Crossroads

1. Early Life: Hardship and Hidden Musical Roots

Ten thousand rows of white hell is what life was like for field hands in the Delta cotton fields during the Great Depression of the 1930s.

Escape from labor. Robert Johnson was born around 1911 in Hazlehurst, Mississippi, into a fractured family life, born out of wedlock to Julia Majors Dodds while her husband, Charles Dodds Spencer, was in Memphis. Raised partly by Spencer under the name Robert Spencer, he later adopted his biological father Noah Johnson's surname, possibly to assert independence from his strict stepfather, Dusty Willis, who despised his aversion to cotton field work. This harsh agricultural life was something Johnson desperately wanted to avoid.

Early musical exposure. Despite a difficult childhood marked by family instability and potential vision problems ("lazy eye"), Johnson found solace and interest in music. His older half-brother, Charles Leroy, was a pianist, providing an early connection to music. Johnson's first instruments were simple, homemade folk tools common in the Delta.

Primitive instruments. He began with the diddley bow, a one-string instrument made from wire and nails, and the Jew's harp, both of which helped him develop a sense of pitch and rhythm. He also learned the harmonica, a Delta blues staple. These early experiences laid a foundation for his later, more complex guitar style, incorporating elements like slide techniques influenced by Hawaiian guitar music popular at the time.

2. The Transformation: From Amateur to Master Musician

And that boy got started off playing … and when he got through, all our mouths were standing open.

Initial struggles. When Robert Johnson first attempted to play guitar alongside seasoned bluesmen like Son House and Willie Brown, his skills were notably poor, described as making a terrible racket that annoyed listeners. He would often pick up their guitars during breaks, much to the chagrin of the audience and the musicians themselves. His early attempts were met with ridicule rather than admiration.

Mysterious absence. After his first wife's death around 1930, Johnson left the Robinsonville area for about two years, traveling and honing his craft in relative obscurity. When he returned, his guitar playing had dramatically improved, astonishing those who had previously dismissed him. This sudden mastery fueled the later myth that he had made a supernatural bargain during his absence.

Rapid development. While the myth attributes his skill to a deal with the devil, a more plausible explanation is that Johnson dedicated himself intensely to practicing and learning from other musicians during his travels. His ability to quickly pick up songs by ear, reportedly playing them note-for-note after hearing them once, suggests a natural talent combined with dedicated effort during this period away from his peers.

3. The Walking Musician: A Nomadic Life of Women and Song

“Women, to Robert, were like motel or hotel rooms,” Shines added in another interview.

Life on the road. After his first wife's death and his departure from the plantation, Johnson embraced the life of a "walking musician," traveling extensively, often by hitching rides on freight trains ("hoboing"). This nomadic existence allowed him to escape the confines of sharecropping and perform for money in various towns, from street corners to juke joints. He carried little more than his guitar and necessary clothes.

Personality and habits. Johnson was described by contemporaries like Johnny Shines and Robert Jr. Lockwood as quiet, introspective, and somewhat frail, lacking a fighting spirit unless fueled by alcohol. He had a peculiar habit of simply disappearing from gatherings without saying goodbye. Despite his reserved nature, he was a notorious flirt and womanizer, often pursuing married or attached women, which sometimes led to trouble that others had to resolve.

Reliance on women. Women played a significant role in Johnson's life on the road, often providing him with food, clothing, and lodging. He seemed to prefer older women, sometimes referred to as "sugar mamas," who were willing to support him financially. His second marriage to Calletta "Callie" Craft, an older woman who doted on him, was kept secret, and he eventually abandoned her before her death, illustrating his transient approach to relationships.

4. First Recordings: Capturing a Unique Sound in Texas

More than 70 years after that first recording session in San Antonio, people are still passionate about the songs he put down.

Discovery by Speir. Robert Johnson's path to recording began at H.C. Speir's music store in Jackson, Mississippi, a hub for black musicians. Speir, a white talent scout for major record labels, auditioned Johnson in 1936 and was impressed by his original material, particularly "Terraplane Blues." Speir recommended Johnson to Ernie Oertle, a regional salesman for the American Record Corporation (ARC).

San Antonio sessions. Oertle arranged for Johnson to travel to San Antonio, Texas, in late 1936 for his first recording sessions, overseen by producer Don Law at a makeshift studio in the Gunter Hotel. Law's recollections painted Johnson as shy and inexperienced, even claiming Johnson turned his back while recording, theories for which range from stage fright to acoustic manipulation, though a simpler explanation is concentration.

Commercial success. Despite Law's initial impression, Johnson proved to be a professional, recording 16 songs over three days. His first release, "Terraplane Blues," became his biggest seller, moving around 5,000 copies – a modest number by today's standards but significant during the Depression. This record made him a minor celebrity in the areas he traveled and provided him with a substantial sum of money for the time.

5. Mysterious Death: Poison, Syphilis, and Unanswered Questions

No cause of death is listed on the certificate — only the words “No Doctor.”

The poisoning tale. The most widely accepted story of Robert Johnson's death is that he was poisoned with strychnine in his whiskey by a jealous husband at a juke joint near Greenwood, Mississippi, in August 1938. This narrative aligns with his reputation as a womanizer and the dangers of the juke joint scene, where alcohol and relationships often intersected violently. He reportedly fell ill and died days later.

The death certificate. A significant piece of evidence is the official Mississippi death certificate, unearthed in 1968. While it confirms his death date (likely August 16, 1938) and location (near Greenwood), it lists "No Doctor" for the cause of death. The reverse side, added later, includes a plantation owner's opinion that Johnson died of syphilis, a claim widely dismissed by experts as unsupported and potentially racially biased.

Conflicting accounts. The details surrounding his death are murky and contradictory. Toxicologists note that strychnine poisoning is rapid and has a distinct taste, making the slow death by poisoned whiskey less plausible. Some suggest he drank tainted moonshine, which was common and often deadly. Eyewitness accounts of his final moments, like Sonny Boy Williamson's claim that Johnson crawled and barked like a dog, add to the confusion and sensationalism, further blurring the lines between fact and myth.

6. The Crossroads Legend: A Myth of Supernatural Talent

“That word ‘devil’ — you’d be surprised how effective it is.”

Mistaken identity. The famous legend of selling one's soul to the devil at a crossroads for musical talent originated not with Robert Johnson, but with bluesman Tommy Johnson (no relation). Tommy's brother, LeDell Johnson, told folklorist David Evans in 1966 that Tommy claimed to have gained his skills this way, describing a meeting with a "big black man" who tuned his guitar at midnight at a crossroads.

Transfer of myth. Despite no evidence that Robert Johnson ever claimed such a pact, the story became attached to him, largely due to his mysterious life, early death, and the evocative, sometimes dark imagery in his songs like "Me and the Devil Blues" and "Hellhounds On My Trail." Early blues writers, perhaps unfamiliar with the nuances of Southern religious metaphor and blues bravado, interpreted these lyrics literally, fueling the supernatural narrative.

Cultural context. The idea of a Faustian bargain for talent is an ancient one, seen in literature and the legends of musicians like Niccolo Paganini. In the Delta, flirting with devil imagery was also a common way for bluesmen to cultivate a "bad" or edgy reputation. While some scholars link the crossroads idea to West African folklore (Papa Legba), the blues context is heavily influenced by Christian concepts of good and evil, often used metaphorically or humorously rather than as literal confessions of demonic alliance.

7. Posthumous Discovery: John Hammond Introduces Johnson to the World

Above all I wanted Robert Johnson as our male blues singer.

Hammond's vision. Legendary record producer and civil rights advocate John H. Hammond was an early admirer of Robert Johnson's recordings, considering him the best male blues singer of his time. Hammond, an heir to the Vanderbilt fortune, used his influence and resources to promote African-American music and challenge racial segregation in the arts. He saw Johnson as a crucial, albeit "primitive," source of American music.

"From Spirituals to Swing". In 1938, Hammond organized a landmark concert at Carnegie Hall titled "From Spirituals to Swing" to showcase the evolution of black music. He intended for Robert Johnson to be a featured performer, recognizing his unique talent and importance to the blues tradition. This booking alone indicates the high regard Johnson held among a small, influential circle of music enthusiasts.

Announcing his death. Tragically, Hammond learned of Johnson's death shortly before the concert. On stage, he announced Johnson's passing, inaccurately stating it occurred just as he was booked for the show. Despite Johnson's absence, Hammond played two of his records over the public address system, introducing Johnson's haunting music to a sophisticated New York audience and planting the seeds for his future recognition among critics and folklorists.

8. The Folk Revival: White Audiences Embrace Delta Blues

This narrative, more reminiscent of Stephen King or Edgar Allan Poe than the music reviews in downbeat or Sing Out! magazines, was guaranteed to attract attention.

Preserving heritage. While Robert Johnson faded from memory within the African-American community after his death, his music was kept alive by a small group of white jazz and folk enthusiasts. Figures like Alan Lomax, son of pioneering folklorist John Lomax, traveled the South making field recordings and documenting traditional music, including blues. Lomax, like Hammond, played a key role in introducing Delta blues to a wider white audience, often viewing it through the lens of "authentic" folk art.

Early critical attention. Johnson's recordings received sporadic but significant attention in publications like The Jazz Record Book (1942) and Rudi Blesh's Shining Trumpets: A History of Jazz (1946). Blesh's highly dramatic and gothic description of "Hellhounds On My Trail," portraying Johnson as a tormented, devil-haunted figure, was particularly influential, shaping the perception of Johnson for future generations of writers and fans and contributing significantly to his mystique.

Setting the stage. These early efforts by researchers, critics, and folklorists, though sometimes inaccurate or overly romanticized, were crucial in preserving Johnson's legacy. They created a foundation of interest and scholarship that would be essential when the folk music revival of the 1950s and 60s led to a broader rediscovery of pre-War blues artists, paving the way for Johnson's eventual re-release and wider recognition.

9. Global Influence: From Electric Blues to Rock 'n' Roll

The ultimate cool.

Migration and electric blues. The Great Migration of African-Americans from the rural South to Northern industrial cities during and after World War II transformed the blues. Musicians adapted their acoustic styles to the louder urban environment, adopting electric guitars and forming bands. Delta bluesmen like Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf electrified Johnson's sound, creating the Chicago blues style, which incorporated songs like Johnson's "Sweet Home Chicago" and Elmore James's famous adaptation of "Dust My Broom."

White blues enthusiasts. In the 1960s, as the folk revival waned and rock 'n' roll evolved, young white musicians in both the US and UK began exploring the roots of the music they loved, leading them to the electric blues of Chicago and, subsequently, back to the Delta masters like Johnson. Figures like Paul Butterfield and Mike Bloomfield in the US sought out and learned from black bluesmen, integrating their bands and bringing blues to white rock audiences.

British Invasion impact. British bands, heavily influenced by American blues records imported by sailors, became crucial in popularizing Johnson globally. Groups like the Rolling Stones and, most notably, Eric Clapton (with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and Cream) covered Johnson's songs, introducing his music to a massive international audience who had never heard of him. Clapton's version of "Crossroads" became far more famous and sold vastly more copies than all of Johnson's original recordings combined, cementing Johnson's status as a foundational figure in rock music.

10. The Complete Recordings: Unexpected Platinum Success

By 1994 the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) had certified The Complete Recordings with more than one million unit sales, earning the box set a Platinum Award, something no other blues reissue had ever achieved.

Reissue challenges. Despite the growing interest in Robert Johnson among musicians and blues fans, reissuing his complete recordings proved difficult for decades. Legal disputes over the rights to his songs and the newly discovered photographs, primarily involving music historian Stephen LaVere and researcher Mack McCormick, stalled plans by Columbia Records (which owned the masters) for over 15 years. The commercial viability of decades-old blues recordings was also uncertain.

The box set release. In 1990, Columbia's Legacy label finally released Robert Johnson: The Complete Recordings, a double CD box set containing all 41 known tracks (later 42). Stephen LaVere provided the liner notes and lyric transcriptions and managed the rights to the two known photographs, which were included in the packaging, finally giving the public a visual image of the legendary bluesman. The release capitalized on the burgeoning compact disc market and a renewed interest in roots music.

Phenomenal success. The box set defied all sales expectations, becoming a massive commercial and critical success. It sold over a million units worldwide, earning a Platinum Award and a Grammy for Best Historical Recording, unprecedented for a pre-War blues reissue. This success catapulted Johnson from a cult figure to a widely recognized icon in American music history, leading to further recognition like a controversial commemorative postage stamp in 1994, which sparked debate over the depiction of a cigarette in his portrait.

11. The Heir: A Son Emerges to Claim the Estate

“That was my daddy.”

Discovery of Claud Johnson. For years, rumors circulated among blues researchers about a potential illegitimate son of Robert Johnson. In 1984, a gravel truck driver named Claud Johnson from Crystal Springs, Mississippi, contacted attorney Jim Kitchens, stating that Robert Johnson was his father. Claud had known this his whole life, raised by his maternal grandparents after being born out of wedlock to Virgie Mae Smith when she was 17.

Legal battle. As the value of the Robert Johnson Estate grew to over a million dollars through licensing fees and royalties managed by Stephen LaVere, the question of rightful heirs became critical. LaVere, who had a 50/50 agreement with Johnson's half-sister Carrie Thompson's heirs, was instrumental in alerting the court-appointed administrator to the possibility of a son, leading to Claud Johnson being summoned to court.

Establishing paternity. The legal case hinged on proving Claud's paternity. His mother, Virgie Mae Smith (Cain), testified under oath that Robert Johnson was Claud's father and her only sexual partner around the time of conception in 1931. Crucially, her childhood friend, Eula Mae Williams, provided controversial testimony claiming to have witnessed the sexual encounter in the woods and later spoken to Johnson about the child. Based on this and other evidence, the court ruled in 1998 that Claud Johnson was Robert Johnson's legitimate son and heir, inheriting the substantial estate.

12. The Film Footage: A Brief Glimpse Proves Not to Be Him

“It ain’t him.”

Discovery of the clip. In the late 1990s, excitement swept the blues world with the discovery of a 3.5-second piece of 16mm film footage found among old reels from a theater in Ruleville, Mississippi. The clip showed a black street musician playing guitar and harmonica, and many, including blues enthusiasts like Tater Red Allred, believed it strongly resembled Robert Johnson based on the recently publicized photographs.

Authentication attempt. The potential discovery of the only known film footage of the legendary bluesman generated significant media attention and speculation, with rumors of high-figure offers for the clip. The footage was eventually donated to the University of Mississippi archives. In 1998, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame hosted a symposium with a panel of experts, including those who knew Johnson and prominent researchers, to examine the clip and determine its authenticity.

Disproving the link. During the symposium, evidence was presented that definitively proved the musician in the film was not Robert Johnson. A key piece of evidence was a movie poster visible in the background of the footage, advertising the film "Blues in the Night," which was released in 1941 – three years after Robert Johnson's death. This chronological discrepancy, along with other factors, led the panel to conclude that the footage did not show Johnson, ending another chapter in the search for tangible evidence of his life.

Last updated: May 17, 2025