Back to the Crossroads: The Roots of Robert Johnson LP

This collection assembles the range of sources that Robert Johnson heard and learned from, including songs from his mentor Son House and other Delta performers, and from sources that show aspects of the musical world in which he lived. Johnson's tastes ranged far and wide and he had a gift for absorbing sounds of all kinds, from tin pan alley to hillbilly songs. He was a brilliant creative musician who managed a stunningly effective fusion of his Delta roots and the smoother approach of the then-prominent contemporary blues artists.

As with any genius in any field, he was able to produce great work only because he was standing on the shoulders of previous great artists. This collection provides an introduction to a number of them and gives a sense of how Johnson adapted and combined their styles. It presents music that can still excite and inspire us today, just as it did to Robert Johnson back in the first golden age of the blues.

Back to the Crossroads traces the roots — not the influence — of Robert Johnson, perhaps the most eulogized singer in blues history. These roots are especially interesting to the rock fan who initially came to Johnson by way of Cream or Eric Clapton or the Allman Brothers, because they show how much the guitarist borrowed, adapted, and synthesized the music of those who came before him.