King of the Delta Blues Singers: Robert Johnson Essay -- essays papers

King of the Delta color Singers Robert JohnsonThe life of Robert Johnson, peerless of the most influential early blues artists, in shrouded by obtuse details and encompassed in mystery. His emotion filled playing and singing blends to phase some of the most moving, original blues music ever produced. Ironically, notwithstanding being one of the top bends to blues music, tiny is known roughly the shy, mild mannered bluesman. Almost nothing, is known about his life he is only a name on a few recordings. Where did he come from? Who was Johnsons family. Who inspired Robert to play the blues and who influenced his music? Who exactly was Robert Johnson? Only the vague recollections of his friends and family link us to the mysterious life of Robert Johnson. From these accounts the story of Robert Johnson is brought to life, and the events which fueled his powerful music are pieced together. Robert Johnson was born on may eighth, 1911, in the heart of the Mississippi Delta. Robert was the eleventh child born to Mrs. Julia Dodds. Roberts mother described little Robert as a playful little boy, who Always used to be listenin, listenin to the wind or the chickens cluckin in the backyard or me, when Id be singin round the house. And he just make do church Little Robert set on my lap and try to prolong time, look like, or hold on to my skirt and sort of trip the light fantastic up and down and laugh and laugh. (Lomax, 14) Thus, Robert was first introduced by his church into the universe of music and was forever captured by its beauty. Mrs. Johnson didnt have much nark with Robert as a child but as he grew older, he became more and more intrigued about the extravagant life of the bluesmen, and taken by the spiritual music. He started following the musicians around, staying out all night, intrigued by the bluesmans free lifestyle. Anyone that had a guitar, little Robert would follow off according to his mother. sometimes he wouldnt come home, Ro berts mother recalls, and a whippin neer did him no good. Mrs. Johnson reverenceed the worst for Robert, she believed the guitar was the instrument of the devil and that the music he listened to was unspoiled of sin. Robert would ease her worries by playing church songs to her, yet this never erased the fear she held inside for her son. Robert was captured by the mystery surrounding the life of the bluesmen. The women, gam... ...the blues. In 1990 a collection of Robert Johnsons songs were put together in a devil disk collection of his work. This CD set won a Grammy and interchange over half a million copies. Johnson was inducted into the Hall of Fame twice, first in 1980 and again a second time as an early influence in 1986. Johnsons mysterious, shadowy life and beautiful, emotion packed songs forget continue to intrigue the minds of many for years to come.BibliographyBooth, Stanley. Rhythm Oil. New York Pantheon Books, 1991.Finn, Julio. The Bluesman. Brooklyn compl ect Books, 1992.Guralnick, Peter. Searching For Robert Johnson. New York Obelisk Books, 1989.Johnson, Robert. CD-ROM. Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia 1996. Feb. 4.Johnson, Robert. Encarta Online. Jan., 1999. Jan 23, 1999..Lomax, Alan. The Land Where the Blues Began. New York Pantheon Books, 1993.Robert Johnson. Johnson, Robert. Dec., 1999. Jan. 23., 1999. .Robert Johnson. Robert Johnson. May, 1999. Jan. 23.,1999. Shirley, David. Every Day I sing The Blues The account statement of B.B. King. Danbury Grolier Publishing, 1995.Welcome to the Crossroads Robert Johnson. Jun., 1998. Jan., 1999..