Visiting the Crossroads in Clarksdale Mississippi - Robert Johnson
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- Опубліковано 11 чер 2024
- Timestamps for video.
00:00 - Beginning
00:00 - Highway 61 - The Old Blues Highway
00:33 - Clarksdale, Mississippi
01:03 - Part of Tommy Johnson's Crossroads Quote
01:24 - Before The Crossroads Sign
01:33 - Local Resident Builds the Crossroads Sign for Free
02:05 - Seeing the Crossroads for the First Time
02:49 - Full Tommy Johnson Crossroads Quote
03:17 - The Truth about Robert Johnson and the Crossroads Mythology
The famous sign at the intersection of Highway 61, and Highway 49, is unforgettable. It's the Crossroads. A large metal sign with 3 guitars stands tall as it commemorates the story of Robert Johnson, and the supposed deal he made one moonlit midnight back in the 1930's.
I made the trip down to Clarksdale, Mississippi to see this famous spot with my own eyes. I was also curious about when this sign was built, and who exactly built it.
I hope you enjoy this short video I made... Thank you for watching, and please click like and subscribe to my channel. @StillLivinTheBlues
#RobertJohnson
#Crossroads
#Clarksdale
#ClarksdaleMS
#Mississippi
#Highway61
#StillLivinTheBlues
Cool. I been there at those same Crossroads. Many years ago.
Awesome!
That’s awesome, John! There is definitely a lot to see down there!
I’m from Clarksdale. That’s just a tourist attraction. Highways 61 and 49 were not at that location in Robert Johnson’s time. Ask a local where “old Highway 61” and “old 49” are.
Robert Lockwood Jr learned how to play the guitar from Robert Johnson. He always said the crossroads story was BS. As a matter of fact, I don't ever remember Lockwood saying that Johnson ever mentioned the whole crossroads story. It was just a song he wrote. Johnson was in love with Lockwood's mother and Lockwood was a young teen and they spent a lot of time together playing music. Lockwood said that Johnson was a loner. He didn't really like being around people which probably led to the mystery. Having said all that, he did say Robert Johnson was a very good guitar player for his time.
Oh yeah! I completely agree. Personally, I don't believe in the Crossroads story, or even what a lot of people are now saying about Ike Zimmerman. For different reasons, folks just try to fill in the blanks of Johnson's history. with anything but facts... And sadly, the facts are probably already lost to time.
@@StillLivinTheBlues I agree with you. That's why I think that Lockwood is our best source of information. And truth be told, if you listen to Robert Lockwood Jr's music, I think he did Johnson style better than Johnson.
@@StillLivinTheBlues having said all that, I'm thinking about making a trip down to Clarksdale this summer. Going to stay at the shack inn. Anything you can recommend to make my trip better?
@@user-zm6yh3ux7l Whew, man. There are so many places to check out... The Delta Blues museum there is an absolute must see. It's there in Clarksdale, and is by Morgan Freeman's Ground Zero blues club. (Another stop)
Stovall farm is close by, and that's where Muddy's cabin once resided. I liked seeing that. The cabin now resides in the Delta Blues Museum.
Can you download apps? The Mississippi Blues Trial Mobile app is pretty cool...and it shows you a whole lot of different places to see in MS, TN, and even West Arkansas. You can pick and choose what you would like to see, and help you get there, etc... It's worth checking out.
Robert's grave is further south in the state. I don't know if you are heading that far south.
Check out that app, and let me know what you think about it. Is there any other blues musicians you like? Or, is your trip mostly going to be centered on Robert?
@@StillLivinTheBlues thank you very much. I'm going to screenshot this comment and put those all on the list. As far as my taste, I'm a lifelong musician and blues lover. My favorite blues musician is Chris Cain. However, I could go on and on about all my favorite blues artists.
😎🎸
I parked in the Church's chicken lot and got my pic taken under the sign
Haha. I wish I had done that! Its kind of weird to see a Church's chicken near the "crossroads" isn't it?
@@StillLivinTheBlues no kiddding, nothing like dodging traffic to stand under the sign.
the real crossroads is outside of town
That is the commercial crossroads. The real crossroads is at Walker Rd. and Lusk Rd.
Interesting story there John. Will you go to the crossroads one day, (“fore 12 : 00”) at night, with your guitar, and wait for inspiration to come up?
So route 61 is the blues road?
And route 66 is a rockabilly road (brian setzer kind of music)?
What kind of roads/numbers do have a musical meaning?
I bet it’s not safe to be there at midnight.
I guess I should. lol. I need all the help I can get!
Yeah, Highway 61 is known as the Blues Highway. Old school Bluesmen would travel up and down it, stopping in towns and cities to play music and make money. There are a lot of stories on that road.
you know that is NOT where the OLD Highway 61 and 49 was located right? Nice tourist attraction though. Abe's is still there too, lol
Where is the original location then ?
Yes.
A viewer finds it difficult to read those quotes you have posted due the front color. I wish I knew what was included in them.
Are you watching from a phone? Here is what Tommy Johnson had to say about a Crossroad...
“If you want to learn how to play anything you want to play and learn how to make songs yourself, you take your guitar and you go to where a road crosses that way, where a crossroads is. Get there, be sure to get there just a little ‘fore 12:00 that night so you’ll know you’ll be there. You have your guitar and be playing a piece there by yourself. A big black man will walk up there and take your guitar, and he’ll tune it. And then he’ll play a piece and hand it back to you. That’s the way I learned to play anything I want.” - Tommy Johnson
That's the tops, man. Thanks a million.
Not the real crossroads, just the tourist crossroads.
it is the blues tourist trail, where would you look for the original location ?