Crossroads: Legend and Life of Robert Johnson

In this episode of Unexplained America, your host Lisa has Guest Host Dr. Amber Bramlett discuss the life and legend of Robert Johnson and his connection to the folklore of the Crossroads

Amber begins with the legend of Robert Johnson disappearing into the Delta country and meeting a dark, mysterious stranger to "tune" his guitar. They meet at a crossroads at MIDNIGHT and once Robert meets this mystery person; he then is able to be the best blues guitarist in the Delta. People speculate that in order to gain this gift Robert must have met with the Devil himself or one of this henchmen and sold his soul for the gift.

Amber goes on to outline Robert's sad tragic life, his marriage, his child, and then his youthful death at 27. She goes on to describe the three graves attributed to Robert and the mysterious death certificate.

This episode has all the information on Robert Johnson and the Crossroads legend.

Listen to the entire episode and share your thoughts.

Works Cited below--other Works mentioned in episode:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossroads_(1986_film)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ReMastered:_Devil_at_the_Crossroads

Episodes DID include other information via:

https://www.newspapers.com/

https://www.ancestry.com/

Big Thanks go out to Gage Fears for his original music made for Unexplained Arkansas the Podcast usage--His contact below--find him on Instagram!!

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Xoxoxoxo, Lisa

Works Cited

Anderson, Jeffrey E. Conjure in African American Society. Louisiana State UP, 2005.

Chireau, Yvonne P. Black Magic: Religion and the African American Conjuring Tradition. U of California P, 2003.

Conforth, Bruce, and Gayle Dean Wardlow. Up Jumped the Devil: The Real Life of Robert Johnson. Chicago Review Press, 2019.

Connell, David. “Retrospective Blues: Robert Johnson—An Open Letter to Eric Clapton.” BMJ, vol. 333, 2006, p. 489.

Evans, David. Big Road Blues: Tradition and Creativity in the Folk Blues. U of California P, 1982.

Hazzard-Donald, Katrina. Mojo Workin’: The Old African American Hoodoo System. U of Illinois P, 2012.

Hurston, Zora Neale. “Hoodoo in America.” The Journal of American Folklore, vol. 44, no. 174, 1931, pp. 317–417.

Hyatt, Harry Middleton. Hoodoo—Conjuration—Witchcraft—Rootwork. 5 vols., Memoirs of the Alma Egan Hyatt Foundation, 1970–78.

Kail, Tony. A Secret History of Memphis Hoodoo: Rootworkers, Conjurers & Spirituals. The History Press, 2017.

Komara, Edward. The Road to Robert Johnson: The Genesis and Evolution of Blues in the Delta from the Late 1800s through 1938. Hal Leonard, 2007.

Library of Congress. “The Complete Recordings—Robert Johnson (1936–1937).” National Recording Registry.

Mississippi State Board of Health. Certificate of Death: Robert L. Johnson. State File No. 13704, 16 Aug. 1938.

Puckett, Newbell Niles. Folk Beliefs of the Southern Negro. U of North Carolina P, 1926.

Short Stuff: Robert Johnson and the Devil.” Stuff You Should Know, Spotify, open.spotify.com/episode/2d0SqaUXo8JaNceOWzpvV

Wald, Elijah. Escaping the Delta: Robert Johnson and the Invention of the Blues. Amistad, 2004.