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
@@Leel3ones89 Listen to one of Johnsons mates; Sonny Boy Williamson plays guitar.Kind hearted woman: ua-cam.com/video/ag87Osjuad4/v-deo.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 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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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?.?[
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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".
Everyone commenting that he died in 1938- this is true. They are using this argument as well. They are comparing the 1942 poster to Robert's death date and saying that is "of course not Robert Johnson, but maybe someone else."
The thing that interests me about the "man" that could possibly confirm that it could be a young Robert Johnson is his extraordinarily long fingers. Not many people have fingers that are long and thin like that. Not even taller men. Confirmed pictures of Robert Johnson always show Johnson playing with long thin fingers. The two well-known blues men who say it is not Johnson -- "say it" and never explain WHY they think it isn't him. No substantiation, no reasons except for their opinion, but opinions are not proof positive. WHY do they believe it it is not Robert? Doesn't look like him? Body different? Eyes? Style of playing? It does look like the man knows how to play the guitar. They have only physical features to explain their belief as to why it isn't Robert. No sound. No voice. Does it matter whether it is or not Robert Johnson? No. It won't bring Robert back. What is more important is if someone finds another song or two that could presumably be a Robert Johnson song. A recorded song, or just some scribbled sheet music in Robert's own hand. Or a demo left over from one of those hotel recording sessions. An acetate. Now that would be something.
How is it geeky to keep culture alive? Anyone who thinks culture is geeky has no culture. Sad to say, but most people who say this is geeky are kids my age (late teens to early 20's, and even younger) and in actuality they need to grow up to understand this. This right here transcends age and countries. Its blues, its universal. Some people just get it, and others take time to understand, or sadly, just don't get it at all.
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!
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...
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
This film has since been proven not to be Robert Johnson. It was proven by the show being advertised in the background. It played only one weekend and Johnson's whereabouts were apparently known on this date. Or so I read.
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.
Six and a half minutes of white dudes speculating and lo and behold, there's Robert Lockwood in the audience shaking his head, "No... no... no... what you're tellin' me, he told you a lie." End of discussion.
The question is not if it is Robert Johnson;but rather, who is this, what was his sound and how many other great black musicians like hm that simply didn't get there recognition? Great archival footage none the less.
I always wished that Lomax got to Blind Willie Johnson before he died. When I heard the McTell recordings, I got a pit in my stomach when McTell said "Blind Willie Johnson is dead."
People are getting ticked about it not being Robert Johnson, and of course it’s 99% probably not but I still think this is still very interesting clip.
There's another anomaly to this film If that's Leroy Carr riding by with his piano on the cart at 3:11 he's a long way from Indianapolis There's no mention of Mississippi in Carr's Wikipedia page
I always believed that Robert Johnson was never a harp player. I've read a good deal about him but the subject of a harp never came up. You'll see my entry (eldorado 62) on here. Now you've got me thinking. Thanks for posting this bit of info.
As a followup to my post, most of the film I refer to, shot of locals as theatre promotion that as 35mm positives were nitrate before 1950, and as such when acetate "safety film" came into use, in established regional circuits like ours, who owned scores of theater buildings, the Fire Dept & Insurance Companies were all hyped to fear all nitrate film as deadly!! (it wasn't) as flammable,(yes, it was, think lawnmower gas can safety methods) , and so ALL nitrate was hunted down & near ritually exterminated. Missing forever after this purge was "The Making of The Senator Theatre" with footage of my grandfather in a hard hat touring the theatre under construction in increments.. Don't know what year this claims to be re Robert Johnson possible footage yet nitrate vs safety film's introduction 1949-50 nationwide,could play into validating authenticity of this tale.
I don't really get the controversy. It doesn't look like Johnson, who we can see from two quite clear photographs. The person in the video is just another "undiscovered" bluesman from the time.
Does the film show the Jan '42 movie poster behind "Robert Johnson"? If not, and there is not definitive date on the film with "Robert Johnson" then who is to say that the an earlier film of Robert Johnson was not in spliced into the Jan '42 film?
Rex Mundi, all good points, but it just could be possible that the man thought to have died of poisoning in 1938 was someone who looked a lot like RJ. It's possible that if he were alive in this year, he could've been jived by someone promising a movie part or something. He could have been convinced to dress "more apple pie" for white audiences. If so, he would have played very simple mainstream tunes. RJ was known to augment his material to suit different audience. For example, he recorded "They're Red Hot", a cover of a popular hit of the day. All of this may be slim, but alot of mistaken identity occured at late night house parties in the day.
What documentary is this from ? I used to have a vhs copy of this . I have forgotten the name of it ? If anyone knows please let me know i would love to find it again !
the creepy thing about this is Robert Johnson was never a celebrity in the blues scene in those days. his career never really took off yet no more than 30 years after his death, he becomes probably the greatest musicians of our time. i can just see Robert asking the devil if he can have fame in return for his sole. the devil surely give him it alright lol. no (1) rule when dealing with the devil : be careful what you wish for because you just might get it !.
That is R L Burnside. He would have been around 15 at the time. I find it hard to believe that he has been overlooked as he is the most obvious choice.
Doesn't look like RJ at all, but I love the footage. Heck, they even dated the footage as early 40's, he died in 38, so why are people speculating that it's him?
I think he's referring to a lot of songs of Johnson's, like Hellhound on My Trail, etc and the legend about him making a deal with the devil at the crossroads.
First, Robert Johnson never played the Harmonica. So why is this guy with one? Second, Like MrDaemonB said, Johnson died 4 years before this film is said to have been filmed. Sure the speculations surrounding his death are debated, but they all seem to agree when it happened. I'd chalk it up to 2 things. Either a relative of Robert Johnson (Hence the similar facial features) or some given Blues Musician who decided to pose for the camera, which is the one i believe.
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 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
"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: ua-cam.com/video/ag87Osjuad4/v-deo.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
@@Unique77783 I disagree I think he looks older than Robert Johnson but I'm sure Robert was built like that.
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 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.
@HatsuMomo J'adore Um, his name was never Robert Clarence.
@HatsuMomo J'adore Wrong ...it was Robert Spencer...changed to Johnson when he finally met his real father and took his last name!
@HatsuMomo J'adore that doc's shit, mate
Yes that Netflix doc sucks. Watch Cant You Hear the Wind Howl or read Up Jumped the Devil by Bruce Conforth and Gayle Dean Wardlow.
@Prímabélla Dívína just because you watched a documentary about him doesn't mean you know everything about him.
R.I.P. Robert Johnson
(1911-1938)
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
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.
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
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?
Robert Lockwood said it ain't him. That's good enough for me.
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.
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
No one is alleging this is Robert Johnson. Please change your incorrect and misleading headline. Thanks.
*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
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
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?
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
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
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.
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.
I wonder what he's playing though , someone should bring this piece of lost music to life again
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.
"So far away" - Clapton's words in Sessions for Me and Robert J. after playing where Johnson recorded.
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.
Looks to me like it could be Son House!
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 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.
Ry cooder is a master of blues slide guitar, he wrote most of the score for the film "crossroads"
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......
It's great that these folks protect an original American art form that would eventually help root the world.
Have anyone else recognize the three sixes on the window @ 3:45
Everyone commenting that he died in 1938- this is true. They are using this argument as well. They are comparing the 1942 poster to Robert's death date and saying that is "of course not Robert Johnson, but maybe someone else."
The thing that interests me about the "man" that could possibly confirm that it could be a young Robert Johnson is his extraordinarily long fingers. Not many people have fingers that are long and thin like that. Not even taller men. Confirmed pictures of Robert Johnson always show Johnson playing with long thin fingers. The two well-known blues men who say it is not Johnson -- "say it" and never explain WHY they think it isn't him. No substantiation, no reasons except for their opinion, but opinions are not proof positive. WHY do they believe it it is not Robert? Doesn't look like him? Body different? Eyes? Style of playing? It does look like the man knows how to play the guitar. They have only physical features to explain their belief as to why it isn't Robert. No sound. No voice. Does it matter whether it is or not Robert Johnson? No. It won't bring Robert back. What is more important is if someone finds another song or two that could presumably be a Robert Johnson song. A recorded song, or just some scribbled sheet music in Robert's own hand. Or a demo left over from one of those hotel recording sessions. An acetate. Now that would be something.
Well, this was filmed in 1942 and Robert Johnson died in 1938. I think they DID make clear why this cant be Robert Johnson.
Wow it definitely does say 666. Never noticed that before thanks for pointing it out. This will surely feed the conspiracy theories!
Looks to me like Fred McDowell
There's no footage of Nick Drake playing either. It hurts.
How is it geeky to keep culture alive? Anyone who thinks culture is geeky has no culture. Sad to say, but most people who say this is geeky are kids my age (late teens to early 20's, and even younger) and in actuality they need to grow up to understand this. This right here transcends age and countries. Its blues, its universal. Some people just get it, and others take time to understand, or sadly, just don't get it at all.
3:46 .its say 666 behind the little girls
It is robert johnson, the harmonica tells it all...
My folks were dating in 1942.
My oldest sister was born two years later.
william, was your sister born in 1944 ?
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!
OK ENOUGH. Let's do Math Robert Johnson died in 1938 and The clip was in 1942. Very obvious not Robert Johnson.
Lol
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.
I agree. What I've read about this guy, he's unbelievable!
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
This film has since been proven not to be Robert Johnson. It was proven by the show being advertised in the background. It played only one weekend and Johnson's whereabouts were apparently known on this date. Or so I read.
I wish we DID have film of Robert Johnson, but clearly we don't.
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 ?
They didn't even need to have this seminar.
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.
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
If the guy in the film ever became well known, I'll bet Pete Seeger would know who he might have been.
Six and a half minutes of white dudes speculating and lo and behold, there's Robert Lockwood in the audience shaking his head, "No... no... no... what you're tellin' me, he told you a lie." End of discussion.
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
The question is not if it is Robert Johnson;but rather, who is this, what was his sound and how many other great black musicians like hm that simply didn't get there recognition? Great archival footage none the less.
I always wished that Lomax got to Blind Willie Johnson before he died. When I heard the McTell recordings, I got a pit in my stomach when McTell said "Blind Willie Johnson is dead."
People are getting ticked about it not being Robert Johnson, and of course it’s 99% probably not but I still think this is still very interesting clip.
No matter how many times you watch this , Its never gonna be Robert Johnson
There's another anomaly to this film If that's Leroy Carr riding by with his piano on the cart at 3:11 he's a long way from Indianapolis There's no mention of Mississippi in Carr's Wikipedia page
The "Devils notes"...AKA the flattened fifth.. the Devils interval..
It's clearly Eddie van Halen in his younger days
I always believed that Robert Johnson was never a harp player. I've read a good deal about him but the subject of a harp never came up. You'll see my entry (eldorado 62) on here. Now you've got me thinking. Thanks for posting this bit of info.
Robert Johnson played with his hand more perpendicular to fret board than guy you’re showing.
The man is not even playing bass notes only high notes and it does not look like him ,an insult to greatness.
3:13.
That was johnson..hugging that woman
Wow it actually does look like him how you know for sure ?
As a followup to my post, most of the film I refer to, shot of locals as theatre promotion that as 35mm positives were nitrate before 1950, and as such when acetate "safety film" came into use, in established regional circuits like ours, who owned scores of theater buildings, the Fire Dept & Insurance Companies were all hyped to fear all nitrate film as deadly!! (it wasn't) as flammable,(yes, it was, think lawnmower gas can safety methods) , and so ALL nitrate was hunted down & near ritually exterminated. Missing forever after this purge was "The Making of The Senator Theatre" with footage of my grandfather in a hard hat touring the theatre under construction in increments.. Don't know what year this claims to be re Robert Johnson possible footage yet nitrate vs safety film's introduction 1949-50 nationwide,could play into validating authenticity of this tale.
The approximate year of the footage may be determined by the cars that are shown!!! Somebody check it out.
I don't really get the controversy. It doesn't look like Johnson, who we can see from two quite clear photographs. The person in the video is just another "undiscovered" bluesman from the time.
Does the film show the Jan '42 movie poster behind "Robert Johnson"? If not, and there is not definitive date on the film with "Robert Johnson" then who is to say that the an earlier film of Robert Johnson was not in spliced into the Jan '42 film?
This is ridiculous!
Rex Mundi, all good points, but it just could be possible that the man thought to have died of poisoning in 1938 was someone who looked a lot like RJ. It's possible that if he were alive in this year, he could've been jived by someone promising a movie part or something. He could have been convinced to dress "more apple pie" for white audiences. If so, he would have played very simple mainstream tunes. RJ was known to augment his material to suit different audience. For example, he recorded "They're Red Hot", a cover of a popular hit of the day. All of this may be slim, but alot of mistaken identity occured at late night house parties in the day.
What documentary is this from ? I used to have a vhs copy of this . I have forgotten the name of it ? If anyone knows please let me know i would love to find it again !
the creepy thing about this is Robert Johnson was never a celebrity in the blues scene in those days.
his career never really took off yet no more than 30 years after his death, he becomes probably the greatest musicians of our time.
i can just see Robert asking the devil if he can have fame in return for his sole.
the devil surely give him it alright lol.
no (1) rule when dealing with the devil : be careful what you wish for because you just might get it !.
3:46 says 666 right behind. Could be coincidence but crazy people say this dude sold his soul.
The folks in this film are not dressed for January in Mississippi.
3:46 look behind the women
Theater is a two-syllable word
That is R L Burnside. He would have been around 15 at the time. I find it hard to believe that he has been overlooked as he is the most obvious choice.
Looks like Johnson. He was one of the few who played harmonica w/guitar.
I think thats ike zimmerman. I might be wrong, but he did teach robert or at least thats the rumor.
Look at his fingers - freakishly long - that is Robert Johnson
course it wouldnt be robert because the filmer woulda been blown away & stood there transfixed & captured the whole performance.
346 seconds in there is a 666 in the window behind the 3 people.
Nobody notices the 666 behind the woman in one shot?? Weird
Wait. Johnson died in 1938, and they go out of their way to describe that the movie is from 1942. Why are they even mentioning Johnson's name?
Doesn't look like RJ at all, but I love the footage. Heck, they even dated the footage as early 40's, he died in 38, so why are people speculating that it's him?
January 29th and 30th?? they are dressed in summer cloths , its cold in that part of mississippi in Jan
Robert Johnson is a supernatural creature. Not meant to be here
I think he's referring to a lot of songs of Johnson's, like Hellhound on My Trail, etc and the legend about him making a deal with the devil at the crossroads.
Maybe they have the dates wrong too. The car in the background looks like a 20s model. Just a thought.
First, Robert Johnson never played the Harmonica. So why is this guy with one? Second, Like MrDaemonB said, Johnson died 4 years before this film is said to have been filmed. Sure the speculations surrounding his death are debated, but they all seem to agree when it happened. I'd chalk it up to 2 things. Either a relative of Robert Johnson (Hence the similar facial features) or some given Blues Musician who decided to pose for the camera, which is the one i believe.
3:46 look at that sign behind the 3 lady's.
Stooppppp ur eyesss
I wonder who it is then?
Robert Johnson died in 1938 and they say that this was made in 1942. Wow.
Pause video at 3:45 look behind the first women
Bob Dylan is convinced it's Robert Johnson.
clearly you've never heard of Peter Green or Michael Bloomfield. that's where it's at