Robert Johnson: LOST AND FOUND (Music in American Life) [Hardcover]

Barry Lee Pearson (Author), Bill McCulloch (Author)

Book Description

Series: Music in American Life | Publication Date: April 2003

With just forty-one recordings to his credit, Robert Johnson (1911-38) is a giant in the history of blues music. Johnson's vast influence on twentieth-century American music, combined with his mysterious death at the age of twenty-seven, has allowed speculation and myths to obscure the facts of his life. The most famous of these legends depicts a young Johnson meeting the Devil at a dusty Mississippi crossroads at midnight and selling his soul in exchange for prodigious guitar skills.In this volume, Barry Lee Pearson and Bill McCulloch examine the full range of writings about Johnson and sift fact from fiction. They compare conflicting accounts of Johnson's life, weighing them against interviews with blues musicians and others who knew the man. Through their extensive research Pearson and McCulloch uncover a life every bit as compelling as the fabrications and exaggerations that have sprung up around it. In examining Johnson's life and music, and the ways in which both have been reinvented and interpreted by other artists, critics, and fans, "Robert Johnson: Lost and Found" charts the broader cultural forces that have mediated the expression of African American artistic traditions.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"An insightful, useful, and thoroughly convincing examination of a legendary musician. Instead of focusing on devils at midnight, deserted crossroads, and brimstone barter, the authors look closely at lived experience, illuminating the real life of a 'walking bluesman.'" --Stephen Wade, editor and producer of A Treasury of Library of Congress Field Recordings. "With careful research and informed historiography, Pearson and McCulloch succeed in peeling the layers of testimony and mythmaking surrounding Robert Johnson. Their conclusions break away from the prevailing views of the critical mainstream, and they help the reader to realize a glimpse of the historical Johnson and his times." --Edward Komara, compiler and editor of Gayle Dean Wardlow's Chasin' That Devil Music "I love this book... It debunks a lot of the mysterious tales about Johnson, but doesn't take anything away from the man at all. There are still plenty of fascinating stories about Johnson here, and his artistry still shines as bright as ever. If you love the blues--especially country blues--you'll love this book, too." --Charlie Musselwhite, musician

Book Description

With just forty-one recordings to his credit, Robert Johnson (1911-38) is a giant in the history of blues music. Johnson's vast influence on twentieth-century American music, combined with his mysterious death at the age of twenty-seven, has allowed speculation and myths to obscure the facts of his life. The most famous of these legends depicts a young Johnson meeting the Devil at a dusty Mississippi crossroads at midnight and selling his soul in exchange for prodigious guitar skills.

In this volume, Barry Lee Pearson and Bill McCulloch examine the full range of writings about Johnson and sift fact from fiction. They compare conflicting accounts of Johnson's life, weighing them against interviews with blues musicians and others who knew the man. Through their extensive research Pearson and McCulloch uncover a life every bit as compelling as the fabrications and exaggerations that have sprung up around it. In examining Johnson's life and music, and the ways in which both have been reinvented and interpreted by other artists, critics, and fans, Robert Johnson: Lost and Found charts the broader cultural forces that have mediated the expression of African American artistic traditions.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: University of Illinois Press (April 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 025202835X
• ISBN-13: 978-0252028359
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,243,021 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #60 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Arts & Literature > Composers & Musicians > Rhythm & Blues

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars When Legend becomes Fact., July 22, 2003

By 

Kevin Fontenot (New Orleans, LA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Robert Johnson: LOST AND FOUND (Music in American Life) (Hardcover)

Robert Johnson might be the most famous of all country bluesman. But we actually know very little about the man himself and what we think we know (the selling his soul at the crossroads story and forever being demon haunted)was a late addition to the legend. Pearson and McCulloch peel back the layers of what commentators have said about Johnson to reveal what we can really know about him--and it is not very much. They then tackle the literature on Johnson and show how a legend is created through wishful thinking, academic desire, and faulty deconstruction of lyrics. This is a wonderfully written, intelligent book that exposes the flaws of some methods of interpreting entertainers and the danger of interpreting them outside of the artist's culture. Johnson emerges as a human not such much chased by demons, but who chases women and whiskey too much. A fantastic study that should serve as both a model and a warning for all who write about entertainers.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ladies and Gentlemen, please meet the real Robert Johnson, September 28, 2005

By 

John G. Sturm "blues fan/beer nut" (Yellow Springs, OH USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Robert Johnson: LOST AND FOUND (Music in American Life) (Hardcover)

Do not be scared off by the naysayers and one star reviews. I can understand that people who worship at the altar of myth are dismayed by this strong factual account. This is a highly professional publication that is strictly based of veritable facts and not rumours and hearsay, even when said heresay could be the truth. Every single essay, story, blurb you ever read about Robert Johnson mentions his mythical pact with the devil. While it's fine to have romantic notions about an artist it is ridiculous, especially, in this case, to focus so exclusively on the myth when the facts are just as intruiging. That is what the authors are out to instill in our minds here. And yes they are occasionally repetitive but this is understandable when they are up against a half century's worth of material contending otherwise. The fact is that Robert Johnson was an amazing and talented musician who worked very, very hard to perfect his craft. This book asks the question "Why can he not be recognized for this fact?" Why is his prowess only explicable by referring to an ancient myth that he himself likely did not promote. The legends and myths are OK but they should not be the sole focus of conversation regarding this incredible artist. Read this book and you will come away with a new appreciation for this artist. I have been listening to Mr Johnson's recordings for over 20 years and that is the effect it had on me.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Finding the Real Deal, October 15, 2005

By 

grasshopper4 (Arkansas) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Robert Johnson: LOST AND FOUND (Music in American Life) (Hardcover)

Pearson and McCulloch demythologize the stories about Robert Johnson in this well researched and fascinating study. The authors convincingly demonstrate that the story of Johnson's Faustian pact never appeared in print until decades after Johnson's death. They further debunk the legend by showing that even most of those who were closely associated with him also viewed the story with either a wry skepticism or total disdain. Although it's fun to talk about the legends that have been associated with this blues man, Pearson and McCulloch also argue that a gullible acceptance of the stories prevents blues fans from truly understanding the man and his music. I came away from reading this book with a better understanding of his life and a far greater appreciation for Johnson's abilities. In this respect, the book provides an excellent resource for learning to listen to blues music by clearing away the highly exoticized and even patronizing presuppositions that we may bring to the art form. In this fine study, a fine folklorist and journalist partner up to give us the real deal of Johnson.