These are the only three known photographs of Robert Johnson, all obtained from family members, some after a 13 year legal battle. Now, even if you know nothing about the Delta Blues you have likely heard of Robert Johnson. Today I will give a brief synopsis on the Man, the Myth and the Music.

The Man

Robert Johnson (May 8, 1911, Hazlehurst, Mississippi – August 16, 1938). Singer-songwriter, guitarist and the quintessential itinerant musician. He travelled mainly in the state of Mississippi, Memphis, Tennessee and Helena, Arkansas areas. Often identified incorrectly as the first “Bluesman” however there is little doubt as to his mastery of the guitar and his influence is as legendary as his own brief life story.

I made reference to him in my two prior ‘Delta Blues’ posts: on Charlie Patton and Johnson I could not find any reference that they had met and for Son House, we know their paths surely crossed several times. It is his (House) account among just a few others that confirms the stories of how Johnson went from at best, a mediocre player to a great one in a span of just a couple years. Although that story, even from House himself has a few different acounts. But if you read the piece I did on Son House, he effectively did the same thing. So did Big Bill Broonzy, later a mentor to Muddy Waters in Chicago. Maybe not quite as good as Johnson, agreed, but the point is what was done was perhaps not as exceptional as it’s made out to be.

We know that for much of the period he went away it was to stay with and be taught by Ike Zimmerman who at that time was living in Beauregard, Mississippi with his family. According to accounts by Zimmerman’s family, Ike liked to practice in the Cemetery at night, perhaps so as not to bother people. He took Robert Johnson there for some of his lessons, just beyond the local ‘crossroads’. People would often gather outdoors to hear him play.

Johnson had several things that led to his greatness, natural talent, a willingness to work hard at his craft, a great music memory and the ability to create the right songs for the right moment. Johnson’s ability went beyond the Blues, when he played he would go through an impressive repertoire of the popular songs of the day.

He did travel up to Chicago at least once with Johnny Shines and played a bit with Henry Townsend, David ‘Honeyboy” Edwards and via that relationship it is said that Robert Lockwood Jr may have been the only guitar player to have been tutored by Johnson.

The Myth

You may have heard of the story of the man who sold his soul to the devil for mastery over the guitar, that myth is about Robert Johnson. And myth it is. In fact Blues music was referred to as “The Devils Music” by Church goers in the South. More than one bluesman was labelled as “the devil”, Ike Zimmerman and Tommy Johnson (no relation) are two such that had an association with Robert Johnson.

There are also various accounts of how he died, and what he died of, but we know it was at the age of 27. A likely theory to me is that he was poisoned by tainted whisky provided by a jealous husband due to a possible encounter of some type with his wife. Johnson had been playing nearby for several days and was staying at a Plantation. This is where he had rather eventfully and painfully passed away on August 16 of 1938. This is (in part) the account from David Honeyboy Edwards and seems plausible to me. Yet many researchers have slightly different stories.

I’m just going by memory here but I don’t believe his death certificate was uncovered until the late 60’s, early 70’s, and apparently there was no Doctor involved and the Plantation owner listed his cause of death as syphilis. Regardless, he lived a life that was hard on his body and whether it was helped along or not he died too young.

After he died, news of course travelled slowly in those days and, not knowing he was dead, he was added to a concert in New York, which I will talk about later. The event organizer John Hammond had sent people to retrieve Johnson, instead bringing back news of his passing. This also helped to fuel some of the mystery about Johnson. As to what degree I cannot say but there is some revisionist history going on in relation to Robert Johnson.

The Music

His two recording sessions occurred in San Antonio and Dallas. The accounting of these sessions conducted by music engineer Don Law and particularly the first session at the Gunter Hotel, November 23 to the 27th in 1936 has been played out in songs, books, movies and tv shows. The second session was June 19 and 20, 1937, in Dallas. He recorded 30 songs in total, 29 were released over three years; 1937, 38 & 39 and the last not until 1961.

Here is one of the songs he wrote which tells the story of a man at critical time in his life and it helped to feed the mythology of selling his soul to the devil (which is never actually referenced in this nor any of his songs).

“Cross Road Blues” by Robert Johnson (Nov. 27th 1936). Covered about 135 times to date.

Eric Clapton and The Powerhouse, from a compilation album What’s Shakin’ (June 1966). This features Steve Winwood on vocals. The group only recorded four songs, this is one of three to be released. The feature group on the album was the Lovin’ Spoonful but also included; The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Al Kooper and Tom Rush.

A much lauded song is Johnson’s version of “Sweet Home Chicago” (if you listen to all the other versions) it is only marginally different than the song(s) it came from, given again some of his guitar playing is what set’s it apart. Prior to “Sweet Home Chicago” it was known most popularly as “Kokomo Blues”. It was first recorded as “Kokola Blues” (more of misprint than anything) by Madlyn Davis and Her Hot Shots, released in 1928. It was adapted before Johnson got hold of it by the noted Piedmont Bluesman Scrapper Blackwell in 1928 and then Kokomo Arnold in 1934. Prior to Johnson the song is listed as Traditional with the author unknown.

Johnson’s records were not widely sold or distributed. True, some copies were coveted by collectors, some songs were no doubt heard by musicians. Mostly limited to the above “Sweet Home Chicago”. But after he died, most never even knew it happen for months or years later. Granted not all forgot about him as I indicated above, John Hammond had heard his records. Hammond by 1938 and age 28 was well on his way to becoming one of the most important people in music of the 20th Century. Later he would spark the career’s of Billie Holiday, Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen to name a few.

In 1938 on December 23, there was a concert held at Carnegie Hall called From Spirituals to Swing (A concert in the loving memory of Bessie Smith). The organizer, Mr. John Hammond came out at one point and said that one of the names on the event poster, the singer Robert Johnson had passed away. They played a couple of his songs from a record. Hammond had Big Bill Broonzy come as a “stand in” who it is said was one of the few capable at that time, played a couple of Johnsons other songs. On the recordings however the only two songs from Broonzy are his own songs. So I can’t be positive he actually did perform a Johnson song. Regardless the playing of the records added to the mystery of Robert Johnson.

This event sparked some interest in seeking out his records and most certainly John Hammond was high on him but then he was high on many of the great Blues and Jazz and later Rock artists. Truth is Johnson was relatively obscure until, as I noted in the post on Son House, the Folk revival in the early 60’s.

“I Believe I’ll Dust My Broom” as it was titled when written by Robert Johnson and recorded at the famed Gunter Hotel sessions in San Antonio, Texas on November 23, 1936. It certainly inspired Elmore James to add his own twist and cover the song “Dust My Broom” in 1951. This song was adapted from several older Blues songs.

When the Folk Revival was in progress John Hammond, still remembering Johnson, was behind the album Robert Johnson King of the Delta Blues Players in 1961 released on Columbia Records. This ignited interest in Delta Blues players and if you read my post on Son House, sparked the search that brought him back.

My Perspective on the Legacy

We know that songs written by many of the Delta Blues singers, often contained lines and melodies from others and or older songs. Johnson certainly seized upon this opportunity better than most when he made those recordings. I know the author Elijah Wald did a great job breaking down Johnson’s songs. I don’t disagree with any assessment resulting in praise for Johnson’s skills.

Clearly many were influenced by his technique, apart from some of his contemporaries you can read that Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Keith Richards, Robert Plant and many more cite Johnson as an influence. But let me just say, if people are asked about a specific person that did have a positive affect on their music, they are going to have something good to say. If Robert Johnson is your “holy grail” of blues or whatever, than I think that’s great. Listen, not everyone likes The Beatles and/or The Rolling Stones, but for some those are their “holy grail”.

Let’s just single out Eric Clapton, a self professed Blues guitar player and what he has said about names that influenced him, “Robert Johnson to me is the most important blues musician who ever lived”. But he has said he learned to play listening to Big Bill Broonzy and Muddy Waters, both heavily influenced by Son House. He cites Broonzy as a great technician with “perfect rhythm”. Clapton has said more than once that his greatest influence was Muddy Waters and they formed a very close relationship, he looked up to Waters as a bit of a father figure.

If I sound like I am bashing Robert Johnson, I am not. I am however bashing the hype. I like the the story and the myth, I get a kick out of seeing it in a movie or whatever. I have learned about so many of the great early blues, folk blues, country blues players to know that despite what you may see hear or read, Johnson is not the center of that universe.