Back to the Crossroads: The Roots of Robert Johnson

by Roots Of Robert Johnsn: Back To The Crossroads

Overview

In a day and time (post-2000) when tribute albums spring up before a singer has a chance to die, much less become an immortal, it's a relief to get an album that switches the formula. Back to the Crossroads traces the roots -- not the influence -- of Robert Johnson, perhaps the most eulogized singer in blues history. These roots are especially interesting to the rock fan who initially came to Johnson by way of Cream or Eric Clapton or the Allman Brothers, because they show how much the guitarist borrowed, adapted, and synthesized the music of those who came before him. As Elijah Wald points out in the liner notes, Robert Johnson copied Lonnie Johnson's vocal and instrumental arrangement of "Life Saver Blues" almost note for note on "Malted Milk" and "Drunken Hearted Man." Indeed, for those unfamiliar with Lonnie Johnson, it would be easy to guess that he was an urban knockoff of the Delta bluesman. A number of Robert Johnson's vocal inflections can also be traced to Peetie Wheatstraw's delightful "Police Station Blues." The point of the collection, though, isn't to prove that Johnson was a derivative artist, but to outline the rich tradition that he drew from to create his own art. As with other Yazoo compilations, research and sound engineering guarantee a high-quality product with historical significance. Back to the Crossroads also accompanies Elijah Wald's Escaping the Delta: Robert Johnson and the Invention of the Blues. Any fan of pre-WWII blues will want to pick up a copy of Back to the Crossroads. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford Jr.

Product Details

Release Date:	03/08/2024
Label:	Shanachie / Yazoo
UPC:	0016351207012
Rank:	21428

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Mississippi Jook Band   Primary Artist
Scrapper Blackwell   Primary Artist
Leroy Carr   Primary Artist
Johnny Temple   Primary Artist
Blind Lemon Jefferson   Primary Artist
Blind Blake   Primary Artist
Tampa Red   Primary Artist
Son House   Primary Artist
Reverend E. W. Clayborn   Primary Artist
Hambone Willie Newbern   Primary Artist
Charley Patton   Primary Artist
Bumble Bee Slim   Primary Artist
Mississipi Jook Band   Primary Artist
Rev. Edward Clayborn   Primary Artist
Skip James   Primary Artist
Lonnie Johnson   Primary Artist
Kokomo Arnold   Primary Artist
Peetie Wheatstraw   Primary Artist
Harlem Hamfats   Primary Artist
Mississippi Sheiks   Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Robert Johnson   Composer
Walter Vinson   Composer
Blind Blake   Composer
Son House   Composer
Hambone Willie Newbern   Composer
Scrapper Blackwell   Composer
Hudson Whittaker   Composer
Lonnie Johnson   Composer
Leroy Carr   Composer
Kansas Joe McCoy   Composer
Charley Patton   Composer
Kokomo Arnold   Composer
Blind Lemon Jefferson   Composer
Traditional   Composer
Skip James   Composer
Lonnie Chatmon   Composer
Sam Hill   Composer
William Bunch   Composer