Robert Johnson Anniversary

I came across this article from a friend’s Facebook feed which reminded me of a 75^th Anniversary yesterday that shouldn’t go unnoticed.  75 years ago, Robert Johnson, an itinerant blues guitarist who never achieved much fame in life as he played in racially segregated jute joints and night clubs around the Mississippi delta, made his final recordings for the Brunswick Record Corporation in Dallas Texas.  Today, Johnson is known as one of the greatest guitarists of all times.  It was Johnson’s third visit to a studio, the first two being in San Antonio, Texas.  A year later, Johnson died at the age of 27.  Over the years many legends have risen concerning how Johnson came to play the blues (he sold his soul to the devil at a country crossroads) and how he died (the husband of one of his lovers poisoned a bottle of whiskey).   He’s been featured in movies (remember the scene in “O Brother, Where Art Thou” where they pick him up at a lonesome crossroad in the Mississippi delta?) and in the early 1960s many of his songs were re-released in time for the rise of Rock-and-Roll as musicians such as Eric Clapton, Brian Jones, Robert Plant, Jimmy Hendrix and Keith Richards were all influenced by his music.  Many of his songs have been recorded by others include “The Rolling Stones” and “Led Zepplin.”  In the early 90s, right after they were released, I purchased his two CD volume, “The Complete Recordings.”  The boxed set includes a biography of Johnson (there is much that is not known) as well as tributes to the man by Keith Richards and Eric Clapton.  Today, according to the article, the building where Johnson’s final recordings were made is being restored by First Presbyterian Church of Dallas, Texas as part of the church’s commitment to Dallas’ downtown.