Robert Leroy Johnson
b. May 8th, 1911 in Hazlehurst (Mississippi)
d. August 16th, 1938 in Greenwood (Mississippi)
KING OF THE DELTA BLUES SINGERS vol. 1 & 2
Columbia
THE COMPLETE RECORDINGS
Columbia
THE COMPLETE RECORDINGS : THE CENTENNIAL COLLECTION
Columbia
November 1936 - June 1937
Fils de Julia Major Dodds et de Noah Johnson, le jeune Robert grandit à Memphis puis à Commerce (non loin de Tunica). Il écoute le guitariste Lonnie Johnson dans sa jeunesse. Il se marie en février 1929 avec Virginia Travis mais celle-ci décède rapidement lors d'un accouchement. Robert partagea aussi sa vie avec Vergie Mae Smith, Caletta Craft et Estella Coleman. Devenu un superbe guitariste, il devient un musicien itinérant dans le Delta du Mississippi et jusqu'à Memphis. Ses rencontres avec Willie Brown et Charley Patton le décide à vivre de sa musique. En compagnie de Johnny Shines ou d'Henry Townsend, il ira jouer jusqu'à Saint Louis, Chicago et même New York. Il fréquente aussi les guitaristes Robert Lockwood Jr, Tommy Mac Clennan, David "Honeyboy" Edwards. Grâce à H.C. Speir, Robert rencontra Ernie Oertle qui travaille pour A.R.C. (American Record Company). Celui-ci le présente à Don Law et organise une première séance d'enregistrement en novembre 1936 au Gunter Hotel de San Antonio (Texas). Une seconde séance a lieu à l'initiative de Don Law au Vitagraph Building de Dallas (Texas) en juin 1937. Lors de ces deux séances, Robert enregistre une oeuvre décisive qui a grandement influencé de nombreux artistes bien au-delà du Blues. Ces morceaux sont presque tous devenus des standards fréquemment repris : "I believe I'll dust my broom", "Sweet home Chicago", "Come on in my kitchen", "Walkin' blues", "Preachin' blues", "Hellhound on my trail", "Little queen of spades", "Me and the devil blues", "Stop breakin' down blues", "Love in vain",... De nombreuses rumeurs ont couru sur sa mort prématurée mais il semble avoir été empoisonné par un mari jaloux. Le producteur John Hammond avait prévu d'embaucher Robert Johnson pour sa revue "From Spirituals to Swing". Mais apprenant qu'il est mort, Hammond le remplace par Big Bill Broonzy. La publication des LP "King of the Delta Blues singers vol.1 & 2" en 1961 influença de nombreux artistes en particulier en Grande-Bretagne (The Yardbirds, Eric Clapton, The Rolling Stones). Plus tard, en 1990, l'édition CD de son oeuvre provoqua aussi un immense regain de popularité concernant Robert Johnson et le Blues en général.
Son of Julia Major Dodds and Noah Johnson, young Robert grew up in Memphis then in Commerce (not far from Tunica). He listened to guitarist Lonnie Johnson in his youth. He married in february 1929 with Virginia Travis, but she died quickly during childbirth. Robert also shared his life with Vergie Mae Smith, Caletta Craft and Estella Coleman. Become a superb guitarist, he becomes a traveling musician in the Mississippi Delta and as far as Memphis. His meetings with Willie Brown and Charley Patton decided him to make a living from his music. In the company of Johnny Shines or Henry Townsend, he will play as far as Saint Louis, Chicago and even New York. He also frequents guitarists Robert Lockwood Jr, Tommy Mac Clennan, David "Honeyboy" Edwards. Thanks to H.C. Speir, Robert met Ernie Oertle who works for A.R.C. (American Record Company). He introduced him to Don Law and organized a first recording session in november 1936 at the Gunter Hotel in San Antonio (Texas). A second session takes place at the initiative of Don Law at the Vitagraph Building in Dallas (Texas) in june 1937. During these two sessions, Robert recorded a decisive work which greatly influenced many artists far beyond the Blues. These tracks have almost all become frequently covered standards : "I believe I'll dust my broom", "Sweet home Chicago", "Come on in my kitchen", "Walkin' blues", "Preachin' blues", "Hellhound on my trail", "Little queen of spades", "Me and the devil blues", "Stop breakin' down blues", "Love in vain", .. . Many rumors have ran over his untimely death but appears to have been poisoned by a jealous husband. Producer John Hammond had planned to hire Robert Johnson for his "From Spirituals to Swing" review. But learning that he is dead, Hammond replaces him with Big Bill Broonzy. The publication of the LP "King of the Delta Blues singers vol.1 & 2" in 1961 influenced many artists especially in Great Britain (The Yardbirds, Eric Clapton, The Rolling Stones). Later, in 1990, the CD edition of his work also caused a huge surge in popularity for Robert Johnson and the Blues in general.