Robert Johnson

With the release of King of the Delta Blues Singers in 1961, Robert Johnson emerged as one of the most original and influential voices in American music, based on just 29 songs recorded toward the end of his short life.  While legend has it that Johnson—born in Hazelhurst, Miss.—made a deal with the devil to acquire his guitar gifts, the complex musicality and emotional appeal that define his legacy leap from the grooves in songs like “Dust My Broom,” “Hellhound On My Trail,” and “Cross Road Blues.”