Instrument(s): Guitar, vocals, harmonica

Lifespan: May 8,1911 - August 16, 1938

Style Synopsis: Powerful lyrics cradled in unusual chord movements. B.B King once said that as a musician Robert Johnson ‘Had it all’.

Recordings: Only twenty-nine tracks, recorded in 1936 and 1937 are all that exist of Johnson’s music. Columbia Records issued a two-disc boxed set, The Complete Recordings of Robert Johnson, to begin their Roots ‘n’ Blues Series in 1990.

Contributor: Michael Downs (Spike60@Glasscity.net)

Contributor’s Comments: Robert Johnson’s life is shrouded in myth and legend. Add to this his haunting lyrics and impressive, innovative country guitar style and you can quickly see why he is known by many as the father of the blues. Robert Johnson traveled the Deep South in the 1930’s playing anywhere the train happened to take him. He learned to play the guitar from his older brother Charles and was heavily influenced by Son House and Charley Patton, but quickly found his own style in odd chord movements and note usage. Robert Johnson’s guitar playing was the beginning of the his legend. Son House had known Robert when he began to learn to play. House went on the road and did not see Robert for three or four years, and when they finally did meet again, House was astounded by Robert’s impressive guitar playing. Just how did Robert learn to play so well so fast? Legend has it that Robert made a deal with the Devil; in exchange for his soul he wanted to play the guitar better than anyone. This legend is based, in part, on Johnson’s recording of Crossroads Blues, which tells the story of him standing at the crossroads trying to flag a ride. In Deep South mythology, one went to a crossroads at night if they wanted to make a deal with the Devil. The real story is probably the size of Johnson’s hands. He had large hands with long fingers, and this was how he was able to play such strange and innovative chords and notes.

Robert Johnson’s death is also surrounded by mystery. He died in 1938, falling ill after playing a party and dying four days later. Some people said that Robert’s deal with the devil came due and as evidence gave the fact that they had seen him on all fours, howling at the moon the night he died. Or that he was shot by a jealous husband ( Robert was not shy with the ladies, and often stayed in strange towns with women he found at the places he played at. ). Or stabbed by a woman. The truth is that Robert was poisoned, either by the barkeeper at the saloon he played that night, who was angry because Robert had been talking to his wife, or by a jealous girlfriend. Whatever the reason, Johnson died at the young age of twenty-seven, and left a legacy of Delta Blues music that has influenced guitar players from Muddy Waters to Eric Clapton.