Table of Contents
- 1 How did Robert Johnson impact the world?
- 2 Who was Robert Johnson and why is he important in the history of rock and roll?
- 3 What impact did Robert Johnson have on Mississippi?
- 4 What musicians were influenced by Robert Johnson?
- 5 How did Robert Johnson change guitar playing?
- 6 What made Robert Johnson’s music so special?
- 7 Did Robert Johnson sell his soul to the Devil at midnight?
How did Robert Johnson impact the world?
Born on May 11, 1911, Robert Johnson changed the blues and rock’n’roll forever – with just 29 songs. Johnson’s compositions became rock standards, covered by Eric Clapton, Fleetwood Mac, the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, the White Stripes and just about anybody who’s owed a debt to black American blues.
Who was Robert Johnson and why is he important in the history of rock and roll?
The one most closely associated with his life is that he sold his soul to the devil at a local crossroads to achieve musical success….
| Robert Johnson | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 8, 1911 Hazlehurst, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died | August 16, 1938 (aged 27) Greenwood, Mississippi |
| Genres | Blues Delta blues |
What impact did Robert Johnson have on Mississippi?
Robert Johnson Gravesite – Greenwood A seminal figure in the history of the Delta blues, Robert Johnson (1911-1938) synthesized the music of Delta blues pioneers such as Son House with outside traditions. He in turn influenced artists such as Muddy Waters and Elmore James.
What was one interesting thing about the Delta blues musician Robert Johnson?
Of all the great blues musicians, Robert Johnson (1911-1938) was probably the most obscure. All that is known of him for certain is that he recorded 29 songs; he died young; and he was one of the greatest bluesmen of the Mississippi Delta.
What musicians did Robert Johnson inspire?
Widely known as the “King of the Delta Blues,” Johnson influenced a range of later musicians, including Muddy Waters, Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, and Eric Clapton, with his unique vocal style, haunting lyrics, and creative guitar techniques.
What musicians were influenced by Robert Johnson?
How did Robert Johnson change guitar playing?
In his youth, Johnson copped licks directly from Son House, who later in his life vividly recalled how Johnson developed from a bad guitarist to a “master” in just two years. All examples are in open-G tuning (low to high, DGDGBD), though Johnson employed numerous other tunings, often in conjunction with a capo.
What made Robert Johnson’s music so special?
As was the tradition in blues music, many of Johnson’s compositions borrowed elements from other artists’ songs. His singular talents, however, are what made these recordings so remarkable. Johnson’s vocal delivery was complex and highly emotive, thanks in part to his subtle, yet effective, pitch inflections (known as microtonality).
Why is Robert Johnson so important?
Robert Johnson to me is the most important blues musician who ever lived.” Johnson’s music has had an incalculable affect on rock and roll. To illustrate that point a bit, I offer some of my favorite contemporary covers of his work, performed by artists whose love of the blues propelled them to fame and fortune Johnson never knew.
Was Robert Johnson a real blues legend?
“It’s fairly common knowledge in music circles and beyond that Robert Johnson is a blues legend of mythical stature and proportion,” singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow said in the liner notes of a new collection of Johnson’s recorded output released to commemorate his 100 th birthday.
Did Robert Johnson sell his soul to the Devil at midnight?
“At times, the legend of Robert Johnson has threatened to overwhelm the artistry of the man,” Gioia wrote. “Indeed nothing about this musician is more famous than the word-of-mouth accounts of him selling his soul to the devil at a midnight crossroads in exchange for his singular master of blues guitar.”