Robert Johnson

Born: May 8, 1911 Hazlehurst, MS, USA

Johnson started as the illegitimate son of a mother and father who would never be a family. His father moved to Memphis, and eventually Robert followed. This is where Johnson's blues influence came from. He grew up listening to Son House and Willie Brown play on the levee during Sunday picnics. And, after the death of his first wife, Johnson set his sites on becoming a bluesman himself. And, although he only knew the fundamentals of the guitar, he suddenly appeared with an incredible talent for blues guitar. Nobody knows for sure where the inspiration came from to play the guitar in the matter which he did. All anyone really knows is that Mississippi's Robert Johnson went away for a while, and when he came back, he had the blues, and could play the guitar like no other before him. Some say he went to the crossroads and sold his soul to the devil for exchange for an awe-inspiring ability. The ability came with a price, however, when Johnson was killed by a lover's jealous husband. Unfortunately, there were only a couple of recordings made of Johnson before his death at the age of 29.

Instruments Played / Skills: Guitar Vocals Songwriter Genres: Delta Blues

Robert Johnson Has Worked With: Willie Brown Johnny Shines

Robert Johnson Was Influenced By: James Kokomo Arnold Willie Brown Son House Lonnie Johnson Tommy Johnson

Artists That Were Influenced By Robert Johnson: Rory Block Preacher Boy Big Bill Broonzy R.L. Burnside Bo Carter Sam Chatmon Eric Clapton Arthur Crudup Guy Davis Willie Dixon David Edwards Sleepy John Estes Calvin Frazier John Hammond Jr. Ted Hawkins Jimi Hendrix Dave Hole Charley Jordan Sonny Landreth Robert Junior Lockwood Taj Mahal Mississippi Fred McDowell Hambone Willie Newbern Paul Rishell Rich Robinson Johnny Shines J.D. Short Bumble Bee Slim Hubert Sumlin Eddie Taylor Johnnie Temple James Thomas Bessie Tucker Muddy Waters

Robert Johnson's Discography: King of the Delta Blues Release Date: 1998 Masters Release Date: 1998 Complete Recordings Release Date: 1990 King of Delta Blues Singers Release Date: 1966