Johnson (May 8, 1911 – August 16, 1938) was an Earth blues musician and songwriter.

Her highness singing, guitar playing and songwriting on his landmark 1936 turf 1937 recordings has influenced subsequent generations of musicians. Although dominion recording career spanned only heptad months, he is recognized translation a master of the piteous, particularly the Delta blues genre, and as one of position most influential musicians of probity 20th century.

The Rock forward Roll Hall of Fame describes him as perhaps "the leading ever rock star".^[1]

As a move performer who played mostly keenness street corners, in juke joints, and at Saturday night dances, Johnson had little commercial come next or public recognition in lifetime. He had only match up recording sessions both produced building block Don Law, one in San Antonio in 1936, and single in Dallas in 1937, desert produced 29 distinct songs (with 13 surviving alternate takes).

These songs, recorded solo in extemporized studios, were the sum bad deal his recorded output. Most were released as 10-inch, 78 rpmsingles from 1937–1938, with a bloody released after his death. Mess up than these recordings, very short was known of his nation outside of the small harmonious circuit in the Mississippi Delta where he spent most loom his time.

Much of realm story has been reconstructed harsh researchers. Johnson's poorly documented lifetime and death have given deceive to legends. The one height often associated with him bash that he sold his typeface to the devil at great local crossroads in return foothold musical success.

His music locked away a small, but influential, next during his life and organize the decades after his brusque.

In late 1938, John Hammond sought him out for fastidious concert at Carnegie Hall, From Spirituals to Swing, only hurt discover that Johnson had currently died. Hammond was a fabricator for Columbia Records which hireling Johnson's original recordings from Town Records which owned them. MusicologistAlan Lomax went to Mississippi constant worry 1941 to record Johnson, likewise not knowing of his termination.

In 1961, Columbia released prominence album of Johnson's recordings gentlemanly King of the Delta Grievous Singers produced by legendary manufacturer and music historian Frank Driggs. It is credited with at last bringing Johnson's work to unadulterated wider audience. The album would become influential, especially in high-mindedness nascent British blues movement; Eric Clapton called Johnson "the principal important blues singer that day in lived."Bob Dylan, Keith Richards, extra Robert Plant have cited both Johnson's lyrics and musicianship makeover key influences on their disturbance work.

Many of Johnson's songs have been covered over blue blood the gentry years, becoming hits for upset artists, and his guitar licks and lyrics have been foreign by many later musicians.

Renewed interest in Johnson's work boss life led to a flavour of scholarship starting in significance 1960s. Much of what pump up known about him was reconstructed by researchers such as Gayle Dean Wardlow and Bruce Conforth, especially in their 2019 win biography^[3] of Johnson: Up Jumped the Devil: The Real Assured of Robert Johnson (Chicago Con Press).

Two films, the 1991 documentary The Search for Parliamentarian Johnson by John Hammond Junior, and a 1997 documentary, Can't You Hear the Wind Howl?: The Life & Music carry out Robert Johnson, which included reconstructed scenes with Keb' Mo' brand Johnson, attempted to document dominion life, and demonstrated the obligation arising from the scant real record and conflicting oral money.

Over the years, the nervous tension of Johnson and his medicine has been recognized by loftiness Rock and Roll, Grammy, topmost Blues Halls of Fame, give orders to by the National Recording Keep Board.

Life and career

Early life

Robert Leroy Johnson was born take Hazlehurst, Mississippi, possibly on Haw 8, 1911, to Julia Higher ranking Dodds (born October 1874) avoid Noah Johnson (born December 1884).

Julia was married to Physicist Dodds (born February 1865), far-out relatively prosperous landowner and movables maker, with whom she difficult to understand ten children. Charles Dodds difficult been forced by a stay away from be delayed mob to leave Hazlehurst masses a dispute with white cream. Julia left Hazlehurst with youngster Robert, but in less by two years she brought interpretation boy to Memphis to be present with her husband, who esoteric changed his name to Physicist Spencer.

Robert spent the early payment 8–9 years growing up rivet Memphis and attending the Carnes Avenue Colored School where blooper received lessons in arithmetic, highway, language, music, geography, and mortal exercise. It was in Metropolis that he acquired his adore for, and knowledge of, high-mindedness blues and popular music.

Crown education and city upbringing set him apart from most chide his contemporary blues musicians.

Robert rejoined his mother around 1919–1920 after she married an uneducated sharecropper named Will "Dusty" Willis. They originally settled on unmixed plantation in Lucas Township access Crittenden County, Arkansas, but in a little while moved across the Mississippi Run to Commerce in the River Delta, near Tunica and Robinsonville.

They lived on the Abbay & Leatherman Plantation.^[7] Julia's different husband was 24 years take it easy junior. Robert was remembered stop some residents as "Little Parliamentarian Dusty", but he was enrolled at Tunica's Indian Creek Academy as Robert Spencer. In loftiness 1920 census, he is programmed as Robert Spencer, living effect Lucas, Arkansas, with Will current Julia Willis.

Robert was strict school in 1924 and 1927.^[9] The quality of his suppress on his marriage certificate suggests that he was relatively able-bodied educated for a man lacking his background. A school intimate, Willie Coffee, who was interviewed and filmed in later step, recalled that as a juvenescence Robert was already noted occupy playing the harmonica and chatter harp.

Coffee recalled that Parliamentarian was absent for long periods, which suggests that he can have been living and musing in Memphis.

Once Julia informed Parliamentarian about his biological father, Parliamentarian adopted the surname Johnson, strike it on the certificate rule his marriage to fourteen-year-old Town Travis in February 1929.

She died in childbirth shortly subsequently. Surviving relatives of Virginia sonorous the blues researcher Robert "Mack" McCormick that this was practised divine punishment for Robert's determination to sing secular songs, be revealed as "selling your soul call for the Devil". McCormick believed wind Johnson himself accepted the clause as a description of crown resolve to abandon the still life of a husband current farmer to become a full-time blues musician.^[14]

Around this time, loftiness blues musician Son House diseased to Robinsonville, where his melodic partner Willie Brown lived.

Deceive in life, House remembered Author as a little boy who was a competent harmonica athlete but an embarrassingly bad musician. Soon after, Johnson left Robinsonville for the area around Martinsville, close to his birthplace, perhaps searching for his natural ecclesiastic. Here he mastered the bass style of House and highbrow other styles from Isaiah "Ike" Zimmerman.

Zimmerman was rumored get into have learned supernaturally to amusement guitar by visiting graveyards enthral midnight. When Johnson next arised in Robinsonville, he seemed grant have miraculously developed a adult guitar technique. House was interviewed at a time when loftiness legend of Johnson's pact buy and sell the devil was well humble among blues researchers.

He was asked whether he attributed Johnson's technique to this pact, esoteric his equivocal answers have archaic taken as confirmation.

While living detect Martinsville, Johnson fathered a infant with Vergie Mae Smith. Closure married Caletta Craft in Hawthorn 1931. In 1932, the unite settled for a while delete Clarksdale, Mississippi, in the Delta, but Johnson soon left tutor a career as a "walking" or itinerant musician, and Caletta died in early 1933.

Itinerant musician

From 1932 until his death absorb 1938, Johnson moved frequently 'tween the cities of Memphis topmost Helena, and the smaller towns of the Mississippi Delta bracket neighboring regions of Mississippi courier Arkansas.

On occasion, he voyage much further. The blues crown Johnny Shines accompanied him cause somebody to Chicago, Texas, New York, Canada, Kentucky, and Indiana.^[22]Henry Townsend spurious with him in St. Prizefighter. In many places he stayed with members of his full extended family or with someone friends. He did not become man again but formed some long-range relationships with women to whom he would return periodically.

Stress other places he stayed form a junction with whatever woman he was wretched to seduce at his rally round. In each location, Johnson's make a hit were largely ignorant of queen life elsewhere. He used fluctuating names in different places, employing at least eight distinct surnames.

Biographers have looked for consistency breakout musicians who knew Johnson now different contexts: Shines, who travel extensively with him; Robert Lockwood Jr., who knew him introduction his mother's partner; David "Honeyboy" Edwards, whose cousin Willie Mae Powell had a relationship laughableness Johnson.

From a mass make public partial, conflicting, and inconsistent witness accounts, biographers have attempted teach summarize Johnson's character. "He was well mannered, he was fragile spoken, he was indecipherable". "As for his character, everyone seems to agree that, while flair was pleasant and outgoing fashionable public, in private he was reserved and liked to slot in his own way".

"Musicians who knew Johnson testified that misstep was a nice guy direct fairly average—except, of course, rationalize his musical talent, his defect for whiskey and women, become more intense his commitment to the road."

When Johnson arrived in a virgin town, he would play seek out tips on street corners familiarize in front of the neighbourhood barbershop or a restaurant.

Melodious associates have said that carry live performances Johnson often outspoken not focus on his unlit and complex original compositions, on the contrary instead pleased audiences by execution more well-known pop standards have a high regard for the day^[33] – and not necessarily depression.

With an ability to abundance up tunes at first earreach, he had no trouble sharing his audiences what they required, and certain of his formulation later remarked on his benefaction in jazz and country penalty. He also had an unnatural ability to establish a affinity with his audience; in every so often town in which he congested, he would establish ties advice the local community that would serve him well when smartness passed through again a period or a year later.

Shines was 20 when he decrease Johnson in 1936. He held Johnson was maybe a origin older than himself (Johnson was actually four years older). Shines is quoted describing Johnson redraft Samuel Charters's Robert Johnson:

Robert was a very friendly man, even though he was cross at times, you know.

Tolerate I hung around Robert pointless quite a while. One dusk he disappeared. He was fashion of a peculiar fellow. Robert'd be standing up playing insufferable place, playing like nobody's job. At about that time power point was a hustle with him as well as a delight. And money'd be coming make the first move all directions.

But Robert'd change around pick up and walk check and leave you standing anent playing. And you wouldn't perceive Robert no more maybe hutch two or three weeks. ... Inexpressive Robert and I, we began journeying off. I was good, matter of fact, tagging along.^[34]

During this time Johnson established what would be a relatively long-run relationship with Estella Coleman, smart woman about 15 years senior and the mother tip off the blues musician Robert Lockwood Jr.

Johnson reportedly cultivated clean up woman to look after him in each town he artificial in. He reputedly asked unattractive young women living in integrity country with their families nolens volens he could go home buffed them, and in most cases, he was accepted, until well-ordered boyfriend arrived or Johnson was ready to move on.

In 1941, Alan Lomax learned let alone Muddy Waters that Johnson difficult to understand performed in the area walk Clarksdale, Mississippi. By 1959, probity historian Samuel Charters could annex only that Will Shade, stir up the Memphis Jug Band, Johnson had once briefly pompous with him in West City, Arkansas. In the last collection of his life, Johnson review believed to have traveled confess St.

Louis, Chicago, Detroit, predominant New York City. In 1938, Columbia Records producer John About. Hammond, who owned some female Johnson's records, directed record processor Don Law to seek on standby Johnson to book him propound the first "From Spirituals average Swing" concert at Carnegie Entry in New York. On exhibition of Johnson's death, Hammond replaced him with Big Bill Broonzy, but he played two reproach Johnson's records from the take advantage of.

Recording sessions

Main article: Robert President recordings § Sessionography

In Jackson, Mississippi, spend time with 1936, Johnson sought out Turn round. C. Speir, who ran trim general store and also wellversed as a talent scout. Speir put Johnson in touch stomach Ernie Oertle, who, as spruce up salesman for the ARC committee of labels, introduced Johnson flavour Don Law to record tiara first sessions in San Antonio, Texas.

The recording session was held on November 23–25, 1936, in room 414 of description Gunter Hotel in San Antonio. In the ensuing three-day lecture, Johnson played 16 selections turf recorded alternate takes for well-nigh of them. Among the songs Johnson recorded in San Antonio were "I Believe I'll Clean My Broom", "Sweet Home Chicago", and "Cross Road Blues", which later became blues standards.

Greatness first to be released was "Terraplane Blues", backed with "Last Fair Deal Gone Down", which sold as many as 10,000 copies.

Johnson traveled to Dallas, Texas, for another recording session comprehend Don Law in a jury-rigged studio at the Vitagraph (Warner Bros.) Building,^[40] on June 19–20, 1937. Johnson recorded almost portion of the 29 songs prowl make up his entire discography in Dallas and eleven archives from this session were out within the following year.

Governing of Johnson's "somber and introspective" songs and performances come alien his second recording session. Writer did two takes of about of these songs, and recordings of those takes survived. Considering of this, there is build on opportunity to compare different accomplishment a transactions of a single song next to Johnson than for any treat blues performer of his crop.

In contrast to most Delta players, Johnson had absorbed righteousness idea of fitting a steady song into the three scarcely of a 78-rpm side.

Death

Johnson athletic on August 16, 1938, take care the age of 27, next to Greenwood, Mississippi, of unknown causes. Johnson's death was not rumored publicly. Almost 30 years following, Gayle Dean Wardlow, a Mississippi-based musicologist researching Johnson's life, difficult Johnson's death certificate, which programmed only the date and replicate, with no official cause guide death.

No formal autopsy esoteric been done. Instead, a pro forma examination was done deliver to file the death certificate, suffer no immediate cause of kill was determined. It is unfairly he had congenital syphilis champion it was suspected later get ahead of medical professionals that this hawthorn have been a contributing reason in his death.

However, 30 years of local oral aid had, like the rest stencil his life story, built straighten up legend which has filled amuse gaps in the scant verifiable record.^[45]

Several differing accounts have averred the events preceding his transience bloodshed. Johnson had been playing give reasons for a few weeks at calligraphic country dance in a village about 15 miles (24 km) stranger Greenwood.

According to one intention, Johnson was murdered by integrity jealous husband of a female with whom he had flirted. In an account by nobility blues musician David 'Honeyboy' Theologist, Johnson had been flirting deal in a married woman at unmixed dance, and she gave him a bottle of whiskey poisoned by her husband. When Author took the bottle, Edwards knocked it out of his be of assistance, admonishing him to never mouthful from a bottle that explicit had not personally seen release.

Johnson replied, "Don't ever rap a bottle out of nutty hand." Soon after, he was offered another (poisoned) bottle duct accepted it.^[46] Johnson is report to have begun feeling by choice the evening after and abstruse to be helped back lookout his room in the prematurely morning hours. Over the exertion three days his condition inch by inch worsened.

Witnesses reported that settle down died in a convulsive position of severe pain. The musicologist Robert "Mack" McCormick claimed memorandum have tracked down the civil servant who murdered Johnson and destroy have obtained a confession chomp through him in a personal enquire, but he declined to loophole the man's name.^[14]

While strychnine has been suggested as the venom that killed Johnson, at bottom one scholar has disputed high-mindedness notion.

Tom Graves, in her majesty book Crossroads: The Life pole Afterlife of Blues Legend Parliamentarian Johnson, relies on expert deposition from toxicologists to argue go strychnine has such a singular odor and taste that get back to normal cannot be disguised, even current strong liquor. Graves also claims that a significant amount have available strychnine would have to titter consumed in one sitting make somebody's acquaintance be fatal, and that sort-out from the poison would come about within hours, not days.^[47]

In their 2019 book Up Jumped authority Devil, Bruce Conforth and Gayle Dean Wardlow suggest that greatness poison was naphthalene, from dissolved mothballs.

This was "a familiar way of poisoning people problem the rural South", but was rarely fatal. However, Johnson difficult to understand been diagnosed with an cut and with esophageal varices, innermost the poison was sufficient amount cause them to hemorrhage. Agreed died after two days get a hold severe abdominal pain, vomiting, plus bleeding from the mouth.

The Leflore County registrar, Cornelia Jordan, stage later and after conducting brush up investigation into Johnson's death put on view the state director of primary statistics, R.

N. Whitfield, wrote a clarifying note on representation back of Johnson's death certificate:

I talked with the creamy man on whose place that negro died and I further talked with a negro girl on the place. The grove owner said the negro male, seemingly about 26 years a choice of, came from Tunica two lesser three weeks before he monotonous to play banjo at great negro dance given there point the plantation.

He stayed small fry the house with some pills the negroes saying he called for to pick cotton. The ashen man did not have graceful doctor for this negro brand he had not worked endow with him. He was buried eliminate a homemade coffin furnished close to the county. The plantation holder said it was his belief that the man died type syphilis.^[49]

In 2006, a medical handler, David Connell, suggested, on position basis of photographs showing Johnson's "unnaturally long fingers" and "one bad eye", that Johnson might have had Marfan syndrome, which could have both affected emperor guitar playing and contributed leak his death due to arteria dissection.

Gravesite

The true location of Johnson's grave is unknown; three marked markers have been erected console possible sites in church cemeteries outside Greenwood.

• Research in justness 1980s and 1990s strongly suggests Johnson was buried in greatness graveyard of the Mount Firmament Missionary Baptist Church near Buccaneer City, Mississippi, not far shake off Greenwood, in an unmarked crypt. A one-ton cenotaph in character shape of an obelisk, catalogue all of Johnson's song decorations, with a central inscription gross Peter Guralnick, was placed miniature this location in 1990, compel to for by Columbia Records reprove numerous smaller contributions made by the Mount Zion Memorial Fund.

• In 1990, a small marker fit the epitaph "Resting in depiction Blues" was placed in decency cemetery of Payne Chapel, in effect Quito, Mississippi, by an Siege rock group named the Tombstones, after they saw a sketch account in Living Blues magazine treat an unmarked spot alleged provoke one of Johnson's ex-girlfriends pick up be Johnson's burial site.
• More late research by Stephen LaVere (including statements from Rosie Eskridge, grandeur wife of the supposed gravedigger, in 2000) indicates that character actual grave site is botchup a big pecan tree be thankful for the cemetery of the Petty Zion Church, north of Greenwood along Money Road.

  Through LaVere, Sony Music placed a mark at this site, which bears LaVere's name as well translation Johnson's. Researchers Bruce Conforth shaft Gayle Dean Wardlow also at an end this was Johnson's resting oust in their 2019 biography.

John Hammond Jr., in the documentary The Search for Robert Johnson (1991), suggests that owing to want and lack of transportation Lexicographer is most likely to scheme been buried in a pauper's grave (or "potter's field") bargain near where he died.

Devil legend

According to legend, as spiffy tidy up young man living on spruce up plantation in rural Mississippi, Writer had a tremendous desire nip in the bud become a great blues singer. One of the legends generally told says that Johnson was instructed to take his bass to a crossroad near Dockery Plantation at midnight.

(There downside claims for other sites whilst the location of the crossroads.) There he was met dampen a large being (the Devil) who took the guitar tolerate tuned it. The Devil gripped a few songs and corroboration returned the guitar to Lexicologist, giving him mastery of probity instrument. This story of cool deal with the Devil at the same height the crossroads mirrors the novel of Faust.

In exchange schedule his soul, Johnson was fattening to create the blues storeroom which he became famous.

This story was originally associated able Delta blues musician Tommy Writer, to whom Robert Johnson was unrelated. Tommy Johnson, who grew up near the Dockery Orchard and learned the blues reject Charlie Patton and Willie Embrown, first claimed to have wholesale his soul to the asmodeus at a crossroads in put a bet on for his mastery of interpretation guitar.^[54][55]

Various accounts

This legend was ahead over time and has bent chronicled by Gayle Dean Wardlow, Edward Komara and Elijah Wald, who sees the legend since largely dating from Johnson's rediscovery by white fans more pat two decades after his Boarding house once told the story fall upon Pete Welding as an anticipate of Johnson's astonishingly rapid ascendency of the guitar.

Other interviewers failed to elicit any verification from House and there were two full years between House's observation of Johnson as final a novice and then out master.

Further details were wrapped up from the imaginative retellings bypass Greil Marcus and Robert Crusader. Most significantly, the detail was added that Johnson received crown gift from a large swarthy man at a crossroads.

Close by is dispute as to agricultural show and when the crossroads build on was attached to the Parliamentarian Johnson story. All the accessible evidence, including a full stage on the subject in description biography Crossroads, by Tom Writer, suggests an origin in rectitude story of the blues performer Tommy Johnson.

This story was collected from his musical interact Ishman Bracey and his veteran brother Ledell in the Decade. One version of Ledell Johnson's account was published in King Evans's 1971 biography of Serviceman Johnson,^[61] and was repeated walk heavily print in 1982 alongside House's story in the widely study Searching for Robert Johnson, insensitive to Peter Guralnick.

In another new circumstance, Ledell placed the meeting wail at a crossroads but greet a graveyard.

This resembles honesty story told to Steve LaVere that Ike Zimmerman of Hazlehurst, Mississippi, learned to play high-mindedness guitar at midnight while get-together on tombstones. Zimmerman is deemed to have influenced the in concert of the young Johnson.

Contemporary research by the blues egghead Bruce Conforth, in Living Blues magazine, makes the story clearer.

Johnson and Ike Zimmerman frank practice in a graveyard put behind you night, because it was still and no one would displease them, but it was need the Hazlehurst cemetery as abstruse been believed: Zimmerman was pule from Hazlehurst but nearby Beauregard, and he did not utilize in one graveyard, but improvement several in the area.^[64] Lexicographer spent about a year kick with and learning from Zimmerman, who ultimately accompanied Johnson stand behind to the Delta to browse after him.

While Dockery, Hazlehurst and Beauregard have each archaic claimed as the locations achieve the mythical crossroads, there second also tourist attractions claiming make use of be "The Crossroads" in both Clarksdale and Memphis. Residents oust Rosedale, Mississippi, claim Johnson wholesale his soul to the asmodeus at the intersection of Highways 1 and 8 in their town, while the 1986 film Crossroads was filmed in Beulah, Mississippi.

The blues historian Steve Cheseborough wrote that it haw be impossible to discover honourableness exact location of the mythological crossroads, because "Robert Johnson was a rambling guy".

Interpretations

Some scholars control argued that the devil solution these songs may refer pule only to the Christian repute of Satan but also bear out the trickster god of Continent origin, Legba, himself associated extra crossroads.

Folklorist Harry M. Hyatt wrote that, during his evaluation in the South from 1935 to 1939, when African-Americans inherent in the 19th or absolutely 20th century said they achieve something anyone else had "sold their soul to the devil finish off the crossroads", they had great different meaning in mind. Hyatt claimed there was evidence typifying African religious retentions surrounding Legba and the making of tidy "deal" (not selling the font in the same sense likewise in the Faustian tradition insignificant by Graves) with the soi-disant devil at the crossroads.

The Gloom and the Blues singer has really special powers over cadre, especially.

It is said consider it the Blues singer could be blessed with women and have any lady they wanted. And so during the time that Robert Johnson came back, acquiring left his community as guidebook apparently mediocre musician, with nifty clear genius in his bass style and lyrics, people thought he must have sold enthrone soul to the devil. Pivotal that fits in with that old African association with influence crossroads where you find wisdom: you go down to greatness crossroads to learn, and cage his case to learn mull it over a Faustian pact, with position devil.

You sell your feelings to become the greatest summit in history.^[68]

This view that rectitude devil in Johnson's songs laboratory analysis derived from an African pagan symbol beloved was disputed by the misery scholar David Evans in distinctive essay published in 1999, "Demythologizing the Blues":

There are ...

not too serious problems with this turning myth. The devil imagery arrive on the scene in the blues is entirely familiar from western folklore, abide nowhere do blues singers on any occasion mention Legba or any fear African deity in their songs or other lore. The actual African music connected with cults of Legba and similar troublemaker deities sounds nothing like nobility blues, but rather features polyrhythmic percussion and choral call-and-response singing.^[69]

The musicologist Alan Lomax dismissed interpretation myth, stating, "In fact, from time to time blues fiddler, banjo picker, biting blower, piano strummer and bass framer was, in the idea of both himself and fulfil peers, a child of decency Devil, a consequence of picture black view of the Denizen dance embrace as sinful fluky the extreme".

Both Lomax's and Evans's accounts themselves have been unresolved and dismissed by Black scholars and authors including Amiri Author and Cornel West.^[71][72] West defines Blues as a creation condemn a people "who are acquiescent to look unflinchingly at deplorable conditions", as children of Spirit responding to those conditions.

Baraka's words are more directly censorious of white writers who read African-American Blues artform and the world from a Western viewpoint, stating that "They have to dance that to make themselves greater in some kind of way: that everything has come alien Europe, which is not true".^[73] Baraka cites that rather go one better than being formed out of coarse Western context, Blues derives foreigner an African context of loom over own.

The call-and-response singing Lomax argues is different from Grievous has been widely cited in that being a central aspect tactic Blues music.^[74]

Musical style

Johnson is advised a master of the gloominess, particularly of the Delta dejection style. Keith Richards, of picture Rolling Stones, said in 1990, "You want to know nonetheless good the blues can get?

Well, this is it". On the contrary according to Elijah Wald, revel in his book Escaping the Delta, Johnson in his own at the double was most respected for diadem ability to play in adroit wide range of styles, come across raw country slide guitar retain jazz and pop licks, streak for his ability to catalogue up guitar parts almost promptly upon hearing a song.

Fulfil first recorded song, "Kind Hesitantly Woman Blues", in contrast run into the prevailing Delta style announcement the time, more resembled blue blood the gentry style of Chicago or Unbound. Louis, with "a full-fledged, by much varied musical arrangement". The trade mark was part of a progression of spin-offs and response songs that began with Leroy Carr's "Mean Mistreater Mama" (1934).

According to Wald, it was "the most musically complex in high-mindedness cycle" and stood apart hold up most rural blues as pure thoroughly composed lyric, rather get away from an arbitrary collection of finer or less unrelated verses. Original for a Delta player be defeated the time, a recording exhibits what Johnson could do heart and soul outside of a blues design.

"They're Red Hot", from crown first recording session, shows go he was also comfortable submit an "uptown" swing or rag sound similar to that for the Harlem Hamfats, but chimp Wald remarked, "no record association was heading to Mississippi seep in search of a down-home Demote Spots ... [H]e could undoubtedly be blessed with come up with a inadequately more songs in this enhance if the producers had needed them."

Voice

An important aspect unscrew Johnson's singing was his turn down of microtonality.

These subtle inflections of pitch help explain reason his singing conveys such resonant emotion. Eric Clapton described Johnson's music as "the most ringing cry that I think support can find in the body voice". In two takes defer to "Me and the Devil Blues" he shows a high condition of precision in the association vocal delivery of the ultimate verse: "The range of timbre he can pack into shipshape and bristol fashion few lines is astonishing." Decency song's "hip humor and sophistication" is often overlooked.

"[G]enerations slant blues writers in search supplementary wild Delta primitivism", wrote Wald, have been inclined to look after or undervalue aspects that feat Johnson as a polished clerical performer.

Johnson is also known pay money for using the guitar as "the other vocalist in the song", a technique later perfected incite B.B. King and his in the flesh guitar named Lucille: "In Continent and in Afro-American tradition, on touching is the tradition of depiction talking instrument, beginning with goodness drums ...

the one-strand and hence the six-strings with bottleneck-style performance; it becomes a competing voice ... or a complementary voice ... impossible to differentiate the performance."^[68]

Instrument

See also: Robert Johnson’s guitars

Johnson mastered excellence guitar, being considered today only of the all-time greats statement the instrument.

His approach was complex and musically advanced. What because Keith Richards was first not native bizarre to Johnson's music by climax bandmate Brian Jones, he intentionally, "Who is the other lad playing with him?", not consummation it was Johnson playing acquaintance guitar. "I was hearing glimmer guitars, and it took cool long time to actually create he was doing it resistance by himself",^[85] said Richards, who later stated that "Robert Lbj was like an orchestra done by himself".^[81] "As for king guitar technique, it's politely cadaverous but ambitiously eclectic—moving effortlessly breakout hen-picking and bottleneck slides be acquainted with a full deck of chucka-chucka rhythm figures."^[81]

Lyrics

In The Story deal with Dick Gordon, Bill Ferris, flaxen American Public Media, said, "Robert Johnson I think of transparent the same way I muse of the British Romantic poets, Keats and Shelley, who toughened out early, who were geniuses at wordsmithing poetry ...

The Gloominess, if anything, are deeply coital. You know, 'my car doesn't run, I'm gonna check sorry for yourself oil ... 'if you don't corresponding my apples, don't shake nutty tree'. Every verse has gender associated with it."^[68]

Influences

Johnson fused approaches specific to Delta blues end up those from the broader refrain world.

The slide guitar outmoded on "Ramblin' on My Mind" is pure Delta and Johnson's vocal there has "a boundary of ... Son House rawness", however the train imitation on nobleness bridge is not at diminution typical of Delta blues—it bash more like something out additional minstrel show music or extravaganza. Johnson did record versions hold "Preaching the Blues" and "Walking Blues" in the older bluesman's vocal and guitar style (House's chronology has been questioned exceed Guralnick).

As with the crowning take of "Come On bring into being My Kitchen", the influence think likely Skip James is evident crucial James's "Devil Got My Woman", but the lyrics rise border on the level of first-rate poesy, and Johnson sings with ingenious strained voice found nowhere if not in his recorded output.

The doleful, romantic "Love in Vain" famously blends several of Johnson's diverse influences.

The form, including honourableness wordless last verse, follows Leroy Carr's last hit "When excellence Sun Goes Down"; the language of the last sung seat come directly from a sticky tag Blind Lemon Jefferson recorded newest 1926. Johnson's last recording, "Milkcow's Calf Blues" is his overbearing direct tribute to Kokomo Poet, who wrote "Milkcow Blues" tell influenced Johnson's vocal style.

"From Quatern Until Late" shows Johnson's ascendency of a blues style scream usually associated with the Delta.

He croons the lyrics burden a manner reminiscent of Lonnie Johnson, and his guitar genre is more that of straighten up ragtime-influenced player like Blind Poet. Lonnie Johnson's influence is flat clearer in two other departures from the usual Delta style: "Malted Milk" and "Drunken Hesitantly Man". Both copy the compromise of Lonnie Johnson's "Life Rescuer Blues".

The two takes long-awaited "Me and the Devil Blues" show the influence of Peetie Wheatstraw, calling into question nobility interpretation of this piece thanks to "the spontaneous heart-cry of exceptional demon-driven folk artist".

Legacy

Early recognition stomach reviews

Famed producer John Hammond was an early advocate of Johnson's music.

Using the pen-name Physicist Johnson, he wrote his premier article on Robert Johnson hunger for the New Masses magazine impossible to tell apart March 1937, around the stretch of the release of Johnson's first record. In it, powder described Johnson as "the focal point Negro blues singer who has cropped up in recent years ...

Johnson makes Leadbelly sound intend an accomplished poseur." The later year, Hammond hoped to refine Johnson to perform at a- December 1938 From Spirituals scan Swing concert in New Dynasty City, as he was ignorant that Johnson had died wonderful August. Instead, Hammond played connect of his recordings, "Walkin' Blues" and "Preachin' Blues (Up Jumped the Devil)", for the conference and "praised Johnson lavishly exaggerate the stage".

Music historian Undisclosed Gioia noted "Here, if exclusive through the medium of recordings, Hammond used his considerable import at this historic event tender advocate a position of supremacy for the late Delta bluesman". Music educator James Perone additionally saw that the event "underscored Robert Johnson's specific importance brand a recording artist".

In 1939, Columbia issued a final nonpareil, pairing "Preachin' Blues" with "Love in Vain".

In 1940, nine unredeemed Johnson's songs were included untruthful a "List of American Tribe Songs on Commercial Records" chart by musicologist Alan Lomax subsidize a U.S. government conference. Lomax's notations for the entries prime from "elaborate sex symbolism" ("Terraplane Blues"), "very nice love song" ("I'm a Steady Rollin' Man"), to "traces of voodoo" ("Stones in My Passway", "Hellhound substance My Trail", "Cross Road Blues").

In 1942, commentary on Johnson's "Terraplane Blues" and "Last Impartial Deal Gone Down" appeared appoint The Jazz Record Book, half-tone by Charles Edward Smith. Honesty authors described Johnson's vocals owing to "imaginative" and "thrilling" and guitar playing as "exciting considerably almost anything in the race blues field".

Music writer Rudi Blesh included a review bequest Johnson's "Hellhound on My Trail" in his 1946 book Shining Trumpets: a History of Jazz. He noted the "personal humbling creative way" Johnson approached nobility song's harmony. Jim Wilson, accordingly a writer for the Detroit Free Press, also mentioned monarch unconventional use of harmony.

Notes a 1949 review, he compared elements of John Lee Hooker's recent debut "Boogie Chillen": "His [Hooker's] dynamic rhythms and dainty nuances on the guitar service his startling disregard for commonplace scale and harmony patterns display similarity to the work all but Robert Johnson, who made uncountable fine records in this vein."

Samuel Charters drew further attention build up Johnson in a five-page area in his 1959 book, The Country Blues.

He focused supervision the two Johnson recordings divagate referred to images of greatness devil or hell – "Hellhound on Cutback Trail" and "Me and integrity Devil Blues" – to suggest that Lbj was a deeply troubled appear. Charters also included Johnson's "Preachin' Blues" on the album accessible alongside his book.

Columbia Rolls museum issued the first album type Johnson's recordings, King of magnanimity Delta Blues Singers two epoch later.

Musicianship

Johnson is mentioned because one of the Delta artists who was a strong sway on blues singers in post-war styles. However, it is Johnson's guitar technique that is over and over again identified as his greatest charge.

Blues historian Edward Komara wrote:

The execution of a drive bass beat on a pick instrument like the guitar (instead of the piano) is Johnson's most influential accomplishment ... This disintegration the aspect of his punishment that most changed the Delta blues practice and is about retained in the blues bass tradition.

This technique has been named a "boogie bass pattern" manage "boogie shuffle" and is asserted as a "fifth–sixth [degrees depart a major scale] oscillation earlier the root chord".

Sometimes, thrill has been attributed to Johnnie Temple, because he was rendering first to record a melody in 1935 using it. In spite of that, Temple confirmed that he difficult to understand learned the technique from Johnson: "He was the first give someone a buzz I ever heard use it ... It was similar to excellent piano boogie bass [which] Raving learned from R.

L. [Johnson] in '32 or '33."Johnny Shines added: "Some of the details that Robert did with high-mindedness guitar affected the way everyone played. In the early decennary, boogie was rare on blue blood the gentry guitar, something to be heard." Conforth and Wardlow call armed "one of the most chief riffs in blues music" jaunt music historian Peter Guralnick believes Johnson "popularized a mode [walking bass style on guitar] which would rapidly become the nosedive pattern".

Although author Elijah Wald recognizes Johnson's contribution in popularizing the innovation, he discounts loom over importance and adds, "As off as the evolution of coalblack music goes, Robert Johnson was an extremely minor figure, additional very little that happened guarantee the decades following his cool would have been affected on condition that he had never played dinky note".

Contemporaries

Johnson's contemporaries, including Johnny Shines, Johnnie Temple, Henry Townsend, Parliamentarian Lockwood Jr., Calvin Frazier, advocate David "Honeyboy" Edwards were in the middle of those who kept his concerto alive through performing his songs and using his guitar techniques.

Fellow Mississippi native Elmore Saint is the best known delighted is responsible for popularizing Johnson's "Dust My Broom". In 1951, he recast the song on account of a Chicago-style blues, with dynamic slide guitar and a aid band. According to blues recorder Gerard Herhaft:

Johnson's influence observe Elmore James's music always remained powerful: his falsetto voice, about shrill, and the intensive impenetrable of the "walking" bass sum up of the boogie-woogie, several alert of James' repertoire were outside from Johnson (e.g, "Dust Tawdry Broom", "Rambling on My Mind", and "Crossroads").

James' version is steady as "one of the control recorded examples of what was to become the classic Metropolis shuffle beat".

The style oftentimes associated with Chicago blues was used extensively by Jimmy Strict beginning with his first put on tape "High and Lonesome" in 1953. Sometimes called "the trademark Hue shuffle" (although also associated ruler second guitarist, Eddie Taylor), levelly is the figure Johnson reachmedown updated for electric guitar.

Blues standards

Several of Johnson's songs became gloominess standards, which is used obtain describe blues songs that scheme been widely performed and factual over a period of at this point and are seen as taking accedence a lasting quality.

Perone keep details "That such a relatively tall percentage of the songs attributed to him became blues system also keeps the legacy catch Robert Johnson alive." Those domineering often identified are "Sweet Straightforward Chicago" and "Dust My Broom", but also include "Crossroads" stomach "Stop Breaking Down". As examine many blues songs, there absolute melodic and lyrical precedents.

Behaviour "Sweet Home Chicago" borrows use up Kokomo Arnold's 1933 "Old Primary Kokomo Blues", "Johnson's lyrics required the song a natural perform Chicago bluesmen, and it's crown version that survived in loftiness repertoires of performers like Witchcraft Sam, Robert Lockwood, and Let fall Parker".

In the first decades make sure of Johnsons' death, these songs, climb on some variations in the awards and lyrics, were recorded moisten Tommy McClennan (1939),Walter Davis (1941),Sonny Boy Williamson I (1945),Arthur Crudup (1949),^[127]Texas Alexander (1950),^[128] Elmore Criminal (1951–1959), Baby Boy Warren (1954),^[129]Roosevelt Sykes (1955),^[130] Junior Parker (1958), and Forest City Joe (1959).^[131] Pearson and McCulloch believe walk "Sweet Home Chicago" and "Dust My Broom" in particular affiliate Johnson to "the rightful inheritors of his musical ideas—big-city Someone American artists whose high-powered, electrically amplified blues remain solidly revere touch with Johnson's musical legacy" at the time of Columbia's first release of a filled album of his songs swindle 1961.

In Jim O'Neal's statement while in the manner tha Johnson was inducted into righteousness Blues FoundationBlues Hall of Decorum, he identified "Hell Hound get on My Trail", "Sweet Home Chicago", "Dust My Broom", "Love remark Vain", and "Crossroads" as Johnson's classic recordings.^[133] Over the discretion, these songs have been apart inducted into the Blues Hall's "Classic of Blues Recording – Single up in the air Album Track" category, as sufficiently as "Come On in Gray Kitchen" and "Terraplane Blues".^[134]

Rock music

In the mid-1950s, rock and raze to the ground pioneer Chuck Berry adapted magnanimity boogie pattern on guitar yearn his songs "Roll Over Beethoven" and "Johnny B.

Goode". Initiator Dave Rubin commented:

his [Berry's] utilization of the bass-string cut-boogie patterns popularized by Robert President on songs like "Sweet Dwelling Chicago" ... subtly altered the move feel of the boogie grievous into a more driving, faithful 4/4 meter while still support a limber lilt that recapitulate often missing in the infinite imitations that followed.

The pattern "became one of the signature census in early electric guitar-based outcrop and roll, such as avoid of Chuck Berry and authority numerous rock musicians of depiction 1960s who were influenced insensitive to Berry", according to Perone.

Conj albeit music historian Larry Birnbaum additionally sees the connection, he wrote that Johnson's "contributions to honourableness origins of rock 'n' coil are negligible". The Rock stomach Roll Hall of Fame inducted Johnson as an early disturb in its first induction festival, in 1986, almost a division century after his death.

Produce revenue also included four of rule songs it deemed to scheme shaped the genre: "Sweet Residence Chicago", "Cross Road Blues", "Hellhound on My Trail", and "Love in Vain".^[137]Marc Meyers, of high-mindedness Wall Street Journal, commented, "His 'Stop Breakin' Down Blues' liberate yourself from 1937 is so far bright of its time that position song could easily have antediluvian a rock demo cut pin down 1954."^[81]

Several rock artists describe President as an influence:

• Eric Clapton – "Robert Johnson to me is primacy most important blues musician who ever lived".

  He recorded a handful of Johnson's songs as mutate as an entire tribute photo album, Me and Mr. Johnson (2004).^[139] Clapton feels that rather get away from trying to recreate Johnson's originals, "I was trying to take out as much emotional content alien it as I could, stretch respecting the form at rectitude same time."

• Bob Dylan – "In about 1964 and '65, I probably motivated about five or six cosy up Robert Johnson's blues song forms, too, unconsciously, but more launch an attack the lyrical imagery side enjoy yourself things.

  If I hadn't heard the Robert Johnson record as I did, there probably would have been hundreds of hang on of mine that would possess been shut down—that I wouldn't have felt free enough less important upraised enough to write. [His] code of language was affection nothing I'd heard before takeover since."

• Robert Plant – "A lot of Above-board musicians were very fired propagate by Robert Johnson [to] whom we all owe more in good health less our existence, I estimate, in some way".^[141]Led Zeppelin reliable "Traveling Riverside Blues" and quoted some of Johnson's lyrics make "The Lemon Song".^[142]
• Keith Richards – "I've on no occasion heard anybody before or owing to use the [blues] form coupled with bend it so much harangue make it work for himself ...

  he came out with specified compelling themes [and] just greatness way they were treated, separately from the music and dignity performance, [was appealing]." The Wheeling Stones recorded "Love in Vain" and "Stop Breaking Down".

• Johnny Winter – "Robert Johnson knocked me out—he was a genius.

  [He and Rustle up House] both were big influences on my acoustic slide playing." He recorded "Dust My Broom" with additional guitar by Derek Trucks.^[146]

Problems of biography

Until probity 2019 publication of Bruce Conforth and Gayle Dean Wardlow's autobiography, Up Jumped the Devil: Picture Real Life of Robert Johnson, little of Johnson's early polish was known.

Two marriage licenses for Johnson have been aeon in county records offices. Honesty ages given in these certificates point to different birth dates, but Conforth and Wardlow advocate that Johnson lied about empress age in order to acquire a marriage license. Carrie Archaeologist claimed that her mother, who was also Robert's mother, divine his birth date as May 8, 1911.

He was not scheduled among his mother's children accomplish the 1910 census giving too credence to a 1911 birthdate. Although the 1920 census gives his age as 7, typical of he was born in 1912 or 1913, the entry appearance his attendance at Indian Inlet School, in Tunica, Mississippi^[when?] registered him as being 14 age old.^{[citation needed]}

Five significant dates vary his career are documented: Weekday, Thursday and Friday, November 23, 26 and 27, 1936, avoid a recording session in San Antonio, Texas; and Saturday extra Sunday, June 19 and 20, 1937, at a recording brand in Dallas.

His death slip, discovered in 1968, lists interpretation date and location of her majesty death.

Record collectors admired Johnson's record office from the time of their first release, and efforts were made to discover information development him, with virtually no premium. A relatively full account unsaved Johnson's brief musical career emerged in the 1960s, largely proud accounts by Son House, Johnny Shines, David "Honeyboy" Edwards favour Robert Jr.

Lockwood. In 1961, the sleeve notes to greatness album King of the Delta Blues Singers included reminiscences dampen Don Law who had authentic Johnson in 1936. Law go faster to the mystique surrounding Author, representing him as very juvenile and extraordinarily shy.

The reminiscent researcher Mack McCormick began depraved Johnson's family background in 1972, but died in 2015 poverty-stricken publishing his findings.

McCormick's analysis eventually became as much efficient legend as Johnson himself. Enfold 1982, McCormick permitted Peter Guralnick to publish a summary up-to-date Living Blues (1982), later reprinted in book form as Searching for Robert Johnson. Later researchers sought to confirm this dispense with or to add minor minutiae.

A revised summary acknowledging bigger contributors was written by Author LaVere for the booklet attendant Robert Johnson, The Complete Recordings box set (1990). The infotainment film The Search for Parliamentarian Johnson contains accounts by Producer and Wardlow of what informants have told them: long interviews of David "Honeyboy" Edwards pointer Johnny Shines and short interviews of surviving friends and next of kin.

Another film, Can't You Hang on words the Wind Howl?: The Come alive & Music of Robert Johnson,^[149] combines documentary segments with recreated scenes featuring Keb' Mo' slightly Johnson with narration by Danny Glover. Shines, Edwards and Parliamentarian Jr. Lockwood contribute interviews.

These published biographical sketches achieve relevant narratives, partly by ignoring narrative and hearsay accounts which prove false or conflict with their economics.

Photographs

Until the 1980s, it was believed that no images compensation Johnson had survived. However, link images of Johnson were aeon in 1972 and 1973, forecast the possession of his stepsister Carrie Thompson.

Two of these, known as the "dime-store photo" (December 1937 or January 1938) and the "studio portrait" (summer 1936), were copyrighted by Author LaVere (who had obtained them from the Thompson family) edict 1986 and 1989, respectively, friendliness an agreement to share lower-class ensuing royalties 50% with rendering Johnson estate, at that meaning administered by Thompson.

The "dime-store photo" was first published, mock in passing, in an outflow of Rolling Stone magazine slice 1986, and the studio vignette in a 1989 article lump Stephen Calt and Gayle Presbyter Wardlow in 78 Quarterly. Both were subsequently featured prominently outing the printed materials associated grasp the 1990 CBS box lay of the "complete" Johnson recordings, as well as being generally republished since that time.

On account of Mississippi courts in 1998 intractable that Robert Johnson's heir was Claud Johnson, a son intelligent out of wedlock, the manor share of all monies stipendiary to LaVere by CBS sit others ended up going be Claud Johnson, and attempts toddler the heirs of Carrie Physicist to obtain a ruling dump the photographs were her lonely property and not part gaze at the estate were dismissed.^[151][152] Integrate his book Searching for Parliamentarian Johnson, Peter Guralnick stated depart the blues archivist Mack Tenor showed him a photograph symbolize Johnson with his nephew Gladiator, taken at the same hold your fire as the famous "pinstripe suit" photograph, showing Louis dressed speedy his United States Navy uniform; this picture, along with honourableness "studio portrait", were both even by Carrie Thompson to Discoverer in 1972.^[151] McCormick never requited the photograph of Johnson smudge his uniform, keeping it thwart his archive until his humanity.

McCormick's daughter donated the history to the Smithsonian Institution revere 2020 and encouraged museum cudgel to facilitate the return help the photograph to Johnson's descendants; as of 2023, The Educator Post reported that the museum had agreed to return loftiness photograph and was awaiting orders from the Johnson family.^[153] That photograph has never been thought public.

Another photograph, purporting persist at show Johnson posing with influence blues musician Johnny Shines, was published in the November 2008 issue of Vanity Fair magazine.^[154] Its authenticity was claimed hard the forensic artist Lois Player and by Johnson's estate funny story 2013,^[155] but has been ignored by some music historians, containing Elijah Wald, Bruce Conforth very last Gayle Dean Wardlow, who reasoned that the clothing suggests grand date after Johnson's death other that the photograph may suppress been reversed and retouched.

Also, both "Honeyboy" Edwards and Parliamentarian Jr. Lockwood failed to appreciate either man in the photograph. Facial recognition software concluded divagate neither man was Johnson most up-to-date Shines. Finally, Gibson claimed interpretation photo was from 1933 detect 1934 but it is in-depth that Johnson did not appropriate Shines until early 1937.^[156] Check December 2015, a fourth painting was published, purportedly showing Author, his wife Calletta Craft, Estella Coleman, and Robert Lockwood Jr.^[157] This photograph was also proclaimed authentic by Lois Gibson, on the other hand her identification of Johnson has been dismissed by other facial recognition experts and blues historians.

There are a number mention reasons why the photograph pump up unlikely to be Johnson: evenly has been proven that Fount died before Johnson met Coleman, the clothing could not attach prior to the late Forties, the furniture is from high-mindedness 1950s, the Coca-Cola bottle cannot be from prior to 1950, etc.^[158]

A third photograph of Lexicographer, this time smiling, was obtainable in 2020.

It is ostensible to have been taken meat Memphis on the same moment as the verified photograph go him with a guitar person in charge cigarette (part of the "dime-store" set), and is in position possession of Annye Anderson, Johnson's step-sister (Anderson is the damsel of Charles Dodds, later Philosopher, who was married to Robert's mother but was not authority father).

As a child, Author grew up in the harmonize family as Johnson and has claimed to have been cause, aged 10 or 11, storm out the occasion the photograph was taken. This photograph was obtainable in Vanity Fair in May well 2020, as the cover sculpture for a book, Brother Robert: Growing Up with Robert Johnson, written by Anderson in collaborationism with author Preston Lauterbach,^[159] obtain is considered to be actual by Johnson scholar Elijah Wald.

Descendants

Johnson left no will. Mould 1998, the Mississippi Supreme Regard ruled that Claud Johnson, simple retired truck driver living conduct yourself Crystal Springs, Mississippi, was class son of Robert Johnson soar his only heir. The challenge heard that he had antique born to Virgie Jane Sculptor (later Virgie Jane Cain), who had a relationship with Parliamentarian Johnson in 1931.

The affair was attested to by on the rocks friend, Eula Mae Williams, on the other hand other relatives descended from Parliamentarian Johnson's half-sister, Carrie Harris Physicist, contested Claud Johnson's claim. Primacy effect of the judgment was to allow Claud Johnson strengthen receive over $1 million go to see royalties.^[160] Claud Johnson died, grey 83, on June 30, 2015, leaving six children.^[161]

Discography

Main article: Parliamentarian Johnson recordings § Discography

Eleven 78-rpm registry by Johnson were released via Vocalion Records in 1937 predominant 1938, with additional pressings bypass ARC budget labels.

In 1939, a twelfth was issued posthumously. Johnson's estate holds the copyrights to his songs.^[163] In 1961, Columbia Records released King mimic the Delta Blues Singers, solve album representing the first modern-era release of Johnson's performances, which started the "re-discovery" of Lexicologist as blues artist.

In 1970, Columbia issued a second tome, King of the Delta Reminiscent Singers, Vol. II.

The Finished Recordings, a two-disc set, at large on August 28, 1990, contains almost everything Johnson recorded, tighten all 29 recordings, and 12 alternate takes. Another alternate hire of "Traveling Riverside Blues" was released by Sony on nobleness CD reissue of King promote to the Delta Blues Singers.

Take a breather celebrate the 100th anniversary spend Johnson's birth, May 8, 2011, Sony Legacy released Robert Johnson: The Centennial Collection, a re-mastered 2-CD set of all 42 of his recordings and figure brief fragments, one of Writer practicing a guitar figure current the other of Johnson proverb, presumably to engineer Don Handle roughly, "I wanna go on become apparent to our next one myself." Collective reviewer commented that the lasting quality of the 2011 undo was a slight improvement spend the 1990 release.^[165]

Awards and recognition

In popular culture

He is often reasoned the first member of description so-called "27 Club," a category of musicians who have grand mal at that age.

Robert Author was played by La Monde Byrd in Supernatural (American Video receiver series) season 2 episode 8 "Crossroad Blues".

In 1994, President was featured on a U.S. postage stamp.^[184]

The Tim McGraw ditty "How Bad Do You Compel It" off the 2004 recording Live Like You Were Dying opens with the lines "Robert Johnson went to the community, so the legend goes/He neglected with his guitar, but representation Devil took his soul, description Devil took his soul."

In season 2 episode 6 jump at the NBC sci-fi time-travel keep in shape Timeless, "King of The Delta Blues", the protagonists travel reduce to San Antonio in 1936 when Robert Johnson (portrayed dampen Kamahl Naiqui) and Don Omission (played by Gavin Stenhouse) were recording Johnson's first album cut a hotel room.

The occurrence incorporates a bit of Johnson's singing and playing.^[185]

Me and magnanimity Devil Blues, a Japanese manga series that takes its baptize from the song of representation same name by Robert Lexicographer, chronicles a fictional version catch the fancy of Johnson's life, as a civil servant called "RJ" who sells diadem soul to the devil backing a talent for playing honourableness blues.^[186]

The 2021 song "Speechless" gross Nas includes the lyrics "I went back into my one-time and then I sped store up/Robert Johnson, Winehouse and Author found where heaven was..."

In 2024, an episode of position British TV crime drama McDonald & Dodds featured the manslaughter of a Blues enthusiast fade away in seeking to identify nobleness crossroads at which Robert Author had supposedly met the Beelzebub.

Entitled "Jinksy Sings the Blues", it was Episode 2 encourage Series 4 and was sift in the UK on 28 July 2024.

References