Biography of Robert Johnson
“He was a boy who followed me around and copied me unsuccessfully” The view of Robert Johnson from blues musician Son House. After meeting House, Johnson left Robinsonville for a few months and later reappeared with a miraculous guitar talent. What happened in those few months is a mystery and made Johnson more than just a musician, he became a legend.
Johnson’s early life is very sketchy due to the lack of consistent records. He was born on May 8th 1911 in Mississippi but this date is disputed. On his two marriage certificates, there are two different dates and his school records have a third different date. He attended the Indian Creek School in Tunica, Mississippi. He married in February 1927 and adapted his father’s surname, Johnson. His wife died soon after in childbirth. There is not much more information available on his early life, “The thing about Robert Johnson was that he only existed on his records, he was pure legend” is the view of film director. Martin Scorsese
It was around the time of his wife’s death that he left his home of Robinsonville for a few months. No one knows what happened in these months, but legend has it that he met a demon at a crossroads near Dockery’s plantation at midnight. He handed over his guitar to the demon who tuned it, giving Johnson mastery of the guitar in exchange for his soul.
He returned to his home with his new miraculous talent and wowed audiences all across the Deep South with his singing, guitar playing and song writing. Over the next nine years he became a blues sensation. In November 1936, he had his first and only major recording session in The Gunter Hotel, Texas. The idea that he sold his soul to the devil grew from his songs, many of which referenced the devil; Me and the devil, Hell Hound on my trail and Cross road blues. He often said that he had sold his soul to the devil but he may not have been talking in the literal sense.
On August 15th 1938 he died at a cross roads near Greenwood, Mississippi. He was in a convulsive state and in severe pain before he died. The general theory behind his death is that he was poisoned by Strychnine by the husband of one of his many lovers. Tom Graves, author of Crossroads: the life and afterlife of blues legend Robert Johnson, disagrees. He claims that Strychnine has such a distinctive odour that it would be impossible to disguise it with a liqueur (the theory is that the poison was in a whisky bottle he had been given). His death, like his life is a mystery.
The idea of selling your soul to the devil to drastically improve your life poses many moral issues. Whilst writing this article I asked my self if I would do a similar deal to what Johnson did in the legend. My answer was yes. My dream is to be a top class footballer. Like Johnson prior to his deal, I am ok at the sport but not outstanding. If some one offered me the chance to be rich, famous, and popular and be so talented that I would be remembered and inspire many later generations to come, it would be difficult to say no. Without thinking about the fact that ten years later, hell hounds would be knocking on the door of my massive mansion, wanting to drag my soul to an eternity in hell; I would still take the offer of living my dream.
Something crazy happened in the months where Johnson became a master of the guitar. Becoming so good at a skill in such a short period of time seems impossible, but also inspiring. The truth is that Johnson probably didn’t do a deal with the devil; he just spent every hour of everyday working on his talent to live his dream of being a legendry blues musician. He is proof that if you work hard enough, any thing is possible. From being a boy who unsuccessfully imitated a mediocre blues star to being one the best guitar players ever (Rolling Stones voted him 5th in a list of all time greatest guitar players) is miraculous and a great testament to hard work.
by Dan Withey