Robert Johnson (musician) facts for kids

Robert Johnson
Studio portrait (c. 1935), one of only two verified photographs of Johnson
Background information
Birth name	Robert Leroy Johnson
Born	(1911-05-08)May 8, 1911 Hazlehurst, Mississippi, U.S.
Died	August 16, 1938(1938-08-16) (aged 27) Greenwood, Mississippi
Genres	Delta blues
Occupations	Musician, singer, songwriter
Instruments	Guitar, vocals, harmonica
Years active	1929–1938

Robert Leroy Johnson (May 8, 1911 – August 16, 1938) was an American blues singer, songwriter and musician. His landmark recordings in 1936 and 1937 display a combination of singing, guitar skills, and songwriting talent that has influenced later generations of musicians.

Early life

He was born in Hazlehurst, Mississippi. He was the 11th child of his mother Julia Major Dodds, and 10th child of his father Charles Dodds. When he was born, his father had left his mother. He was brought up by a field worker named Noah Johnson. That is why he chose "Johnson" for his family name.

Early career

He began playing guitar when he was a child. In February 1929 he married Virginia Travis and became serious about playing the guitar. His wife died in childbirth at the age of 16 in April 1930. Johnson began traveling up and down the Delta. Around 1936, one of his friends who helped many of the blues players, helped him join them.

His death happened on August 16, 1938, at the age of twenty-seven from poisoning.

Songs

Eleven grammophone records were made by Robert Johnson with Vocalion during his lifetime, and a twelfth record was made once he had died.

Track	Recorded	Catalogue	Released	Song Title	Time
1.	11/23/36	Vocalion 3416	1937	Kind Hearted Woman Blues	2:29
2.	11/23/36	Vocalion 3416		Terraplane Blues	3:01
3.	11/26/36	Vocalion 3445		32-20 Blues	2:50
4.	11/27/36	Vocalion 3445		Last Fair Deal Gone Down	2:39
5.	11/23/36	Vocalion 3475		I Believe I'll Dust My Broom	2:57
6.	11/27/36	Vocalion 3475		Dead Shrimp Blues	2:29
7.	11/23/36	Vocalion 3519		Ramblin' On My Mind	2:57
8.	11/27/36	Vocalion 3519		Cross Road Blues	2:29
9.	11/23/36	Vocalion 3563		Come On In My Kitchen	2:52
10.	11/27/36	Vocalion 3563		They're Red Hot	2:56
11.	11/27/36	Vocalion 3601		Walkin' Blues	2:30
12.	11/23/36	Vocalion 3601		Sweet Home Chicago	2:57
13.	6/19/37	Vocalion 3623		From Four Until Late	2:22
14.	6/20/37	Vocalion 3623		Hellhound On My Trail	2:37
15.	6/20/37	Vocalion 3665		Malted Milk	2:20
16.	6/20/37	Vocalion 3665		Milkcow's Calf Blues	2:17
17.	6/19/37	Vocalion 3723		Stones In My Passway	2:28
18.	6/19/37	Vocalion 3723		I'm A Steady Rollin' Man	2:35
19.	6/20/37	Vocalion 4002	1938	Stop Breakin' Down Blues	2:21
20.	6/20/37	Vocalion 4002		Honeymoon Blues	2:16
21.	6/20/37	Vocalion 4108		Little Queen Of Spades	2:16
22.	6/20/37	Vocalion 4108		Me And The Devil Blues	2:34
23.	11/27/36	Vocalion 4630	1939	Preachin' Blues	2:52
24.	6/20/37	Vocalion 4630		Love In Vain	2:20

All following songs were released after 1939:

Recorded	Matrix	Released	Song title	Time
11/23/36	SA-2584-1	1961	When You Got A Good Friend take #1	2:37
11/23/36	SA-2584-2		When You Got A Good Friend take #2	2:50
11/23/36	SA-2585-1	1961	Come On In My Kitchen take #1	2:47
11/23/36	SA-2587-1		Phonograph Blues take #1	2:37
11/23/36	SA-2587-2		Phonograph Blues take #2	2:32
11/27/36	SA-2629-2	1961	Cross Road Blues take #2	2:29
11/27/36	SA-2633-1	1961	If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day	2:34
6/20/37	DAL-397-1	1961	Drunken Hearted Man take # 1	2:24
6/20/37	DAL-397-2		Drunken Hearted Man take # 2	2:19
6/20/37	DAL-400-1	1961	Travelin' Riverside Blues take # 1	2:47
6/20/37	DAL-400-2		Travelin' Riverside Blues take # 2	2:47
6/20/37	DAL-402-2		Love In Vain take # 1	2:28

Images for kids

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  Alleged gravesite with one of Johnson's three tombstones

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  Folklorist Alan Lomax, who was instrumental in preserving Johnson's recordings and spreading the mythology about his skill

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  L-1 Gibson guitar, subsequently reissued by Gibson as a tribute to Johnson