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TIMELINE |
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GRAPHY |
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May 8, 1911
Robert Leroy Johnson is born in Hazelhurst, Mississippi, to Julia
Ann Dodds and an itinerant field hand named Noah Johnson.
1924
Robert attends St. Peter's school in Memphis.
February 1929
17-year old Robert marries 15-year old Virginia Travis.
1930
Virginia and the baby die during childbirth.
1930-1931
At the crossroads. Robert turns to music, learning the guitar
from Ike Zimmerman in Hazelhurst, Mississippi.
Spring 1931
Robert marries a much older Calletta Craft.
1932
Robert leaves Calletta and travels up and down the river earning
a living as a musician.
November 23-27, 1936
Robert Johnson makes his first recordings in San Antonio, Texas,
for Don Law and the American Record Company. During a three-day
period sixteen songs are recorded, including Come on in My
Kitchen, Terraplane Blues, (I Believe I'll) Dust My Broom, Sweet
Home Chicago, Walkin' Blues and Cross Road Blues.
1936
Terraplane Blues backed with Kind Hearted Woman
is released on the Vocalion Label and becomes a modest regional
hit selling about 5,000 copies.
Robert meets Johnny Shines in Hughes, Arkansas, and they begin
to travel together.
June 19-20, 1937
Don Law calls Robert back to record in a downtown Dallas warehouse.
His second session produces Love in Vain, Hell Hound on My
Trail, Stop Breaking Down, Me And The Devil Blues, and Traveling
Riverside Blues.
August 13, 1938
Robert plays a local juke joint known as "Three Forks."
It was here that the Three Forks owner, a jealous husband, gives
him a glass of poisoned whiskey.
August 16, 1938
Without medical attention, 27-year old Robert Johnson dies an
agonizing death in Greenwood, Mississippi. His final burial site
is still in dispute.
December 13, 1938
Record producer John Hammond seeks out Robert to play his Carnegie
Hall concert called From Spirituals To Swing. It is then
the world finds out about Robert's untimely death.
1961
With the release of the Columbia LP record King of the Delta
Blues Singers a new worldwide audience is introduced to sixteen
of Robert Johnson's recordings.
1970
Columbia releases the LP King of the Delta Blues Singers -
Volume 2, containing Robert's final thirteen songs.
1980
Robert Johnson is inducted into The
Blues Foundation's Hall of Fame.
1986
Robert Johnson is part of the first group to be inducted into
the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
1990
Columbia releases a two-CD box set The Complete Recordings
of Robert Johnson. It sells over a half a million copies,
is certified platinum and receives a Grammy for Best Historical
Recording.
September 17, 1994
The U.S. Post Office issues a Robert Johnson commemorative postage
stamp.
September 20-27, 1998
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland,
honors Robert Johnson in a week long tribute.
December 12, 1999
The release of Can't You Hear The Wind Howl?: The Life &
Music of Robert Johnson marks the first effort to tell Robert
Johnson's complete biography on film.
