kcet is airing sessions for robert j eric clapton playing robert johnson cant reccomend this more highly. im sure it will be reshown as kcet is doing a pledge drive.....
There's a lot more to the story of Robert Johnson.
Johnson was born in the Mississipi Delta, which does not refer to the mouth of the river, but a triangle-shaped section in the Northwest part of the state, very close to Memphis. He was born around 1910 or so (my memory may be off a bit). The prominent city in the delta is Clarksdale, home of the "Delta Blues" Elvis Presley was born in nearby Tupelo, and Oxford is home to the U of M, and many great writers, William Faulkner being the best known. The delta's main roads are Highway 61 ("revisited" in the Bob Dylan song) and Highway 49. Hwy. 61 was the road many folks took north to escape the poverty and racism prevalent in the area.
Anyway, young Robert grew up listening to the music we today call the blues. He showed an early interest in harmonica and guitar, and he bounced around the local clubs and taverns, begging the old men to teach him a thing or two.
Never a remarkable player, he nevertheless took his guitar on the road, reportedly finding work as far away as Texas.
He returned to the Delta a couple of years later, older, perhaps wiser, but most interestingly a brilliant guitarist. When asked where he learned to play guitar in such an astonishing manner, he claimed that following a night of drinking and playing, he walked to the intersection of Highways 61 and 49, where he claimed to have met the Devil, and sold his soul in exchange for his awesome skill.
It was this bargain that inspired him to write the immortal "Crossroad Blues" which Eric Clapton and Cream recorded as "Crossroads." Some of the lyrics: "I went to the crossroads, fell down on my knees I went to the crossroads, fell down on my knees Asked the Lord above, have mercy now, save poor Bob if you please"
In spite of his plea, the good Lord did not save him...he was died of poisoning, apparently at the hand of a jealous husband. At the time of his death he was 27, having made 42 recordings of 29 different songs, many of which have been covered by other artists.
There is only one known photograph of Robert Johnson, showing him in a hat and suit, cigarette dangling from his lips. Though little is known of his life, and his death was surrounded in controversy--including questions as to his actual burial location--Johnson's spellbinding playing style and classic Delta blues lyrics and melodies have had a tremendous impact on popular music in the sixty-plus years since his death. In fact, Eric Clapton's most recent album is a showcase of RJ's work entitled "Me and Mr. Johnson."
I'm going to post a picture on the blog taken at "The Crossroads".
4 comments:
Love Love Love Robert Johnson's music. I'll have to find out when the show is on again so I can TiVO it.
Enlighten me...who is Robert Johnson? Eric Clapton, I've heard of, so is Robert Johnson a guitarist????
Mom--Robert Johnson was an influential Blues musician. His most famous song in "Crossroads Blues."
There's a lot more to the story of Robert Johnson.
Johnson was born in the Mississipi Delta, which does not refer to the mouth of the river, but a triangle-shaped section in the Northwest part of the state, very close to Memphis. He was born around 1910 or so (my memory may be off a bit). The prominent city in the delta is Clarksdale, home of the "Delta Blues" Elvis Presley was born in nearby Tupelo, and Oxford is home to the U of M, and many great writers, William Faulkner being the best known. The delta's main roads are Highway 61 ("revisited" in the Bob Dylan song) and Highway 49. Hwy. 61 was the road many folks took north to escape the poverty and racism prevalent in the area.
Anyway, young Robert grew up listening to the music we today call the blues. He showed an early interest in harmonica and guitar, and he bounced around the local clubs and taverns, begging the old men to teach him a thing or two.
Never a remarkable player, he nevertheless took his guitar on the road, reportedly finding work as far away as Texas.
He returned to the Delta a couple of years later, older, perhaps wiser, but most interestingly a brilliant guitarist. When asked where he learned to play guitar in such an astonishing manner, he claimed that following a night of drinking and playing, he walked to the intersection of Highways 61 and 49, where he claimed to have met the Devil, and sold his soul in exchange for his awesome skill.
It was this bargain that inspired him to write the immortal "Crossroad Blues" which Eric Clapton and Cream recorded as "Crossroads." Some of the lyrics:
"I went to the crossroads, fell down on my knees
I went to the crossroads, fell down on my knees
Asked the Lord above, have mercy now, save poor Bob if you please"
In spite of his plea, the good Lord did not save him...he was died of poisoning, apparently at the hand of a jealous husband. At the time of his death he was 27, having made 42 recordings of 29 different songs, many of which have been covered by other artists.
There is only one known photograph of Robert Johnson, showing him in a hat and suit, cigarette dangling from his lips. Though little is known of his life, and his death was surrounded in controversy--including questions as to his actual burial location--Johnson's spellbinding playing style and classic Delta blues lyrics and melodies have had a tremendous impact on popular music in the sixty-plus years since his death. In fact, Eric Clapton's most recent album is a showcase of RJ's work entitled "Me and Mr. Johnson."
I'm going to post a picture on the blog taken at "The Crossroads".
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