Remembering Robert Johnson On The 75th Anniversary Of His Passing

Robert Johnson Blues Foundation ^ | AUGUST 16, 2013, 1:20 pm | Robert Johnson Blues Foundation

[Mad Dawgg]

Today marks the 75th anniversary of the passing of Robert Johnson. In honor of the world's most influential blues artist, here is one of only three identified photographs of him. This image was later used to create an official Robert Johnson postage stamp, issued by the U.S. Postal Service in 1994.

[Mad Dawgg]

One of my all time favorite guitar players.

When Keith Richards (of The Rolling Stones) first heard a Robert Johnson record he said: "Wow, that guy is really good, but who is playing the other guitar part?"

He was really impressed when he heard the answer:

"Nobody..."

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

Look at those fingers! Loooooooong. I recall one one guitar site, we all tried to figure out what chord he was playing.

[Tijeras_Slim]

The post office airbrushed out the cigarette on the stamp.

[prisoner6]

Thanks for the link! An American legend!!

[Mad Dawgg]

"Look at those fingers! Loooooooong."

I saw an interview with Clapton where he told how he tried to work out one of the more complicated songs and finally gave up realizing his fingers weren't long enough to reach all the notes Johnson was playing in the same chord position.

[Publius]

Robert Johnson: "Crossroad Blues"

[DuncanWaring]

[Tupelo]

I can honestly say, I visited 2 of Robert Jouhnson’s grave sites on a Sunday day ride.

[dainbramaged]

Thanks for the reminder - his work is on the top shelf of my collection.

[WayneS]

On of the all time greats.

RIP, sir.

[KosmicKitty]

The post office airbrushed out the cigarette on the stamp.

I was just going to ask if they did that.

[WayneS]

PS - Tomorrow is the anniversary of John Lee Hooker’s birth.

He would have been 96 (I think).

[Tijeras_Slim]

Not the best likeness either.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

“He would have been 96 (I think).”

No one really knows. Birth year varies by quite a bit.

[kabumpo]

Plus, Clapton sucks.

[WayneS]

Yes, they do.

The most oft-repeated birth year I’ve seen for John Lee is 1917, though, so that’s the one I’ve ‘adopted’.

[WayneS]

Plus, Clapton sucks.

Well, now, he may not be as good a player as Robert Johnson, but I certainly wouldn't go that far.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

BTW, I spent some time with Robert Jr in an area music store.

[SunkenCiv]

It was amusing to learn that his family members knew the name of his guitar teacher, from that formerly mysterious period when he went away and came back able to actually play like a pro. No one who had supposedly known him personally had ever heard the name before.

But RJ’s main claim to fame wasn’t his competent but otherwise unremarkable playing — it was the fact that he died young.

[KosmicKitty]

You’re right, it’s not.