Giants of American Music # 2 Robert Johnson
No photograph of Robert Johnson but this is a shot of the tiny church of Little Zion on the outskirts of the small town of Greenwood Mississippi were it is believed Robert Johnson is buried. I was determined to pay my respects to Johnson who in my opinion is the most powerful and original blues singer to come out of the Mississippi Delta. It was a detour of a couple of hundred miles and it took a while to find the church and the grave. It was worth it, I will never forget hearing a recording by Johnson in a school music club. A teacher had brought in a copy. Hearing him was like receiving an electric shot so intense what the effect. I have got hundreds of records but if I could only keep ten then Robert Johnsons would be on the list
One of my contacts Bercoly supplied a link
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4up4VP8zjyc
I am conscious that Robert Johnson will not be known to some of you so here is a little biography
One hundred years ago, a child was born in Mississippi – a dirt-poor, African-American who would grow up, learn to sing and play the blues, and eventually achieve worldwide renown. In the decades after his death, he has become known as the King of the Delta Blues Singers, his music expanding in influence to the point that rock stars of the greatest magnitude – the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, the Allman Brothers – all sing his praise and have recorded his songs.
That boy was Robert Johnson, an itinerant blues singer and guitarist who lived from 1911 to 1938. He recorded 29 songs between 1936 and ‘37 for the American Record Corporation, which released eleven 78rpm records on their Vocalion label during Johnson¹s lifetime, and one after his death. Most of these tunes have attained canonical status, and are now considered enduring anthems of the genre: “Cross Road Blues,” “Love In Vain,” “Hellhound On My Trail,” “I Believe I¹ll Dust My Broom,” “Walking Blues,” “Sweet Home Chicago.
The power of Johnson’s music has been amplified over the years by the fact that so little about him is known and what little biographical information we now have only revealed itself at an almost glacial pace. Myths surrounding his life took over: that he was a country boy turned ladies’ man; that he only achieved his uncanny musical mastery after selling his soul to the devil. Even the tragedy of his death seemed to grow to mythic proportion: being poisoned by a jealous boyfriend then taking three days to expire, even as the legendary talent scout John Hammond was searching him out to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
THANKS FOR YOUR VISIT AND FOR TAKING THE TIME TO WRITE A COMMENT IT’S MUCH APPRECIATED.
IF YOU WANT TO FOLLOW MY STREAM I SUGGEST YOU OUGHT TO READ MY PROFILE FIRST
Giants of American Music # 2 Robert Johnson
No photograph of Robert Johnson but this is a shot of the tiny church of Little Zion on the outskirts of the small town of Greenwood Mississippi were it is believed Robert Johnson is buried. I was determined to pay my respects to Johnson who in my opinion is the most powerful and original blues singer to come out of the Mississippi Delta. It was a detour of a couple of hundred miles and it took a while to find the church and the grave. It was worth it, I will never forget hearing a recording by Johnson in a school music club. A teacher had brought in a copy. Hearing him was like receiving an electric shot so intense what the effect. I have got hundreds of records but if I could only keep ten then Robert Johnsons would be on the list
One of my contacts Bercoly supplied a link
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4up4VP8zjyc
I am conscious that Robert Johnson will not be known to some of you so here is a little biography
One hundred years ago, a child was born in Mississippi – a dirt-poor, African-American who would grow up, learn to sing and play the blues, and eventually achieve worldwide renown. In the decades after his death, he has become known as the King of the Delta Blues Singers, his music expanding in influence to the point that rock stars of the greatest magnitude – the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, the Allman Brothers – all sing his praise and have recorded his songs.
That boy was Robert Johnson, an itinerant blues singer and guitarist who lived from 1911 to 1938. He recorded 29 songs between 1936 and ‘37 for the American Record Corporation, which released eleven 78rpm records on their Vocalion label during Johnson¹s lifetime, and one after his death. Most of these tunes have attained canonical status, and are now considered enduring anthems of the genre: “Cross Road Blues,” “Love In Vain,” “Hellhound On My Trail,” “I Believe I¹ll Dust My Broom,” “Walking Blues,” “Sweet Home Chicago.
The power of Johnson’s music has been amplified over the years by the fact that so little about him is known and what little biographical information we now have only revealed itself at an almost glacial pace. Myths surrounding his life took over: that he was a country boy turned ladies’ man; that he only achieved his uncanny musical mastery after selling his soul to the devil. Even the tragedy of his death seemed to grow to mythic proportion: being poisoned by a jealous boyfriend then taking three days to expire, even as the legendary talent scout John Hammond was searching him out to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
THANKS FOR YOUR VISIT AND FOR TAKING THE TIME TO WRITE A COMMENT IT’S MUCH APPRECIATED.
IF YOU WANT TO FOLLOW MY STREAM I SUGGEST YOU OUGHT TO READ MY PROFILE FIRST