Robert Johnson (musician)

Robert Johnson
Born	(1911-05-08)May 8, 1911 Hazlehurst, Mississippi, U.S.
Died	August 16, 1938(1938-08-16) (aged 27) Greenwood, Mississippi, U.S.
Genres	Blues
Occupation(s)	Musician, songwriter
Instruments	Guitar
Years active	1929–1938

Robert Johnson, born Robert Leroy Johnson (May 8, 1911 – August 16, 1938) is one of the most famous Delta blues musicians.

He is known worldwide as the "King of the Delta Blues." He has also been called the "Grandfather of rock and roll."

Life

He was born in Hazlehurst, Mississippi. He was the 11th child of his mother Julia Major Dodds, and 10th child of his father Charles Dodds. When he was born, his father had left his mother. He was brought up by a field worker named Noah Johnson. That is why he chose "Johnson" for his family name.

Career

Johnson began playing guitar when he was a child. In February 1929, he married Virginia Travis and became serious about playing the guitar. His wife died in childbirth at the age of 16 in April 1930. Johnson began traveling up and down the Delta. Around 1936, he was introduced to other blues players through a friend.

He had a remarkable combination of talent for singing, playing the guitar and composing songs. His vocals, the originality of his songs and his style of playing guitar have influenced many musicians. These include: John Fogerty, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, The Yardbirds, The Black Keys, and The White Stripes. Eric Clapton said Johnson is "the greatest blues musician ever to live."

Johnson was ranked 71st on Rolling Stone magazine list of "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time." In 1986, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Death

Johnson died on August 16, 1938. He died at the age of twenty-seven from poisoning. Johnson's death was not reported publicly. Almost 30 years later, Gayle Dean Wardlow, a Mississippi-based musicologist researching Johnson's life, found Johnson's death certificate, which listed only the date and location, with no official cause of death. No formal autopsy had been done. Instead, a pro forma examination was done to file the death certificate, and no immediate cause of death was determined. It is likely he had congenital syphilis and it was suspected later by medical professionals that this may have been a contributing factor in his death. However, 30 years of local oral tradition had, like the rest of his life story, built a legend which has filled in gaps in the scant historical record. His early death and unknown early life have led to the spread of many legends, such as going down to the crossroads near Dockery Plantation and making a deal with the devil, which cursed the musician and leading to the creation of the 27 Club.

Songs

Eleven records were made by Robert Johnson with Vocalion during his lifetime, and a twelfth record was made once he had died.

Track	Recorded	Catalogue	Released	Song Title	Time
1.	11/23/36	Vocalion 3416	1937	Kind Hearted Woman Blues	2:29
2.	11/23/36	Vocalion 3416		Terraplane Blues	3:01
3.	11/26/36	Vocalion 3445		32-20 Blues	2:50
4.	11/27/36	Vocalion 3445		Last Fair Deal Gone Down	2:39
5.	11/23/36	Vocalion 3475		I Believe I'll Dust My Broom	2:57
6.	11/27/36	Vocalion 3475		Dead Shrimp Blues	2:29
7.	11/23/36	Vocalion 3519		Ramblin' On My Mind	2:57
8.	11/27/36	Vocalion 3519		Cross Road Blues	2:29
9.	11/23/36	Vocalion 3563		Come On In My Kitchen	2:52
10.	11/27/36	Vocalion 3563		They're Red Hot	2:56
11.	11/27/36	Vocalion 3601		Walkin' Blues	2:30
12.	11/23/36	Vocalion 3601		Sweet Home Chicago	2:57
13.	6/19/37	Vocalion 3623		From Four Until Late	2:22
14.	6/20/37	Vocalion 3623		Hellhound On My Trail	2:37
15.	6/20/37	Vocalion 3665		Malted Milk	2:20
16.	6/20/37	Vocalion 3665		Milkcow's Calf Blues	2:17
17.	6/19/37	Vocalion 3723		Stones In My Passway	2:28
18.	6/19/37	Vocalion 3723		I'm A Steady Rollin' Man	2:35
19.	6/20/37	Vocalion 4002	1938	Stop Breakin' Down Blues	2:21
20.	6/20/37	Vocalion 4002		Honeymoon Blues	2:16
21.	6/20/37	Vocalion 4108		Little Queen Of Spades	2:16
22.	6/20/37	Vocalion 4108		Me And The Devil Blues	2:34
23.	11/27/36	Vocalion 4630	1939	Preachin' Blues	2:52
24.	6/20/37	Vocalion 4630		Love In Vain	2:20

All following songs were released after 1939:

Recorded	Matrix	Released	Song title	Time
11/23/36	SA-2584-1	1961	When You Got A Good Friend take #1	2:37
11/23/36	SA-2584-2		When You Got A Good Friend take #2	2:50
11/23/36	SA-2585-1	1961	Come On In My Kitchen take #1	2:47
11/23/36	SA-2587-1		Phonograph Blues take #1	2:37
11/23/36	SA-2587-2		Phonograph Blues take #2	2:32
11/27/36	SA-2629-2	1961	Cross Road Blues take #2	2:29
11/27/36	SA-2633-1	1961	If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day	2:34
6/20/37	DAL-397-1	1961	Drunken Hearted Man take # 1	2:24
6/20/37	DAL-397-2		Drunken Hearted Man take # 2	2:19
6/20/37	DAL-400-1	1961	Travelin' Riverside Blues take # 1	2:47
6/20/37	DAL-400-2		Travelin' Riverside Blues take # 2	2:47
6/20/37	DAL-402-2		Love In Vain take # 1	2:28