New Robert Johnson photo discovered and restored

[Capt Bringdown]

Robert Johnson, the early-twentieth-century blues singer who, as the legend goes, made a deal with the Devil in exchange for his musical talent, is best known for two things: The first being his incredible talent as a blues musician, influencing the likes of Eric Clapton and many others, and the second being the fact that only two verified images of the singer exist anywhere—until now.



The Getty Images Hulton Archive recently restored and published a third image of the infamous blues singer (above). Seen standing next to fellow musician Johnny Shines, the photo was donated to Getty Images by Johnson’s estate.

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hound on my trail

[Spur|n|Austin]

So which one is he?

[Capt Bringdown]

Well, not a "new" photo or story, dated September 23, 2010. Oops.
First I've heard of it, though.

[Capt Bringdown]

So which one is he?

Holding the gee-tar.

One of the other two (as far as I know) known photos:

[Destro]

cool pic. must have the devil's work to be able to play a guitar without strings or tuning lugs

[Avante]

Robert Johnson is without question "da man" when it comes to prewar blues. But during his lietime he was pretty much unknown. He wasn't like Charley Patton or Blind Lemon Jefferson, who were actual celeberties (black world).

Robert got his Crossroads story from an older Delta bluesman Tommy Johnson (no relation) and it wasn't the Devil they met at them Crossroads it was Legba some Haitian diety.

I have a tape of....

Eric Clapton
Peter Green
John Hammond
Johnny Winter
Keb Mo
Carey Bell
Chris Thomas King....played Tommy Johnson in O Brother Where Art Thou
Taj Mahal
The Rolling Stones
Honeyboy Edwards
James Cotten
Robert Palmer
Derek Trucks
Pinetop Perkins

....doing Robert Johnson tunes, no other bluesman made the impact he did. It just took years after his death for that to happen.

If he wasn't real he'd had to have been made up, that wandereing soul, dealings(songs about the Devil) with the Devil, juke joints, even his death seems like a movie/book. He was seeing the wife of a juke joint owner where he was playing, this was in Greenwood Miss, the owner found out about it, had a drink delivered to Robert during a break, with poison in it. Story goes it took Robert four days to die.

Robert's big influenses were fellow Delta players...Charley Patton, Son House and Willie Brown, along with the great St.Louis guitarist Lonnie Johnson. Robert thought so much of Lonnie he took his last name.

But it was the unrecorded Ike Zinneman who gets the credit for the nuts and bolts of Robert's guitar prowess. Robert was so bad the older guys (mentioned) poked fun at him, so he took off for six months. When he returned he blew everyones mind. Yep, then here came the Crossroads story.

There is a pictue of Robert blown up in a nice frame under glass on my Fortress of Solitude wall.

This was his first recording, San Antonio Texas 1936.




What would those fingers have done on an electric guitar?

[Trainwreck2100]

So apparently someone believes his estate, yes his estate, is lying. His estate, lying.

[Avante]

So apparently someone believes his estate, yes his estate, is lying. His estate, lying.

Talk to anyone who knows them old blues about that photo, see what you get. There are forums out there that talk about nothing but them old blues, see what they say about that photo.

I't very debatable and questionable.

Let's see if it isn't the estate gets what? If it is the estate gets? Use you head for a change.

[Trainwreck2100]

So apparently someone believes his estate, yes his estate, is lying. His estate, lying.

[Avante]

How about this one?



In the photo you were talking about that doesn't look like Johnny Shines at all, and not all that much like Robert except for the fingers.


Johnny Shines




Dude, that photo has been talked to death on forums where we find those who have written books on the subject. The consensus by those who know the history....nope not Robert or Johnny.

Stick to what you know, what that is..????

[Avante]

If you were going to mix the Essential, Definitive, Mississippi Blues starting in the beginning with Freddie Spruell in 1926 up to Honeyboy Edwards in 1942, it would look like this...


20's

Freddie Spruell
Rube Lacy
Tommy Johnson...original Crossroads
Ishman Bracey
Rosie May Moore
Charlie McCoy
Mississippi John Hurt
Bo Carter
Jim Thompkins
Bobby Grant
Uncle Bud Walker
Kid Bailey
Cryin' Sam Collins
Big Bill Broonzy
Charley Patton
William Harris...debate about Miss or Alabama
Garfield Akers

30's

Son House
Willie Brown...was he also Kid Bailey?????
Geechie Wiley
Joe Callicott
Louise Johnson
Charley Taylor
Skip James
Bukka White
Mississippi Sheiks
Arthur Pettis
Mississippi Bracey
Johnny Temple
Elvie Thomas
Mattie Delaney
Willie "Poor Boy" Lofton
Robert Johnson
Big Joe Williams
Mississippi Moaner (Isiah Nettles)
Tommy McClennan
Robert Petway
Mose Andrews
Sonny Boy Nelson
Son Sims
Bertha Lee

40-42

Robert Lockwood Jr
Big Boy Crudup...Elvis a big fan
Muddy Waters
Tony Hollins
Honeyboy Edwards