I bet there were plenty of super talented musicians all over rural black south in those days that stayed completely under the radar. Robert Johnson was able to get in with some of the pro traveling musicians and get himself recorded, and now we all know who he is. But imagine all the folks who were just (or almost) as good! imagine all the amazing styles and songs that were lost to history before recording became accessible. the mystery bluesman makes ya think
Honeyboy Edwards wrote in his autobiography that he knew and played with several musicians who never got recorded, some because they died before recording became more accessible, others who quit the Blues scene altogether and others who just weren't able to land a recording gig no matter how hard they tried. He even names them one by one. It was amazing that he was able to still remember the names of those musicians even at the age of 82 when he wrote the book!
I've always thought Robert Johnsons playing was good, but not mind blowing. He really shined in his innovative songwriting and blues style. I'm sure there were many people who played a guitar better than him...I mean lets be honest, his career only lasted what, 6 months?
@@Leel3ones89 Listen to one of Johnsons mates; Sonny Boy Williamson plays guitar.Kind hearted woman: czcams.com/video/ag87Osjuad4/video.html Johnson was Robert Lockwood Jr's stephfather. I had the pleasure to meet Lockwood Jr in 2005. One handshake from Johnson, Son House, Sonny Boy Williamson.
I appreciate how they didn't try to bullshit anything. They aknowledge it cannot be Robert Johnson but still a really interesting video and a rare look into the time period.
I am a Cali kid but I spent my summers in the 80’s, in Mississippi at my grandmothers house. There was an old man by the name of Quily Womack, who played just like this.He had an old Sear’s guitar from what I remember. He had to be around 80 then.He told me he had seen Robert Johnson at a juke house a few times. From what I understand, there were a lot of blue’s players in every city in the south at that time, just like there are many gifted musicians in every “hood” in America today. Not all of them are known like Robert or John Lee Hooker. I think I met one.
Sounds like a part of the “Chitlin’ Circuit” due to Jim Crow laws. Jimi Hendrix cut his teeth there (probably quite literally), learned from a number of musicians and eventually toured with Little Richard. Different era of musicianship and showmanship altogether. If I could catch a glimpse of those shows alone a large part of my life would’ve been fulfilled
I personally talked to Honeyboy Edwards a few years before his passing. He identified the man in this video as "Clarence"...no last name given. HBE said that he knew him because, "He used to date my sister." I take him for his word, since he (HBE) was about the closest to RJ as you can get.
Only way some people will acept this as Robert Johnson is if it was filmed at a crossroads and the guy is down on his knees drawing an inverted pentagram and sacrificing a burning guitar.
Identifying random people from 80 year old photos or films without some from of notes from the scene or a connection of people who where there or knew of the event is almost impossible. Just like the more recent "Johnny Shines/Robert Johnson" photo. You can do all the high tech measurements you want. When there is no context or record associated with the individuals presented it's a guess at best. In this case, photos or videos show up from the mid-30s of blues artist with long fingers and a suit and it automatically RJ someone will claim. Sorry, unless there is some form of documentation substantiating RJ it's all splashy media and that's it. And Rex, even with some 24 year old bluesman scratching a pentagram in the crossroad in 1933, I still wouldn't buy it. It's a shame that RJ sightings seem to have this sideshow about them. A new Son House image was released from 1929 last year. Wonderful to see and everyone who know about House can tell it's him. No doubts and no shills or sideshows.
I met Henry Townsend here in St. Louis a bunch of times.. this was his home town for most of his life. Saw him play, for sure. I was at his 96th birthday party, and have pictures to prove it. He got onstage and played guitar, some piano, and sang some. He is the only confirmed person, on earth, ever, to play on records in 9 different decades! He recorded from 1929, until the early 2000's. Fact.
my momma grew up in small eastern NC tobaco townin the30s and 40s and she told me that saturday was "shove day" bowntown and that black folks had the run of the town...the film clip is exactly as she described downtown on saturday!!
Yes, he went to Arkansas and studied with a man there, who's name I forgot, but is included in the Blue's Documentary on CZcams. Seems more likely, than Satan had anything to do with his playing.
@@alonsotrujillo5786 It was someone in Arkansas, for sure. I watch all types of history of the blues, Documentaries, and they told it but I forgot it. Yes, you can make a deal with the devil. They outwardly do it today. I just forgot his name, but yeah, Arkansas had Albert Pike, Grand Mason, and all that dark Magick( from Crowley) that the Clintons got into. That's why Bill was a Rhodes Scholar. I thought his name was Lock something, on guitar. Thanks, I will look him up. I do recognize that name.
LaVere died in 2015. McCormick died 6 week before LaVere did. There're currently figuring out what to do with McComicks enormous archive. It has at least one unpublished photograph of Robert Jonson I know for a fact.
He not only looks like Johnson, but look at the man's hands. Johnson had enormous hands with extremely long fingers. Yes, the date doesn't match, but the similarity is strong.
He`s undead, paying the price ,still to this day and for all eternity playing guitar and harp ....he`s out there right now as we speak alone,in the dark deep night somewhere ...doing his thing.
@@alonetraveler5391 yeah like if someone is bad at the guitar, leaves for awhile and then comes back and is very good at the guitar all that means is that they practised and learned not that sold their goddamn soul
@@zzodysseuszz I can’t tel if you are agreeing with me or not but yeah he didn’t sell his soul he practiced long and hard my brothers freind learned guitar in a few days and by the end of the year he was in a band I forget the band but the are good players
I love that man at the 5:22 mark! There's just something about that Southern African American soul that I find both awesome and endearing. And not even as a racial classification but as a cultural one. A great people that gave the world a great thing; the Blues. God Bless all who sing the Blues!
It's too bad that the footage is presented with interruptions for commentary. Is the original video available from start to finish without the interruptions from academics?
That must have been amazing for both races. Im so glad to hear that the gentlman filmed both races so my people had reason to smile at least once a month
I'll be god damned! It was today January 30th, 1942- that movie was shown in Mississippi. That's 77 years ago. The Bluesman looks young as we know Robert Johnson was, mostly. Never had heard of this. Classic, too bad no sound.
Hey, there are films of certain persons we would give almost anything to see--but they just don't exit. This film, however, is still interesting, and it woulda sure been great to hear what that guy sounded like--he seemed rather confident and competent.
The Devil's music was the blues. In rural African-American Mississippi, playing the blues for money was a pact with the devil. Almost all of those guys had to deal with it. Howlin' Wolf's mother never forgave him. When he became successful and had more money that he knew how to spend, he tried giving money (a lot of money) to his mother, who was still living in poverty. She would tear the cash bills up and throw them at his feet, refusing to talk to him. It was the devil's money. Son House is the guy who started this hokum of Johnson selling his soul to the devil. When Johnson first arrived on the juke joint scene, he was terrible. Everybody made fun of him. So Johnson took off to Memphis to live with his father. In Memphis he studied, practiced, and learned. When he thought he was good enough, he went back to Mississippi Johnson shows up, and everybody was like, "oh, no, not you again." But, they gave him three minutes, just for laughs. Then Johnson starting playing, and the study and practice began to show. Everybody was amazed. Son House, who was previously Johnson's biggest detractor, approached Johnson and said something like, "boy, you must have made a deal with the devil." It was a joke!!! Johnson would go on to incorporate that joke into his music. And the irony is that his family was not particularly religious and did not have a problem with the blues. Meanwhile, Son House would come to the conclusion that the blues were, indeed, the music of devil, and he quit his musical career and became a preacher. By the early 60s, Son House flip-floped and returned to the blues. Johnson became successful because he studied and practiced his ass off. This devil nonsense is an insult. It doesn't recognize all the hard work Johnson put into his music.
Totally agree. If you can already play a bit of guitar and have a bit of wounded pride, I think you could learn delta in a few months. I think he must have met a good player somewhere who taught him a few licks and tricks and he practiced the shit out of them and came up with a few licks of his own. He definitely picked up loads of stuff from son house. He uses the same themes over and over again through his songs. I think he tempted fate by playing on the devil story though, hence his early death (probably from a ruptured dissecting aneurysm rather than being poisoned by a jealous husband. He likely had marfan's syndrome, thats why he was tall with long fingers)
Only if you attach any significance to that number. If not, it's just another number. And as there is not the beginning of a hint of a logical reason to attach any significance to that number it's just another number. 666.
this song leaves me in wonderment more and more each time i listen. Thank you so much for uploading this one! And I speak on behalf of everybody when I say this one touched my soul
So there's no way that this guy is Robert Johnson because of the date of the poster on the background, yet the guy looks, to many of us an awful lot like Robert Johnson. So then what have we learned class? Here's what we should've learned: there were MANY black musicians in the pre-war era of America. We are aware of hundreds of black artists from recordings & we even have some pictures & biographical details. Yet there were obviously thousands more that we'll never hear of or we might come across a photo of a musician with a guitar, a film clip of some guy picking outside of a theatre. We are not capable of actually comprehending the sheer amount of information regarding that era. So? Let's not jump to conclusions anymore because we've proven that we cannot trust our ears & eyes & assumptions so much when it comes to historical documents. Let's stop talking like children about stuff that we just do not mostly understand.
don't you get it? any old picture of a black guy with a guitar might be robert johnson and any old picture of a white guy with a gun might be billy the kid.
There were several Robert Johnsons. All hired to disseminate the blues throughout the South. How do you think Robert could be in so many places at once like he was?.?[
My family exhibited films in Baltimore from 1909 thru 2010. I'm 65 and just missed the era when this practice was common creative promotion, shooting MOS 35mm (silent) crowd footage in the neighborhood of the theaters, often using short film sections acquired for a lot less than full reels. The Durkee theaters had a fellow, Marhenke, an indie who would provide the footage on a weekly basis for a fee. he was rumored to have a "contact" in the newsreel biz in DC that developed his stuff on the side on the cheap. Within neighborhoods with a high concentration of a particular ethnic group, the film would include the local congregations exiting church and such. A unique opportunity to see oneself on a big movie screen. Patrons were encouraged to inform others hey I saw you at the Waverly Theatre on Saturday! Worked like a charm to get em in during the week to check themselves out. Family too. . It was an early form of interactive media I suppose.
Has anyone tried to play exactly what's being back played by the guy and matched it with anything? Just curious! What be cool if there was sound. The other thing is to check the records of the entertainment places in the area and see who this guy could be as in assuming he's an entertainer? Who knows. I'm not a guitarist or anything
Andytomkins100 Great comment !!! I'm surprised no one has responded. The only issue mimicking his finger movements is that many blues songs were in so many different guitar tunings, so it might be impossible to figure out what song he was playing. Certainly some would match was he was playing and a song would come to fruition or there might be more than one song that would match. Some tunings would be eliminated quickly bc the sound/notes would sound out of key. Again, great suggestion though !!!
It's probably not possible. The guitar is probably in a weird tuning and there isn't enough footage to transcribe what he is doing with his picking hand. Whoever that guy is though, he certainly has a unique playing style.
They say it’s Jan 30, 1942. Yet, folks are dressed as if it’s summer. Many in short sleeves. I’ve ducked hunted in MS in January, and it’s damn cold in January. Nobody in a coat. Ladies in dresses with short sleeves. Men in shirts with short sleeves. It’s not January.
This video proves it's not Robert Johnson. He made few records and they were all long out of print for years. Led Zeppelin caused a revival in his music. Sony issued a box set and sold a ton.
Like Robert Johnson was the only Delta blues musician. He wasn't by far. It is extraordinary footage of a country blues picker on the street in Ruleville. That, by itself, is amazing.
***** A friend and I were just talking about some of the medicine we used to take as kids that you can't find any more. Remember mecuricome, and baby aspirin (yum)? My mom tells me of a "cough medicine" called paregoric which evidently had morphine. Oh the good ol' days. When medicine either killed you, or fixed you good.
Couldn’t have been Johnson since he died in August of 1938 and ‘blues in the night’ wasn’t released till ‘41. There wouldn’t have been advertisements for a movie 3 years before it was released and Johnson had been dead for three years when it was released.
NEW THEORY: Robert Johnson was not only a superb musician but also invented a time machine - this is the proof: He died in 1938 but appeared in a movie from 1942. :-)
Now that's a theory I can possibly go with!! Too bad we'll never know for sure.. unless someone comes forward who's related to Ike and has pics and or film of him.
@@justineightiesbaby5525 No it isn't its a very weak possibility with no evidence. You may as well say, the guy with the guitar isn't him but one of the fellas in the background is. What you say is a complete stab in the dark.
no.. it's a number.. what's creepy is simpleton's making something out of nothing.. like numbers.. human constructs to represent a value, which is also a human construct.. people are so gullible.
I remember that nasty ass cold medicine. My dad never called it 666, he always made sure to call it "three sixes". It was available in MS long enough for him to still have a bottle (and force us to take it) in the late 80s-early 90s.
They have some new version which is a cough syrup. The original was a yellow liquid that you had to mix with water. It had a plain yellow label. It was terrible tasting, but surprisingly worked.
***** My late father was STILL taking that mess in the 90s and the 2000s, if I'm not mistaken. I hadn't bought that in yrs and it was VERY yellow and VERY nasty!!! My dad did the same thing - "Three Sixes".
Actually, to everyone posting up saying "Robert Johnson never played harmonica", don't know enough about RJ to comment on this because he did in fact play harmonica before he started playing guitar, he just never recorded any songs blowin' harp. Johnny Shines had also said that he and Robert lost their guitars in a fire and the made money enough money to buy new guitars, when Robert was blowin' harp and Johnny was dancing to people driving by on the highway.
As for shattering preconceptions, just look at the dozens of musicians on scene today that list Robert Johnson as their gateway to the blues (which he continues to be used as) - yeah, maybe Charley Patton or Blind Lemon Jefferson were more influential as far as musicianship/composing goes, but the ease with which one can enjoy their recordings is superseded by their genius. Johnson, whether through calculation or through accident, was able to keep a good balance.
As much as it does look like Robert Johnson, based on the other 2 stills that exist, that fellow has a harmonica around his neck and Johnson was not known for harmonica, nor is there any on his recordings. If he did play harmonica, you'd think there would be at least one track with harmonica on it.
Damn i think it may be Mr. Johnson,look at one of his close up pictures and the way his hand and fingers are structured thats on the neck of his guitar,almost like devil hands,and the guys hands in this pic looks just like his...call me crazy but it gave me chills..
Petey Wheatstraw The Devils son-in-law, as he was professionally known was actually named William Bunch. He was born in 1902 in either Tennessee or Arkansas. He relocated to St. Louis in the 1920's. He died in St. Louis in 1941 at the age of 39. So, good guess...
If you look up May 8 birthdays, these people are organized, capable, generous-hearted leaders. Mr. Johnson was a gifted, talented, intelligent person, who may very well have sought supernatural means to ensure success. These things are not unheard of even today. May his soul rest in peace. (Typo)
isn't steven levere the guy that had the contract dispute with Robert Johnson's sister? He had her sign a contract that basically took all of her rights from all Robert Johnson music, picture, etc, etc
Anyone who believes this is Robert is sadly mistaken. Especially any guitar player. Rudimentary fingering of an open G tuning, nothing to see here folks. Robert burned. This guy? meh. All the ridiculous speculation about 'selling his soul'? Absurd. Grant him his genius. Look at Paganini. The same silly speculation about him. Yet today, any serious violinist must master some of his music. And there are a very few contemporary players who can evoke Robert, tho none convincingly IMO. A man, folks. I call it a hundred year talent, like a hundred year flood. They don't come around very often. Leave your clumsy religious interpretations out of it, and grant him his due.
+Jack Thomas Yes, with argument, points to speculate on, things..you can see. Jack, this might not be Robert, but I'd like to see ANY footage backing your beliefs.....any.....any....any.....proof of YOUR beliefs.
+frederick robertson so he cannot play for fun only? he have to play like he does on the record then? what a stupid comment fingering an open G tuning hahah
Yes, that's right! I was just going to post that. Peter Green was in town for this event, it was the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame's "'American Music Masters Series, Tribute To Robert Johnson", 9/24-27/1998 in Cleveland, Ohio. Peter Green's Splinter Group was on the bill for the Tribute To Robert Johnson concert. I was sitting in the back! Nice to see that Peter got to enjoy some of the conference too. I also remember that during the concert, when Peter Green was playing, Joe Lewis Walker handed Peter a resonator guitar. Joe and I were both hoping to see some of Peter's former fire from the Fleetwood Mac days come through. I still remember seeing Joe mouth "play that motherfucker" after he handed the guitar to Peter. I was thinking the same thing. Alas, as this was relatively soon after Peter's re-appearance on the music scene, he wasn't in very good mental shape and he just didn't have it in him. Memories. Still, nice to spot him on here!
I would love for all this footage to be posted on youtube. It's really uncommon to see footage of the south at that time and especially footage of black people. The fact that they caught any delta blues musician is incredible. I would love to be able to see the full reel.
ok did anyone else catch that pls like at this part 3:46 and pause it so you can see it in the video behind the ladies of the three score 666 that day was cursed by the devil and report and his peoples didn't even know it
It's known for a fact that Robert Johnson died on August 16, 1938. There's a movie poster behind the guy in this film clip advertising a movie that came out in 1941...which is two years after Robert Johnson died. Thus, this cannot possibly be Robert Johnson.
Just about every blues musician from that era that we know, are the ones who recorded. Yet the south-east USA was most likely teeming with them, so changes are the guy is someone totally forgotten, if ever even known.
Bob Dylan mentions this film in Vol. 1 of 'Chronicles' (which is what brought me here). He reckoned the footage was authentic, but it seems he was wrong. A pity: I would love to see such a film. Or even a new photo, since only 2 of RJ are known to exist.
These guys are just farcical. They asked Led Zep's Plant & Page? How the hell are they supposed to know? Lol! I have been to lots of these "Blues Symposia" for decades, mostly these people don't know what they're saying. Johnny Shines said Robert Johnson was well-educated, while Robert Lockwood said he was illiterate! And they both claimed to have been his closest friends! On Vanity Fair they published a photo (allegedly) of Johnson with Shines which nobody can authenticate! Thanks for the post
if johnson died in 1938, then he was dead for 4 years when this was shot.
+TruthSurge right? why are they even debating it when they admit that?
Something to believe in. Romanticizing.
They're not debating it, they're debunking it.
he was really that good though.
Exactly
I bet there were plenty of super talented musicians all over rural black south in those days that stayed completely under the radar. Robert Johnson was able to get in with some of the pro traveling musicians and get himself recorded, and now we all know who he is. But imagine all the folks who were just (or almost) as good! imagine all the amazing styles and songs that were lost to history before recording became accessible. the mystery bluesman makes ya think
Honeyboy Edwards wrote in his autobiography that he knew and played with several musicians who never got recorded, some because they died before recording became more accessible, others who quit the Blues scene altogether and others who just weren't able to land a recording gig no matter how hard they tried. He even names them one by one. It was amazing that he was able to still remember the names of those musicians even at the age of 82 when he wrote the book!
This give me chills goosebumps
Imagine walking up to those old Delta blues joints and hearing their music.
They werent though. Lol robert johnsons music is prolific.
I've always thought Robert Johnsons playing was good, but not mind blowing. He really shined in his innovative songwriting and blues style. I'm sure there were many people who played a guitar better than him...I mean lets be honest, his career only lasted what, 6 months?
"I don't care how many times you look at this film, it aint never gonna be Robert Johnson." - Robert Lockwood
And that's coming from the only person to ever receive guitar lessons from RJ. RJ dated his mother.
@@Leel3ones89 Listen to one of Johnsons mates; Sonny Boy Williamson plays guitar.Kind hearted woman: czcams.com/video/ag87Osjuad4/video.html
Johnson was Robert Lockwood Jr's stephfather. I had the pleasure to meet Lockwood Jr in 2005. One handshake from Johnson, Son House, Sonny Boy Williamson.
So if he died in ‘38 and the film was shot in ‘42 I guess that settles it...
Robert Johnson’s ghost.
100 ;)
It does look just like him
@@Thenewlife83 I disagree I think he looks older than Robert Johnson but I'm sure Robert was built like that.
I appreciate how they didn't try to bullshit anything. They aknowledge it cannot be Robert Johnson but still a really interesting video and a rare look into the time period.
So why make a film about a non-story? My mother came from Pluto and my dad came from Mars. Except they didn't. Let's make a film about that, eh?
My Dad was born & lived in Ruleville as a child at the time. They moved later to Eupora.
I am a Cali kid but I spent my summers in the 80’s, in Mississippi at my grandmothers house.
There was an old man by the name of Quily Womack, who played just like this.He had an old Sear’s guitar from what I remember.
He had to be around 80 then.He told me he had seen Robert Johnson at a juke house a few times.
From what I understand, there were a lot of blue’s players in every city in the south at that time, just like there are many gifted musicians in every “hood” in America today.
Not all of them are known like Robert or John Lee Hooker.
I think I met one.
I bet he could play the shit out of that sears guitar 🎸🔥😎😂
Sounds like a part of the “Chitlin’ Circuit” due to Jim Crow laws. Jimi Hendrix cut his teeth there (probably quite literally), learned from a number of musicians and eventually toured with Little Richard. Different era of musicianship and showmanship altogether. If I could catch a glimpse of those shows alone a large part of my life would’ve been fulfilled
It's clearly Stevie Ray Vaughan.
Todd Blalock lol
Todd Blalock .... It's Jimi Hendrix.
No doubt clearly it's Johnny Winter
Mel Phillips Wow...
It's jay z
I personally talked to Honeyboy Edwards a few years before his passing. He identified the man in this video as "Clarence"...no last name given. HBE said that he knew him because, "He used to date my sister."
I take him for his word, since he (HBE) was about the closest to RJ as you can get.
Stephen Garen His name was Robert Clarence before he became Robert Johnson ... so...
@@SheebahBaby Um, his name was never Robert Clarence.
Kelly Cox Watch The Netflix documentary on the artist. I know what the fuck I’m talking about.
@@SheebahBaby Wrong ...it was Robert Spencer...changed to Johnson when he finally met his real father and took his last name!
@@SheebahBaby that doc's shit, mate
Only way some people will acept this as Robert Johnson is if it was filmed at a crossroads and the guy is down on his knees drawing an inverted pentagram and sacrificing a burning guitar.
Rex Mundi I have a bottle of dirt from the crossroads, I dug it up myself.
Well, if he were holding a copy of one of his records in the video, that might do it.
Mike Baker Why? I mean, I would only think 1 of 2 things :
1.) A Damn Lie
2.) Crazy As Hell
😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😑😑😑😑😑😑
Identifying random people from 80 year old photos or films without some from of notes from the scene or a connection of people who where there or knew of the event is almost impossible. Just like the more recent "Johnny Shines/Robert Johnson" photo. You can do all the high tech measurements you want. When there is no context or record associated with the individuals presented it's a guess at best. In this case, photos or videos show up from the mid-30s of blues artist with long fingers and a suit and it automatically RJ someone will claim. Sorry, unless there is some form of documentation substantiating RJ it's all splashy media and that's it. And Rex, even with some 24 year old bluesman scratching a pentagram in the crossroad in 1933, I still wouldn't buy it. It's a shame that RJ sightings seem to have this sideshow about them. A new Son House image was released from 1929 last year. Wonderful to see and everyone who know about House can tell it's him. No doubts and no shills or sideshows.
I met Henry Townsend here in St. Louis a bunch of times.. this was his home town for most of his life. Saw him play, for sure. I was at his 96th birthday party, and have pictures to prove it. He got onstage and played guitar, some piano, and sang some. He is the only confirmed person, on earth, ever, to play on records in 9 different decades! He recorded from 1929, until the early 2000's. Fact.
That’s cool af bro
He's got the fingers and he is playing like a madman.
all I know about the dude in the footage is that he's a straight up G
my momma grew up in small eastern NC tobaco townin the30s and 40s and she told me that saturday was "shove day" bowntown and that black folks had the run of the town...the film clip is exactly as she described downtown on saturday!!
G chord
Robert Johnson didn't sell his soul. He left for 6 months to prtactice. 6 months of nonstop practice will make anyone good.
Yes, he went to Arkansas and studied with a man there, who's name I forgot, but is included in the Blue's Documentary on CZcams.
Seems more likely, than Satan had anything to do with his playing.
@@AbleBodied the man i think was ike zimmerman who was his mentor, but he was also known for doing dark magic related things.
@@alonsotrujillo5786 It was someone in Arkansas, for sure. I watch all types of history of the blues, Documentaries, and they told it but I forgot it. Yes, you can make a deal with the devil. They outwardly do it today. I just forgot his name, but yeah, Arkansas had Albert Pike, Grand Mason, and all that dark Magick( from Crowley) that the Clintons got into. That's why Bill was a Rhodes Scholar. I thought his name was Lock something, on guitar. Thanks, I will look him up. I do recognize that name.
R.I.P. Robert Johnson
(1911-1938)
I love the line from Robert Lockwood. I don't care how many times you look at this film it ain't never gonna be Robert Johnson.
LaVere died in 2015. McCormick died 6 week before LaVere did. There're currently figuring out what to do with McComicks enormous archive. It has at least one unpublished photograph of Robert Jonson I know for a fact.
There is no actual footage of Johnson playing ☹️
Robert Johnson died in 1938. This was filmed in 1942. Your headline is misleading.
They explained in the beginning that these are different years of footage spliced together.
+Declan “The Reverend” MacGregor But I agree, it isn't Robert Johnson.
'Alleged'...........'alleged'.
@Marsha Rupe......maybe R. Johnson faked his death like Elvis.
everyone in the video says it's not him...what is everyone on
there are NO videos of THE Robert Johnson performing
True☹️
but there is film of A robert johnson performing .. better than nothing lmao
SUCKS
You can't know that.
He not only looks like Johnson, but look at the man's hands. Johnson had enormous hands with extremely long fingers. Yes, the date doesn't match, but the similarity is strong.
+James Dalessandro Not Johnson. Done.
not Donald Trump.
It just proves that Robert Johnson is not dead..duh.. duh 😀
@@tenzingsherpa5447 not Clinton
Johnson was also a harmonica player
"Is it is or is it ain't" pretty much sums it up.
He`s undead, paying the price ,still to this day and for all eternity playing guitar and harp ....he`s out there right now as we speak alone,in the dark deep night somewhere ...doing his thing.
The price he pays is eternal damnation without god.
@@jasoncamacho4855 If God will damn you for dealing with the Devil, maybe he should make playing the guitar not so much fun.
@@jasoncamacho4855 he actually practiced his ass off and propel made up a story to cope and he went with it because it made money
@@alonetraveler5391 yeah like if someone is bad at the guitar, leaves for awhile and then comes back and is very good at the guitar all that means is that they practised and learned not that sold their goddamn soul
@@zzodysseuszz I can’t tel if you are agreeing with me or not but yeah he didn’t sell his soul he practiced long and hard my brothers freind learned guitar in a few days and by the end of the year he was in a band I forget the band but the are good players
No one is alleging this is Robert Johnson. Please change your incorrect and misleading headline. Thanks.
I love that man at the 5:22 mark! There's just something about that Southern African American soul that I find both awesome and endearing. And not even as a racial classification but as a cultural one. A great people that gave the world a great thing; the Blues. God Bless all who sing the Blues!
Robert Johnson was Robert Lockwood stepfather he said that's who taught him how to play guitar so he would know if that was Robert Johnson
He said it was not Robert, so it seems no one knows who it was for sure, in the video.
It's too bad that the footage is presented with interruptions for commentary. Is the original video available from start to finish without the interruptions from academics?
That must have been amazing for both races. Im so glad to hear that the gentlman filmed both races so my people had reason to smile at least once a month
I'll be god damned! It was today January 30th, 1942- that movie was shown in Mississippi. That's 77 years ago. The Bluesman looks young as we know Robert Johnson was, mostly. Never had heard of this. Classic, too bad no sound.
Hey, there are films of certain persons we would give almost anything to see--but they just don't exit. This film, however, is still interesting, and it woulda sure been great to hear what that guy sounded like--he seemed rather confident and competent.
Not sure about that incident, but Steven Levere is the owner of the Robert Johnson estate. I have no idea how that ever happened.
Reply to my comment
The Devil's music was the blues. In rural African-American Mississippi, playing the blues for money was a pact with the devil. Almost all of those guys had to deal with it. Howlin' Wolf's mother never forgave him. When he became successful and had more money that he knew how to spend, he tried giving money (a lot of money) to his mother, who was still living in poverty. She would tear the cash bills up and throw them at his feet, refusing to talk to him. It was the devil's money.
Son House is the guy who started this hokum of Johnson selling his soul to the devil. When Johnson first arrived on the juke joint scene, he was terrible. Everybody made fun of him. So Johnson took off to Memphis to live with his father. In Memphis he studied, practiced, and learned. When he thought he was good enough, he went back to Mississippi
Johnson shows up, and everybody was like, "oh, no, not you again." But, they gave him three minutes, just for laughs. Then Johnson starting playing, and the study and practice began to show. Everybody was amazed.
Son House, who was previously Johnson's biggest detractor, approached Johnson and said something like, "boy, you must have made a deal with the devil." It was a joke!!!
Johnson would go on to incorporate that joke into his music. And the irony is that his family was not particularly religious and did not have a problem with the blues. Meanwhile, Son House would come to the conclusion that the blues were, indeed, the music of devil, and he quit his musical career and became a preacher. By the early 60s, Son House flip-floped and returned to the blues.
Johnson became successful because he studied and practiced his ass off. This devil nonsense is an insult. It doesn't recognize all the hard work Johnson put into his music.
Fabulous insight.
Totally agree. If you can already play a bit of guitar and have a bit of wounded pride, I think you could learn delta in a few months. I think he must have met a good player somewhere who taught him a few licks and tricks and he practiced the shit out of them and came up with a few licks of his own. He definitely picked up loads of stuff from son house. He uses the same themes over and over again through his songs. I think he tempted fate by playing on the devil story though, hence his early death (probably from a ruptured dissecting aneurysm rather than being poisoned by a jealous husband. He likely had marfan's syndrome, thats why he was tall with long fingers)
Just found out that it was ike zimmerman who supposedly taught him to play. They would apparently play together at night in graveyards!
Sanjeeva Fernando Yes and I've seen the name also as Ike Zinerman, like in the book by Tom Graves
That is interesting, yet even great players take much longer than 6 months to be good
at 3:46 behind the 3 women you see the numbers 666. thats spookey
Only if you attach any significance to that number. If not, it's just another number. And as there is not the beginning of a hint of a logical reason to attach any significance to that number it's just another number. 666.
I saw that too
beatlesfantoo
So?
I noticed that to that's quite odd
ronald gans So...lol
*Cough* Just something I noticed.. 3:46 *Cough*
+Dale Bruce illuminati confirmed
Illuminati confirmed
+Dale Bruce COOOOOUGH!!!! surely a rare coincidence, but it´s fuc-ing creepy... and the fact that it´s never mentioned is a ... COOOOOOOUUUUGH!!!
+Dale Bruce wow, that's dark, man
+Dale Bruce
robert sold his soul to play like he did
Did no one notice that he is also playing a harmonica?
I heard he was actually really good on the harmonica before he learned to play guitar so well.
this song leaves me in wonderment more and more each time i listen. Thank you so much for uploading this one! And I speak on behalf of everybody when I say this one touched my soul
Care to explain what the hell you're on about? The only music in this video is the one single chord in the beginning.
The devil knows@@hastobe303
Robert Lockwood said it ain't him. That's good enough for me.
Robert Johnson was badder than Hendrix! Still fascinating people to this day! His soul is roaming! Makes no difference if it's him or not.
Badder/worse
no 😂😂😂
Not even close
That dude just needed an electric guitar
Jimi Hendrix is better
So there's no way that this guy is Robert Johnson because of the date of the poster on the background, yet the guy looks, to many of us an awful lot like Robert Johnson. So then what have we learned class? Here's what we should've learned: there were MANY black musicians in the pre-war era of America. We are aware of hundreds of black artists from recordings & we even have some pictures & biographical details. Yet there were obviously thousands more that we'll never hear of or we might come across a photo of a musician with a guitar, a film clip of some guy picking outside of a theatre. We are not capable of actually comprehending the sheer amount of information regarding that era. So? Let's not jump to conclusions anymore because we've proven that we cannot trust our ears & eyes & assumptions so much when it comes to historical documents. Let's stop talking like children about stuff that we just do not mostly understand.
Yea dude whoever that guy in the video is, he was rockin out.
don't you get it? any old picture of a black guy with a guitar might be robert johnson and any old picture of a white guy with a gun might be billy the kid.
Mick Funz and no to
There were several Robert Johnsons. All hired to disseminate the blues throughout the South. How do you think Robert could be in so many places at once like he was?.?[
I don't understand??? Can u explain?
NOT a video of Robert Johnson, should be the title.
I'd have to go with that purely because I think if Robert Lockwood said "it aint him".... then it aint him.
Robert Johnson would probably be dressed a lot smarter. Regardless, it's amazing historical film footage.
Class
"So far away" - Clapton's words in Sessions for Me and Robert J. after playing where Johnson recorded.
My family exhibited films in Baltimore from 1909 thru 2010. I'm 65 and just missed the era when this practice was common creative promotion, shooting MOS 35mm (silent) crowd footage in the neighborhood of the theaters, often using short film sections acquired for a lot less than full reels. The Durkee theaters had a fellow, Marhenke, an indie who would provide the footage on a weekly basis for a fee. he was rumored to have a "contact" in the newsreel biz in DC that developed his stuff on the side on the cheap. Within neighborhoods with a high concentration of a particular ethnic group, the film would include the local congregations exiting church and such. A unique opportunity to see oneself on a big movie screen. Patrons were encouraged to inform others hey I saw you at the Waverly Theatre on Saturday! Worked like a charm to get em in during the week to check themselves out. Family too. . It was an early form of interactive media I suppose.
Whoever this man was could really play his Guitar!
Has anyone tried to play exactly what's being back played by the guy and matched it with anything? Just curious! What be cool if there was sound. The other thing is to check the records of the entertainment places in the area and see who this guy could be as in assuming he's an entertainer? Who knows. I'm not a guitarist or anything
Andytomkins100 Great comment !!! I'm surprised no one has responded. The only issue mimicking his finger movements is that many blues songs were in so many different guitar tunings, so it might be impossible to figure out what song he was playing. Certainly some would match was he was playing and a song would come to fruition or there might be more than one song that would match. Some tunings would be eliminated quickly bc the sound/notes would sound out of key. Again, great suggestion though !!!
It's probably not possible. The guitar is probably in a weird tuning and there isn't enough footage to transcribe what he is doing with his picking hand. Whoever that guy is though, he certainly has a unique playing style.
They say it’s Jan 30, 1942. Yet, folks are dressed as if it’s summer. Many in short sleeves. I’ve ducked hunted in MS in January, and it’s damn cold in January. Nobody in a coat. Ladies in dresses with short sleeves. Men in shirts with short sleeves. It’s not January.
Mississippi can be quite pleasant in January especially further south. And the 1920s thru 1930s are the warmest winters on record in Mississippi.
I wonder what he's playing though , someone should bring this piece of lost music to life again
Hold on I know who this guy is . This is Blind Mellon Chitlin .
wooooah
Richard Day What? From Cheech and Chong?
"Goin' downtown, gonna see my gal..."
Ah yaw!
Gonna sing her a song, gonna show her my ding dong.
Psbbbttt......
Looks to me like it could be Son House!
This video proves it's not Robert Johnson. He made few records and they were all long out of print for years. Led Zeppelin caused a revival in his music. Sony issued a box set and sold a ton.
thank you
Like Robert Johnson was the only Delta blues musician. He wasn't by far. It is extraordinary footage of a country blues picker on the street in Ruleville. That, by itself, is amazing.
At around 3:45 - 3:47 you can see 666 on the building behind the kids. Gave me chills...
It's an ad for an old cough medicine. 666 Cold www.amazon.com/Electronic-World-Plus-Cold-Medicine/dp/B000RRTDOK
R Derek Hitchcock yep. I am from MS and my dad used to make us take that when we were little. It tasted horrible, but worked. Lol.
*****
A friend and I were just talking about some of the medicine we used to take as kids that you can't find any more. Remember mecuricome, and baby aspirin (yum)? My mom tells me of a "cough medicine" called paregoric which evidently had morphine. Oh the good ol' days. When medicine either killed you, or fixed you good.
Good Eyes! Robert Johnson confirmed!
those are 3 grown women
Couldn’t have been Johnson since he died in August of 1938 and ‘blues in the night’ wasn’t released till ‘41. There wouldn’t have been advertisements for a movie 3 years before it was released and Johnson had been dead for three years when it was released.
Some people are stupid if they believe this crap lol.
NEW THEORY: Robert Johnson was not only a superb musician but also invented a time machine - this is the proof: He died in 1938 but appeared in a movie from 1942. :-)
5:05 Its Ike Zimmerman. Ike was Roberts mentor and taught him how to play. That very well could be him.
Now that's a strong possibility
Now that's a theory I can possibly go with!! Too bad we'll never know for sure.. unless someone comes forward who's related to Ike and has pics and or film of him.
Wasn't he out of Arkansas?
@@justineightiesbaby5525 No it isn't its a very weak possibility with no evidence. You may as well say, the guy with the guitar isn't him but one of the fellas in the background is. What you say is a complete stab in the dark.
@@branthomas1621 we will never know for sure
If Robert Johnson died in 1938, *HOW COULD THAT BE HIM!!!!??? DUHHHHH!!!!!!!*
Robert Johnson supposedly died in '38, he says this was filmed in '41-'42, it isn't RJ then.
This is soooooo cool!!!! My dad was born in Cleveland which is just west of Ruleville in 1943. I would love to see more of this.
Hi there.. how are you doing? Happy new year 🎆🎈🎊 with good health and prosperity
Check out 3:46 mark. See the # behind the lady on the left? Creepy, no?
Run Devil Run (check out McCartney's album);- 666 Colds lol WAY before CVS
Very strange that sign we be up during that time in the Bible Belt. Wonder if it’s one of those Mandela Effects.
no.. it's a number.. what's creepy is simpleton's making something out of nothing.. like numbers.. human constructs to represent a value, which is also a human construct.. people are so gullible.
I remember that nasty ass cold medicine. My dad never called it 666, he always made sure to call it "three sixes". It was available in MS long enough for him to still have a bottle (and force us to take it) in the late 80s-early 90s.
They have some new version which is a cough syrup. The original was a yellow liquid that you had to mix with water. It had a plain yellow label. It was terrible tasting, but surprisingly worked.
***** My late father was STILL taking that mess in the 90s and the 2000s, if I'm not mistaken. I hadn't bought that in yrs and it was VERY yellow and VERY nasty!!! My dad did the same thing - "Three Sixes".
We had a cough medicine when I was a kid called 'Turpin hydrate,' now that was some wicked stuff! Was made from pine tree sap or something.
Actually, to everyone posting up saying "Robert Johnson never played harmonica", don't know enough about RJ to comment on this because he did in fact play harmonica before he started playing guitar, he just never recorded any songs blowin' harp.
Johnny Shines had also said that he and Robert lost their guitars in a fire and the made money enough money to buy new guitars, when Robert was blowin' harp and Johnny was dancing to people driving by on the highway.
his grandpa sounds like a really nice guy.
Looks to me like Fred McDowell
3:46 It says 666 in the background. It was definitely Robert Johnson.
cough syrup 🙄
Love Sunny Lockwood giving the lip sass too lmao
As for shattering preconceptions, just look at the dozens of musicians on scene today that list Robert Johnson as their gateway to the blues (which he continues to be used as) - yeah, maybe Charley Patton or Blind Lemon Jefferson were more influential as far as musicianship/composing goes, but the ease with which one can enjoy their recordings is superseded by their genius. Johnson, whether through calculation or through accident, was able to keep a good balance.
According to what I've seen, Robert Johnson never showed himself playing his ax.
Johnson always turned to the wall playing his guitar and singing when he was recorded. Was that true of him, he never wanted to be filmed playing?
Have anyone else recognize the three sixes on the window @ 3:45
As much as it does look like Robert Johnson, based on the other 2 stills that exist, that fellow has a harmonica around his neck and Johnson was not known for harmonica, nor is there any on his recordings. If he did play harmonica, you'd think there would be at least one track with harmonica on it.
I'm reading Up Jumped the Devil..he played harmonica.
Damn i think it may be Mr. Johnson,look at one of his close up pictures and the way his hand and fingers are structured thats on the neck of his guitar,almost like devil hands,and the guys hands in this pic looks just like his...call me crazy but it gave me chills..
I ain't a blues scientist or nothing, but that looks like Petey Wheatstraw.
Petey Wheatstraw The Devils son-in-law, as he was professionally known was actually named William Bunch. He was born in 1902 in either Tennessee or Arkansas. He relocated to St. Louis in the 1920's. He died in St. Louis in 1941 at the age of 39.
So, good guess...
+pazvato He hoboed around a lot, as did most blues men at the time. Could've been look at his features..
Absolutely, BUT that footage is from 1942 and he passed in 1941.
1942....speculation ends.What's wrong with these people? RJ's ghost?
If you look up May 8 birthdays, these people are organized, capable, generous-hearted leaders. Mr. Johnson was a gifted, talented, intelligent person, who may very well have sought supernatural means to ensure success. These things are not unheard of even today. May his soul rest in peace. (Typo)
Specifically May 8th? Or May in general?
Really? Because serial killer Danny Barber killed 4 people and had sex with their corpses, Does that seem like a kind-hearted generous leader?
isn't steven levere the guy that had the contract dispute with Robert Johnson's sister? He had her sign a contract that basically took all of her rights from all Robert Johnson music, picture, etc, etc
They still make three-sixes
Anyone who believes this is Robert is sadly mistaken. Especially any guitar player. Rudimentary fingering of an open G tuning, nothing to see here folks. Robert burned. This guy? meh. All the ridiculous speculation about 'selling his soul'? Absurd. Grant him his genius. Look at Paganini. The same silly speculation about him. Yet today, any serious violinist must master some of his music. And there are a very few contemporary players who can evoke Robert, tho none convincingly IMO. A man, folks. I call it a hundred year talent, like a hundred year flood. They don't come around very often. Leave your clumsy religious interpretations out of it, and grant him his due.
+frederick robertson Typical Atheist he feels all he says is fact
+Jack Thomas Yes, with argument, points to speculate on, things..you can see. Jack, this might not be Robert, but I'd like to see ANY footage backing your beliefs.....any.....any....any.....proof of YOUR beliefs.
+Kenneth Reiss lol proof in a youtube comment's section
it's all bullshit my friend
+TheBoldImperatorIt's all bullshit, and it's bad for ya!
+frederick robertson so he cannot play for fun only? he have to play like he does on the record then? what a stupid comment fingering an open G tuning hahah
Is this the clip that Bob Dylan mentions at the end of Chronicles Vol.1?
1.2 million views, everybody wants to see Robert Johnson.
3:46 .its say 666 behind the little girls
I had watched this before and had never noticed at 5:28 you can see Peter Green in the audience, next to him is Nigel Watson.
Yes, that's right! I was just going to post that. Peter Green was in town for this event, it was the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame's "'American Music Masters Series, Tribute To Robert Johnson", 9/24-27/1998 in Cleveland, Ohio. Peter Green's Splinter Group was on the bill for the Tribute To Robert Johnson concert. I was sitting in the back! Nice to see that Peter got to enjoy some of the conference too. I also remember that during the concert, when Peter Green was playing, Joe Lewis Walker handed Peter a resonator guitar. Joe and I were both hoping to see some of Peter's former fire from the Fleetwood Mac days come through. I still remember seeing Joe mouth "play that motherfucker" after he handed the guitar to Peter. I was thinking the same thing. Alas, as this was relatively soon after Peter's re-appearance on the music scene, he wasn't in very good mental shape and he just didn't have it in him. Memories. Still, nice to spot him on here!
Ry cooder is a master of blues slide guitar, he wrote most of the score for the film "crossroads"
It's great that these folks protect an original American art form that would eventually help root the world.
THAT'S ACTUALLY MY COUSIN WILLIE EZEKIA WILLIAMS.
Seriously? ?
never heard of him, so that's about right. one of the thousands of quotidian guitar-picking harp-playing folk singers with a cool name
johnson died august 16 1938 it couldnt possibly him maybe he returned from the dead or something XD
I didn,t know this ,... I thought he died the night of Hendrix birth ?
Wishful thinking let him REST EASY 🙏🏽
I would love for all this footage to be posted on youtube.
It's really uncommon to see footage of the south at that time and especially footage of black people. The fact that they caught any delta blues musician is incredible. I would love to be able to see the full reel.
ok did anyone else catch that pls like at this part 3:46 and pause it so you can see it in the video behind the ladies of the three score 666 that day was cursed by the devil and report and his peoples didn't even know it
it's a four digit number, she's in front of the first number.
+zachos2 still creepy
Saw that. Creepy..
Let robert rest in peace!
It's known for a fact that Robert Johnson died on August 16, 1938.
There's a movie poster behind the guy in this film clip advertising a movie that came out in 1941...which is two years after Robert Johnson died.
Thus, this cannot possibly be Robert Johnson.
I would think we need more of both.
Just about every blues musician from that era that we know, are the ones who recorded. Yet the south-east USA was most likely teeming with them, so changes are the guy is someone totally forgotten, if ever even known.
You wanna sell us soul. Not me, I'd rather starve . My soul belongs to Jesus Christ . Always
Your soul should belong to grammar because you need it.
I rather burn in hell with mah man RJ
Last I looked it was at the bottom of my shoe at the fish store.
Bradley smith Amen! But in the song Crossroads doesnt anyone else but me notice He cries out; Lord would you help me please?
@@jimchumley6568 ain't this just play to make fun of the people that made fun of his skills? Then when he got better, people claimed he sold his sole.
Bob Dylan mentions this film in Vol. 1 of 'Chronicles' (which is what brought me here). He reckoned the footage was authentic, but it seems he was wrong. A pity: I would love to see such a film. Or even a new photo, since only 2 of RJ are known to exist.
I wish we DID have film of Robert Johnson, but clearly we don't.
666 in the footage isgn in the film. to mouch of a coincidance.
yep, I saw that. those three hags are his hellhounds and the guitarist is the devil. read my post up top. you know whats what
I agree. What I've read about this guy, he's unbelievable!
OK ENOUGH. Let's do Math Robert Johnson died in 1938 and The clip was in 1942. Very obvious not Robert Johnson.
Lol
These guys are just farcical. They asked Led Zep's Plant & Page? How the hell are they supposed to know? Lol! I have been to lots of these "Blues Symposia" for decades, mostly these people don't know what they're saying. Johnny Shines said Robert Johnson was well-educated, while Robert Lockwood said he was illiterate! And they both claimed to have been his closest friends! On Vanity Fair they published a photo (allegedly) of Johnson with Shines which nobody can authenticate! Thanks for the post