Stop Breaking Down: The Robert Johnson Story

A cool clip from a filmed thesis made by Glen Marzano When he was at Loyola Maramount.  I would love to see the whole thing.  This clip in particular shows Robert first as a young man learning the blues and then later the night before he dies. 

Todd Rundgren Is Doing WHAT???

I got a tip from a fellow bluesman that Todd Rundgren is making a tribute CD to Robert Johnson. All I have to say is WHY! Why do we need another tribute disc to Robert Johnson. I Mean, Peter Green, Eric Clapton, and John Hammond all have CDs already out, do we really need one more. Seriously how about a Charlie Patton, Skip James, or Tommy Johnson tribute?? Or perhaps a Son House, Johnny Shines, or R L Burnside tribute???

Seriously Todd, lets spread the love around! There are plenty of great songs by great delta blues artists that you could record. In fact the family of Bukka White would love for you to cover his songs so that they could see some money.

We all love Robert, and I have blogged a lot about him over the years, but please, lets give some other old bluesman some LOVE!

It's not Robert, but it sure looks cool!

A few years ago there was a brief stir created by a short film clip of a young bluesman. It does look like Robert Johnson, especially the extremely long fingers, but some pointy head academics ruin it:-) (as a pointed head academic I say that with love:-) Like most reality based fun spoilers, they did some research, and low and behold, they figure out the EXACT DATE, that the movie was filmed. So either Robert Johnson rose from the dead, faked his death, or ITS NOT ROBERT JOHNSON:-)

However, it is still a nice clip of a bluesman from the early 40s.

Taylor Hicks: Dust My Broom

Taylor Hicks performing a classic Robert Johnson tune. BTW, Taylor is the little brown blip in the bottom middle of the screen:-)

Taylor Hicks_Dust My Broom_Biloxi MS_9-11-09 from Janibeth on Vimeo.

Very Strange Robert Johnson Video

I posted some strange delta blues videos in the past where people have manipulated photos, but this one is down right spooky! YIKES!:-) Don't worry no screamers:-)

Robert Johnson UPDATE

We have an update on the recording studio used by Robert Johnson in Dallas Texas. From The Dallas Observer, They have posted a PDF file of an interview Don Law gave for Frank Driggs who was producing Robert Johnson King of the Delta Blues Singers. That recording was a pivotal record that introduced Eric Clapton to Robert Johnson. Most of the notes and information from the questionnaire would end up on the liner notes for that LP. It is some great history, so follow this link HERE to read it.

Site Of Robert Johnson's Dallas Recordings To Be Demolished

Got a tip from the Dallas Observer that the famous site of Robert Johnson's recording sessions in Dallas is slated to be demolished.

For the article from the Dallas Observer HERE.

As an historian it is sad to see historic places go under the wrecking ball. It seems especially sad when it is blues related. Many of the great musical sites of the past have fell victim to urban renewal. No doubt the city of Dallas wants to rejuvenate the area, but at the same time why not a museum dedicated to African American music?? I really hope that they don't get it too late like they did in Kansas City. Barely anything was left of the Vine area before Kansas City realized its tourist potential. Of course most of you may also think of what happened with Maxwell Street in Chicago. The University of Illinois in Chicago tore out the street a few years ago. Many unsung areas like Des Moines Center Street, met the wrecking ball decades ago.

There are people trying to save these great spots from disappearing but they need your help. there really isn't a contact person to write too that I know of, but there is a website put up by the city of Dallas for the Harwood Street Historic District HERE. Or you can contact the mayor of Dallas HERE. It might be too late, but still contact these people and let them know about the importance of the blues and the tourism possibilities that the building has. Yes, the homeless may live there now, but even if you tear it down, you will need to find a place for them anyway. That should never be a reason to rip down a building. Also if you have a blues blog, please spread the story around and be sure to link to the Dallas Observer. they have another post from October HERE.

Help keep the blues alive in Dallas!

Cassandra Wilson: 32-20

An interesting version of 32-20. Not sure who to give the original credit to on this song. Like many delta songs and delta musicians words and music end up getting shared and used in other songs. I think Skip James is the correct author of this, yet this is a great version by Cassandra Wilson.

Crossroads Duel

Ah yes, the mythic tale of Robert Johnson selling his soul to the Devil, (which never happened click on the Robert Johnson tag below!!!) this is the retelling of the story with Robert Johnson's friend Willie Brown trying to win back his soul, so the young guitar playing star "White Lighting" (Ralph Macchio) battles the evil Stevie Vai for Willie's soul!!! Of course Ralph is not playing guitar but the amazing Ry Cooder (however the classical break towards the end is probably Stevie Vai) Of course, the whole thing is bunk, but ya gotta love it! Sure it plays on the worse sterotypes of the blues, but that is one great guitar battle.

Keb Mo: It Hurts Me Too

Of all the current delta style players out there, the one that comes closest to Robert Johnson in my mind is Keb Mo. Here is Keb mo playing harmonica, slide guitar, and singing.

Robert Johnson???

If you read Bob Corritore's newsletter you may have noticed the article in Vanity Fair, about the new Robert Johnson photograph. I am skeptical that it is Johnson, (he is the one holding the guitar) I did read most of the article, and it is half way decent. Unfortunately when dealing with Robert Johnson there is way too much fantasy, and political BS. It is hard to tell who owns what, or who owns what to whom.

Regardless, if you would like the read the whole article Click HERE. If you would like to check out the many posts I have written about Robert Johnson then just click on one of the tags below.

Robert Johnson: Walkin Blues

Interesting video of different artistic expressions of Robert Johnson with his song Walkin Blues in the background.

Walkin' blues - Robert Johnson
Uploaded by howlong

Robert Johnson: Love In Vain

I found those cool haunting animated videos of the delta musicians again. This one features the Robert Johnson singing Love In Vain.

Robert Johnson "Love in vain" Blues Animation
Uploaded by bluesanimations

Eric Sardinas: Come On In My Kitchen

A very nice version of Robert Johnson's Come On In My Kitchen. Sardinas can play it all from acoustic delta, to rocking smoking guitar!

Artist Of The Week: Son House

The artist of the week is Son House. Son was one of the great delta bluesmen of the 1920s-30s. House knew and played with Charlie Patton, Honeyboy Edwards, Robert Johnson, Willie Brown, and many other great Mississippi Bluesmen. Son had his own unique style that influenced many blues performers even the great Robert Johnson was heavily influenced by Son. Son also may have contibuted to the legend that Robert had sold his soul to the devil when he was asked about the topic in the late 60s. To watch the videos look for the youtube video box titled artist of the week on the right side of the blog.

Johhny Shines: Sweet Home Chicago

This is Wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy Cooooooooooooooooool!!! Johnny Shines who traveled all over the US with Robert Johnson, singing Robert's Sweet Home Chicago. This is a very cool video!

Artist Of The Week: Robert Johnson

The artist of the week is one of those artists who probably has had more written about him, and yet we really know so very little about him! Robert Johnson's history is probably the most confused and mythologized story in the blues. Robert Johnson is one of those figures in history that truly should have drops through the cracks of time never to be seen or heard, but luck intervened and the world listened. Johnson died young, and died when his popularity was limited to mostly juke joints in the south. He certainly traveled around the country, but he would have been the typical hobo musician going from place to place looking for a place to play and food to eat. What made Robert Johnson into the mythical blues hero of today was a couple of things. First, John Hammond picked Johnson to perform at the Spiritual to Swing concert. Unfortunately Robert died before he could play the gig. (Big Bill Broonzy took his place) Second, Alan Lomax years later went looking for him and found his mother, and learned the about Roberts last days. However, it is Eric Clapton The Stones, and Led Zeplin that listened to Robert Johnson King Of The Delta Blues, that made Robert Johnson into the legend. I suppose to there ears and the fans of those bands who went to find those records, Johnson sounded unearthly, and then add some misinformation supplied by Son House, and you can see how poor Robert done sunk down at the Crossroads. Unfortunately there are no films of Robert Johnson. Over the years people have claimed to have loss footage or photos, but there are only two photographs, and no movies. So the films in the youtube box will either be fan videos, other performers playing Roberts songs, or I have seen a few anti Robert movies pop up on occasion at Youtube.

Guy Davis: Walking Blues

Guy Davis performing an old Robert Johnson song.

Keb Mo: Love In Vain

Keb Mo covering Robert Johnson's Love in Vain.

Touring The Delta

This is a great story (Click HERE)that I found on the Canadian Press site, although I think that it is really a story from the AP by Justin Norton. It is about Norton and his tour of the Mississippi Delta. It is a really good story, and Norton writes a paragraph that tells me that he knows what he is talking about when it come to the Delta blues!

I arrive in Clarksdale after a daylong drive through Oklahoma and Arkansas, passing the famed "Crossroads" of blues legend as I enter town. The Crossroads have a special place in blues mythology as the location where aspiring musicians sold their soul to the Devil in exchange for musical prowess. A bluesman could wait at a crossroads at dark for the Devil, who would take the musician's guitar, tune it, and hand it back. The musicians could then play any song they wanted.

When blues artists referred to the Crossroads, they were likely talking about any number of backroads intersections, but the story has stuck to the intersection of Highways 61 and 49 in Clarksdale.

The story is usually associated with Robert Johnson, who hints at the diabolical on songs like "Hellhound on My Trail." But the myth of a Crossroads deal would be better attached to guitarist Tommy Johnson, who boasted about a backroads pact with a shadowy apparition. The Crossroads don't seem as menacing now with a kitschy sign of interlocking guitars marking the spot. But they are a sign that what matters here is the music - and your ability to play it well.

That is what good journalism is about. Doing your homework, and knowing what you are talking about!!