There are a lot of little mysteries that surround the life of Delta blues legend Robert Johnson. The bluesman's final resting place, for instance, is claimed by three different gravesites with markers. The manner of Johnson's death provides another enigma; the generally-accepted story of his demise has the guitarist poisoned by a jealous girlfriend in 1938. Then there's that whole "meeting with the Devil at the crossroads" mythology that has kept blues music chooglin' along like a freight train since the 1930s.
One thing that is certain about Robert Johnson is his birthplace in Hazlehurst, Mississippi. Johnson was born in a house built by his stepfather Charles Dodds, a furniture maker that was relatively prosperous for an African-American in the early 1900s. The house had a double-parlor, a long front porch, and a pump that allowed water to flow into the kitchen, a convenience unheard in most Southern homes of the era.
Copiah County, Mississippi officials are attempting to raise $250,000 to restore the 1500-square foot house, which had fallen into disrepair before coming into the county's ownership. They would like to create a museum in honor of Johnson as a way to attract tourist dollars to the area. Benefit concerts, including one featuring Grammy Award-winning pianist George Winston, have been scheduled to help raise funds for the restoration.
The wisdom of a Robert Johnson museum has to be questioned, however. Few artifacts from the musician's short life are known to exist, and only two photos of the blues legend have been unearthed: the first, known as the "studio portrait," was shot by Hooks Brothers Studios in Memphis, while the second is known as the "photo booth self-portrait," and was taken by Johnson himself. A third photo purporting to be Johnson has yet to be historically verified.
Still, Johnson's musical legacy remains one of the most important in the blues. As a singer, songwriter, and guitarist Johnson's music has influenced everybody from Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix to Muddy Waters and Elmore James. Screenwriter Jimmy White, who wrote the Academy Award-winning film Ray, has been shopping a script on Johnson's life, and his songbook continues to remain among the most covered in modern music. Some 71 years after his mysterious death, the legend of Robert Johnson remains alive and well.
Related content: Robert Johnson Profile
Photo courtesy Legacy Recordings
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