I just ordered The Centennial Collection from Amazon ( http://www.amazon.co...36447814&sr=8-1 ).
He's been covered by Eric Clapton (Cream, Derek & The Dominos), Duane Allman (Delaney & Bonnie and Friends), The North Mississippi Allstars, The Allman Brothers Band, and more, and I think he was probably the inspiration behind at least some of the Grateful Dead's Deal.
Just heard about him, and his legend on Radio Lab's Crossroads episode ( http://www.radiolab..../16/crossroads/ ). I highly recommend a listen.
Turns out, I had a whole album dedicated to his work (Dealin' With The Devil - Songs of Robert Johnson), and I never even knew who he was.
Robert Johnson (if the name doesn't ring a bell, you want to open this thread)
Started by
Speckta
, May 08 2012 03:43 AM
23 replies to this topic
#3
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- VibeTribe
- 4,917 posts
- LocationQueens, NY
Posted 08 May 2012 - 04:07 AM
According to Radio Lab... That legend is.. Just that...
Apparently this other Blues guy, Jimmy Johnson told his brother that HE (Jimmy) has sold his sold to the devil. This was reported and shared by somebody doing a biographical article on Jimmy Johnson after his death, and one of his friends thought the legend fit Robert Johnson (no relations) better, so he just started using it for him, and it stuck.
Also, there's contradictory reports on when Robert Johnson died. If you got 30 minutes, check out the link above.
Apparently this other Blues guy, Jimmy Johnson told his brother that HE (Jimmy) has sold his sold to the devil. This was reported and shared by somebody doing a biographical article on Jimmy Johnson after his death, and one of his friends thought the legend fit Robert Johnson (no relations) better, so he just started using it for him, and it stuck.
Also, there's contradictory reports on when Robert Johnson died. If you got 30 minutes, check out the link above.
#9
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- VibeTribe
- 17,237 posts
Posted 08 May 2012 - 06:24 PM
The guitar player in "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou," the one they pickup hitch-hiking, that's supposed to be Robert Johnson.
yeah, but then why did they have him singing a tune written by Skip James, and not Robert Johnson. Always bothered me...
#12
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- VibeTribe
- 8,116 posts
Posted 08 May 2012 - 07:53 PM
yeah, but then why did they have him singing a tune written by Skip James, and not Robert Johnson. Always bothered me...
MIght've been a rights thing. Might've been them wanting to keep it loosely based off him so they used a different song. Who knows.
#15
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- VibeTribe
- 16,785 posts
Posted 09 May 2012 - 01:23 PM
It's definitley knowledge for the hardcore blues lover. I'll bet most younger folks today, even well versed in music, don't know who R. Johnson is at least not purely by name. That said, they are missing out on a legendary bluesman. Interesting story behind his recordings too and the legend of the lost tracks.
#18
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- VibeTribe
- 16,785 posts
Posted 09 May 2012 - 03:33 PM
Well, there is a bunch of debate on whether the original recordings were sped or slowed. The tinkering in legend as to why Johnson chose to sit facing a corner...for acoustics, or because he was a shy performer. The mysteries and legends of his highly unknown early life.
The man is a literal living legend. The 29 tracks he laid down in TX that November day in 1936 will definitely live forever. Regardless of what we do and do not know (including how exactly he died).
The man is a literal living legend. The 29 tracks he laid down in TX that November day in 1936 will definitely live forever. Regardless of what we do and do not know (including how exactly he died).
