Robert Johnson: King of the blues

People often ask me who my favorite musicians are, or which performers most influenced my own style and taste in music. I usually say people like Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix and Jack White. But I got to thinking about how Dylan, Hendrix and even Jack White would answer the same question if I asked it to them. My guess is they would say “Robert Johnson” – even Jack White. And that got me thinking about how I need to expand my own thinking a bit and include among my favourite musicians the person who influenced my idols.

                

So I started listening to Robert Johnson, and to other Blues musicians, and now I can truly say that blues music is one of my favorite genres of music.

               

Once I started listening to his music, I wanted to know more about Robert Johnson, so I did some homework – outside of class of course. Johnson came from what you would call humble beginnings. He was born in 1911 in Hazlehurst, Mississippi. He was born poor and remained that way for the most part. He also did not have a father in his life, and that affected him in many ways.  He did not have the same opportunities that many others had, that I have today.  In his entire career, he only managed to produce 29 recordings due to his financial situation, but even with his minimal amount of songs, he affected more musicians than most people manage to due after releasing hundreds of recordings, and his music continues to inspire a whole new generation of musicians today, including Jack White, who I would call a virtuoso guitarist.

                

Johnson began taking an interest in blues music from local street performers and eventually, he bought his own guitar and was educated by many local Mississippi musicians, including blues musician Charley Patton, who is also a highly regarded figure in blues music. I like this about him because my own interest in music is rooted more in watching others play, and getting together and playing with friends rather than taking formal lessons.

                

During the early years of the Great Depression in the United States,  Johnson started playing on street corners, earning barely enough to eat and survive. He eventually moved away from Mississippi and traveled around with a guy named Willie Brown, even though Willie Brown called Johnson an “embarrassingly bad guitarist.” Eventually,  Johnson left Willie and went looking for his birth father, something that makes me sad to think about. He did not find his dad, but he did meet a man Ike Zinnerman, and this changed his life in a way. Ike was a virtuoso blues guitarist and he taught Johnson a variety of blues techniques that Johnson picked up fairly quickly. Rumor has it, that Zinnerman was given the gift of music by visiting graveyards at midnight, so Johnson began to do as well, something I am quite amazed at. This why some people say that  Johnson sold his soul to the devil to play music.

               

Johnson eventually developed some extraordinary musical skills and decided to travel around America, playing on street corners in places like Memphis. This is how he met fellow musician Johnny Shines and together, they travelled to large cities such as St. Louis, Detroit, and Chicago. The two of them continued to play on street corners, playing literally anything they were requested, because  Johnson could pick up a tune right away and for that reason, people regarded him as a musical god. He continued to play his music everywhere he possibly could.

In 1926, when he was visiting Jackson, Mississippi, Johnson ended up recording his music for the first and last time.  In Jackson he met a man named H.C. Speir, an owner of a general store who was close friends with a salesman of ARC records named Don Law. Don was impressed by Johnson’s music, so he decided to let him come down to the studio for a short series of recording sessions. Over a three day period, Johnson managed to record 29 recordings songs that he had written throughout his life, including songs such as "Love In Vain Blues" "Crossroad blues" "Stop Breaking Down" and "I believe I'll dust my broom.”  All of these recordings I have mentioned have been covered by Eric Clapton, The Rolling Stones, and ZZ Top, so it's clear that Johnson had an immense influence on these groups.

Robert Johnson’s life started out difficult and it ended that way. A jealous husband of a woman that  Johnson was having an affair with poisoned his drink, which ultimately led to his death.He was only 27—only 10 years older than I am.  He became one if the first members of the "27 club" which is another notorious myth in rock and and roll, which you'll eventually read about on my blog.

It wasn't until 1960 when a compilation album was released called "Robert Johnson: King of the Delta Blues Singers" that Robert Johnson started to become one of the most highly regarded figures in blues music.

His biggest influence was on musicians who were extremely famous in the 60's and 70's including Eric Clapton, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Muddy Waters, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, and even Jimi Hendrix, the man regarded as the greatest guitarist of all time.

In his short life, Johnson changed the world of blues music, and took it to a whole new extent. Eric Clapton once called Johnson "the most important blues singer that has ever lived" and several other musicians agree – including me, even though I am not really a “musician.” I am just someone who likes to play the guitar, and listen to great music. I also admire the work of others, especially people who accomplished great things by working hard and overcoming difficult things in their lives, like Robert Johnson. He influenced musicians I admire, and now I can say that he influenced me too. 

WORKS CITED:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Johnson

http://www.biography.com/people/robert-johnson-9356324

http://www.nps.gov/history/delta/blues/people/robert_johnson.htm