Robert Johnson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Robert Johnson
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Studio picture from around 1936. This is one of only three known photos of Johnson.
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Robert Leroy Johnson |
| Born | May 8, 1911 Hazlehurst, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died | August 16, 1938 (aged 27) Greenwood, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Genres | Delta blues |
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| Instruments |
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| Years active | 1929–1938 |
| Labels | Vocalion |
Robert Leroy Johnson (May 8, 1911 – August 16, 1938) was an American blues musician and songwriter. He made famous recordings in 1936 and 1937 that showed off his amazing singing, guitar playing, and songwriting skills. These recordings have inspired many musicians who came after him.
Even though he only recorded music for seven months, he is now known as a master of the blues, especially the Delta blues style. Many people think he was one of the most important musicians of the 20th century. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame even called him "the first ever rock star."
During his life, Robert Johnson traveled a lot, playing music on street corners, in small clubs called juke joints, and at dances. He wasn't very famous or successful when he was alive. He only had two recording sessions: one in San Antonio in 1936 and another in Dallas in 1937. He recorded 29 different songs during these sessions. These songs were released on small records called 78 rpm singles.
Because not much was known about his life, many legends grew around him after he died. The most famous story is that he sold his soul to the devil at a crossroads to become a great musician.
After he died, his music slowly became more known. In 1961, a collection of his songs called King of the Delta Blues Singers was released. This album helped many more people discover his music. Famous musicians like Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Keith Richards, and Robert Plant have said that Robert Johnson's music greatly influenced them. Many of his songs have been covered by other artists and have become hits.
People became more interested in Robert Johnson's life and music starting in the 1960s. Researchers like Gayle Dean Wardlow and Bruce Conforth have helped us learn most of what we know about him today.
Contents
Life and Music Journey
Early Years
Robert Leroy Johnson was born in Hazlehurst, Mississippi, likely on May 8, 1911. His mother was Julia Major Dodds. When Robert was a baby, his mother took him to Memphis to live with her husband, Charles Spencer. Robert grew up in Memphis for about 8 or 9 years. He went to school there and learned about math, reading, and music. It was in Memphis that he fell in love with blues and other popular music.
Around 1919 or 1920, Robert moved back with his mother after she married a farmer named Will "Dusty" Willis. They lived on a plantation in the Mississippi Delta. Robert was known as "Little Robert Dusty" by some people. A school friend remembered that Robert was already good at playing the harmonica and jaw harp when he was young.
When Robert learned about his birth father, he started using the last name Johnson. He married Virginia Travis in 1929 when she was 16. Sadly, she died soon after while giving birth. Some of Virginia's relatives believed this was a punishment because Robert chose to sing secular (non-religious) songs. Robert decided to become a full-time blues musician.
Around this time, another blues musician named Son House moved to the area where Robert lived. Son House remembered Robert as a young boy who played the harmonica well but was not good at guitar. Robert then left and learned guitar from Ike Zimmerman. When Robert came back, he seemed to have magically become a great guitar player. This led to the famous legend about him and the devil.
Traveling Musician
From 1932 until he died in 1938, Robert Johnson traveled a lot. He moved between cities like Memphis and Helena, and smaller towns in Mississippi and Arkansas. Sometimes, he traveled even further, going to places like Chicago, Texas, and New York. He often stayed with family members or friends.
When Robert arrived in a new town, he would play music for tips on street corners or outside shops. Other musicians who played with him said that he often played popular songs of the day, not just his own blues songs. He was very good at learning new tunes quickly. He also knew how to connect with his audience, making friends in every town he visited. This helped him when he came back later.
A musician named Johnny Shines, who traveled with Johnson, described him as a friendly but sometimes quiet person. Shines said that Johnson would sometimes just leave in the middle of playing and disappear for weeks.
Recording His Music
In 1936, Robert Johnson met a talent scout named H. C. Speir in Jackson, Mississippi. Speir helped Johnson connect with Don Law, who would record his first songs. The first recording session happened from November 23–25, 1936, in a hotel room in San Antonio, Texas. Johnson recorded 16 songs, including "I Believe I'll Dust My Broom", "Sweet Home Chicago", and "Cross Road Blues". These songs later became very famous blues songs. His first song released, "Terraplane Blues", sold many copies.
Johnson went to Dallas, Texas, for another recording session with Don Law on June 19–20, 1937. He recorded almost half of all his songs during this session. Many of his more serious and thoughtful songs came from this time. Johnson often recorded two versions of each song, which helps us compare his different performances. Unlike many blues players of his time, Johnson was good at making his songs fit perfectly into the three minutes of a record.
His Death
Robert Johnson died on August 16, 1938, when he was 27 years old. He died near Greenwood, Mississippi, but no one knows for sure how he died. His death was not announced publicly. Years later, a researcher found his death certificate, which only listed the date and place, but not the cause of death.
Where Is He Buried?
The exact place where Robert Johnson is buried is still a mystery. Three different markers have been put up in church cemeteries outside Greenwood, each claiming to be his grave.
- Some research suggests he was buried in the Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church graveyard, near Morgan City, Mississippi. A large stone monument with all his song titles was placed there in 1990.
- Another small marker was placed in 1990 at the Payne Chapel cemetery, near Quito, Mississippi. This was based on a photo of a spot that one of his old girlfriends said was his burial site.
- More recent research points to the Little Zion Church cemetery, north of Greenwood. This site has a marker placed by Sony Music.
Some people believe he was buried in a simple, unmarked grave very close to where he died because he was poor and didn't have transportation.
The Devil Legend
One of the most famous stories about Robert Johnson is the "devil legend." It says that when he was a young man living in rural Mississippi, he really wanted to be a great blues musician. The legend goes that he was told to take his guitar to a crossroads late at night. There, he met a large, dark man (who was the Devil). The Devil took Johnson's guitar, tuned it, played a few songs, and then gave it back to him. This act supposedly gave Johnson amazing guitar skills. In return, Johnson was said to have sold his soul to the Devil. This story is similar to the old legend of Faust.
His Musical Style
Robert Johnson is known as a master of the blues, especially the Delta blues style. Keith Richards from the Rolling Stones once said, "You want to know how good the blues can get? Well, this is it."
However, some experts say that during his own time, Johnson was admired for being able to play many different styles of music. He could play raw country slide guitar and also jazz and pop songs. He was very good at learning guitar parts almost instantly. His first recorded song, "Kind Hearted Woman Blues", was more like the style of Chicago or St. Louis blues, with a rich and varied musical arrangement.
His Voice
An important part of Johnson's singing was how he used subtle changes in his voice's pitch. These small changes helped his singing show strong emotions. Eric Clapton said Johnson's music had "the most powerful cry that I think you can find in the human voice." Johnson also used his guitar like another singer in his songs. This technique was later made famous by B.B. King and his guitar, Lucille.
His Instrument
Robert Johnson was a master of the guitar. His playing was complex and musically advanced. When Keith Richards first heard Johnson's music, he thought two guitars were playing, not just one! Richards later said that "Robert Johnson was like an orchestra all by himself." His guitar playing was smooth but also very varied, moving from picking to slide guitar and strong rhythm parts.
His Legacy
Robert Johnson's guitar playing is often seen as his biggest gift to music. He was very good at playing a strong bass beat on the guitar, which was usually done on a piano. This way of playing changed Delta blues and is still used in blues guitar today. This technique is sometimes called a "boogie bass pattern."
Other Musicians He Influenced
Many musicians who knew Johnson, like Johnny Shines and Robert Lockwood Jr., kept his music alive by playing his songs and using his guitar styles. Elmore James helped make Johnson's song "Dust My Broom" famous by recording it in a new, electric Chicago blues style in 1951. This version helped create the classic Chicago shuffle beat.
Blues Songs That Became Famous
Many of Johnson's songs became "blues standards," meaning they have been played and recorded by many artists over time and are considered classic. "Sweet Home Chicago" and "Dust My Broom" are two of the most famous, along with "Crossroads" and "Stop Breaking Down". These songs helped connect Johnson to the powerful, electric blues music of big cities.
Influence on Rock Music
In the 1950s, rock and roll pioneer Chuck Berry used Johnson's boogie guitar pattern in his songs like "Roll Over Beethoven" and "Johnny B. Goode". This pattern became a key part of early electric guitar rock and roll. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame honored Johnson as an early influence in 1986. They also listed four of his songs that helped shape rock music: "Sweet Home Chicago", "Cross Road Blues", "Hellhound on My Trail", and "Love in Vain".
Many rock artists have said Robert Johnson influenced them:
- Eric Clapton called him "the most important blues musician who ever lived." Clapton even recorded an entire album of Johnson's songs.
- Bob Dylan said Johnson's songs helped him feel free enough to write his own lyrics.
- Robert Plant from Led Zeppelin said that many English musicians owe their existence to Robert Johnson.
- Keith Richards from the Rolling Stones loved how Johnson used and changed the blues form to make it his own. The Rolling Stones recorded "Love in Vain" and "Stop Breaking Down."
Photos of Robert Johnson
For a long time, people thought no photos of Robert Johnson existed. But in the 1970s, three pictures were found with his half-sister. Two of these are well-known: one where he's in a studio and another where he's holding a guitar and a cigarette. In 2020, a third photo of Johnson smiling was published.
His Family
Robert Johnson did not leave a will. In 1998, a court decided that Claud Johnson, a retired truck driver, was Robert Johnson's son and his only heir. This meant Claud Johnson received over $1 million in royalties from his father's music. Claud Johnson passed away in 2015, leaving six children.
His Recorded Music
Eleven of Robert Johnson's songs were released on 78-rpm records in 1937 and 1938. A twelfth record was released after he died. His family still owns the rights to his songs.
In 1961, the album King of the Delta Blues Singers was released. This was the first time many people heard Johnson's music, and it helped him become famous again. A second album was released in 1970.
In 1990, a two-disc set called The Complete Recordings came out. It included almost all the music Johnson ever recorded. To celebrate 100 years since his birth in 2011, a new, improved version of his recordings was released.
Awards and Honors
- 1980: Inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame as a performer.
- 1986: Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as an early influence.
- 1991: Won a Grammy Award for Best Historical Album (for The Complete Recordings).
- 1994: The U.S. Postal Service released a stamp honoring him.
- 1995: Four of his songs were named among the "500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll" by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: "Sweet Home Chicago", "Cross Road Blues", "Hellhound on My Trail", and "Love in Vain".
- 2003: His album The Complete Recordings was added to the National Recording Registry.
- 2006: Received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
- 2008: Markers were placed on the Mississippi Blues Trail at his birthplace and his presumed gravesite.
- 2014: "Sweet Home Chicago" was added to the Grammy Hall of Fame.
See also
In Spanish: Robert Johnson para niños
