Robert Johnson, was born on May 8, 1911 in Hazlehurst Mississippi. Other than learning to play the guitar at a young age and growing up in Robinsonville, Mississippi, little is known of his early life. It is said that one day he met the artists that influenced him the most: Willie Brown, Charley Patton, and Son House. To his disappointment, they were not too impressed with his playing ability. Disappearing from the public eye for a year, Robert Johnson came back with dazzling musical abilities. He then went on to record most of his songs in a hotel room in San Antonio and a warehouse in Dallas. Key to Robert Johnson's unique sound was his almost eerie falsetto singing voice, his complex finger technique and masterful rhythmic slide guitar. He was a masterful storyteller, his lyrics centering around loss, love, and betrayal.
Robert Johnson’s year of absence is key to his legend. Many believe that he came across the devil while at a crossroads. Making a deal, he came away from the ordeal a superior musician. In return, he would live for eight more years. Almost eight years later, on August 16, 1938, Robert Johnson passed away after drinking poisoned whiskey at a juke joint, furthering the speculation. His works were major influences on many artists that came after him such as the Rolling Stones, Muddy Waters, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, and many others.
The crossroads legend of Robert Johnson was preceded by that of unrelated Delta bluesman Tommy Johnson, also of Mississippi. Both musicians served as inspiration for the character Tommy Johnson in the Coen Brothers’ 2000 film, “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”
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