Robert Johnson and the Devil’s Crossroads | The Full Story and All Locations

I sold my soul to the sugar fairy. 🇺🇸🇺🇦❤🤍💙‬💛

That's honestly all i want one day is a small house like that. Just modified differently of course.

Make no mistake, Robert used and played on this myth to full effect. It was a case of Marketing 101 1936 style. Everything from Crossroads Blues to Hellhounds On My Trail was playing on his well crafted and self promoted mythology. Robert's story is even more remarkable than the myth and his death makes one wonder if the myths weren't true all along. He should have listened to his friend boy Willie Brown bout the whiskey.

Loved this video! Extremely interesting and fascinating. I've love the blues. You boys done a excellent job at explaining the life of Robert Johnson! Thank you so much ❤❤❤❤❤

Talk to Robert Johnsons grandson about where he was during his year he was missing. Intersting.

This makes the second time I have watched this. Rose's husband dug the grave, and both are also buried in that cemetery, Thank you, Scott and Randy. Safe travels.-Joe from Joplin MO

there is no such thing as the "real" crossroads....it didn't happen...

STOP perpetuating the LIE that Robert wasn't a very good guitarist at that time...he just didn't play what they wanted to hear...Robert could play ANYTHING he worked on from a very young age...his step father Dobbs/Spencer taught him how to play while living with him in Memphis...he wasn't exposed to the Delta Blues so he didn't play the songs that the people at Dockery's Farm wanted to hear...he was very young and played what he was used to playing on BEALE STREET in Memphis which wasn't the Delta Blues...when he learn the Delta Blues from Ike Zimmerman, he came back two years later and ran circles around ALL OF THEM...

stop

It is not known how old Robert Johnson was when he died. People that were born poor back then typically never had birth certificates and Robert Johnson was born into an extremely poor family. There is no indication that Robert Johnson's birthday was ever recorded, formally or informally. There is no indication that Robert Johnson or anyone in his family ever knew his birthday.

The first story that I ever heard about Robert Johnson was that he was playing at "juke joints" from the age of 19 through 26. He was very poor & couldn't afford a guitar. The owners of the "juke joints" generally owned the musical instruments played by the musicians that would play often for no pay & living on tips that they got from the crowd. Maybe they would get free drinks & food from the bartenders, waitresses, etc., if they were lucky. At the age of 26, having made basically no money playing `the juke joint circuit`, he sold his soul to `the Devil` to be a famous blues man. And he was a famous blues man...for fifteen years; he died penniless, of a heart attack at the age of 41. That was obviously never proven, either!

`The CoNsPiRaCy ThEoRy of 27` is an urban legend/`cOnSpIrAcY tHeOrY` that, if you look at actual statistical data for people who are celebrities, musicians specifically, they die at all ages and, is completely FAKE. It is just tool that is used by fans & within popular culture to romanticize the people that we admire & idolize. It's a scam, playing for sympathy.

Scott Love your videos.When they pop up i watch them.Ya Robert Johnson i read the story and i think i saw a video on him.I Love the Blues.The story on him your on the money.Interesting story.Great Blues player.The Guy was jelous of him and did him in.He was poisoned.I dont know much of his music.His name came up couple times
The women Loved the guy and his music.🙁

This has to be where the crossroads are . As Robert left dockery he had that decision to make .

For some amazing modern Delta Blues, I highly recommend Justin Johnson's (no relation that I'm aware of) You Tube channel - amazing performer.

Wow brother thanks 😊

All I know is throughout the decades, there have been conflicting stories of where the real Crossroads is located. There’s one location in the middle of town known as the basic Tour site which is not the real crossroads so I’ve heard.The real location might still be unknown depending on what you believe where it’s located.

You don't need to go down to any crossroads, the Devil always comes with an offer during times of change (Cross Roads) or uncertainty in one's life.

him taking in other musicians criticism and instead of losing hope , he goes off and finds the best guitarist [ possibly the greatest unknown blues guitarist ever ] and spends a year or two in an intense training boot camp , living with his teacher like he is part of the family, is far far more interesting me than him just being gifted powers he did not earn. Would like to know more about Ike, it seems Ike was a true gift to all of the blues, he didn't know who this boy was going to be, but he obviously gave every part of him self to the task.

Your hair and earrings are ridiculous, nice post though. LOL

Thank you...as a blues fan for almost 50 years, your 2 sincerity & documentation are much appreciated. Thankfully, I was fortunate enough to have seen a few of his friends live; Johnny Shines, Dave "Honeyboy" Edwards & stepson, Robert Lockwood Jr..

It's Tommy Johnson, who's portrayed in the movie, Brother, Where Art Thou?, NOT Robert Johnson. An individual on this forum has combined both of them, referencing the moniker, Robert "Tommy" Johnson. This is totally false, as others have mentioned...they're 2 totally different, blues legends. Tommy & Peetie Wheatstraw were both blues artists who'd previously utilized the Devil/Crossroads story. Robert Johnson's last name change helped with his desire to be associated with the great, New Orleans guitar virtuoso, Lonnie Johnson.

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Great video guys. Thank You very much.

What are the instrumental songs played in the video? Thanks in advance.

I am from Cleveland area they say the crossroads was in Clarksdale but as I researched information from the elders they say lightning hop was on a plantation west of cleveland where the original blues was created and built up. Dockery farms must have been one of those plantations.

So the mOvie crossroads is about this guy ?

🙀

Scott you have the coolest content I have come across 👍
Keep up the great work 😎

I've lived in Clarksdale all of my life. And I can tell you without a doubt that the highway 61 and 49 intersection that is there today. Is NOT the real location of the original crossroads in Clarksdale. The real location is right in front of Bad Apple Blues club on Issaquena Ave. You wouldn't notice that it used to be an intersection until your standing on top of it. Some of the old road is still there but it's not obvious. It's really creepy and dangerous to be there after dark because of the gang activity. I'm thinking that's why the city doesn't advertise where it actually is. That and there would be a million people out there trying to make deals with a crossroads demon lol. Who I believe lives right across the street. But anyways lol. If you go to the intersection of Martin Luther King and West Tallahatchie Street. Then keep straight on West Tallahatchie St and it turns into a path by the railroad. That path is called Edward's Ally. The crossroads is there. Old 49 use to run right behind the old old buildings that are sitting there

Greenwood Mississippi is where my mother side of the family originated from I have family there still ❤ thank you Scott you guys are amazing ❤

It was Son House that told the story of seeing RJ come in and play his ass off.

Thank you for this video! Since I don't have the chance to visit these places myself, it's great for me to see this documentary. A really fascinating story.

Am a big fan even more now didn't know about Robert this was a great video❤

He passed the same day as Elvis. Very cool story because I have a friend from the same region. I love when I see these old homes and just imagine, oh he probably looked out that window a million times, or they probably had their beds over here and spent every night there. Or this was probably the kitchen area, this stuff is really interesting to me, and in a way exciting. My mom is into genealogy and is a daughter of the American Revolution. She's gone back to the 9th century on her father's side. She got me interested in history at a very young age. So Thank you 👍 I love your channel. And thanks for keeping my interest by having Awesome stories. Great job.

@Scott on Tap Just curious, I'm surprised that property real estate developers haven't bought out the land and torn down some of those old houses and buildings and put up condos, I'm surprised that Robert Johnson's place is still standing, with no occupants. That Hazelton lookss so sparse, and yet still beautiful and authentic, it's kind of nice, you can still feel the souls of people who lived there years and years ago from listening to your story. Great video, Thanks for sharing the life of this incredible blues artist. I'm still waiting to see a biopic, I hope they do one. 👍

Wow! This is why Blues History and any other History is so Important, Everyone can learn. RIP Robert Johnson 🙏🏾
Thank you

R.i.p robert, bless you, such a young age, your soul is free now xxx debbie uk

Omg, i hate to think he was using black folk, im ashamed to be white i know im getting into a totallt different subject xxx

This is so good, I have black family members I adore, I think the music is class. I can't believe he made people drink out of the trough. 😢 bless you robbert r.i.p. xxx thanks our scott and Frank for bringing this to us xx your class as you know xxxx

That looks like a shed or garage/carriage house.

It always feels like we are with you when you go to these places thats the one thing i love about your videos

Could you do more plantation places please

Awesome I am into playing acoustic guitars blues Mississippi delta and really appreciate the videos of its history

Learn a 7 string guitar in a year is not explainable sirs. This vid/account is weak with credible substance. The real question is why are you trying to re- narrate a story against the accounts of the people from the times, including the man himself who wrote a song about running from the devil before he died??

I use to work with a family from Clarksdale, Larry loved his BBQ...R.I.P. Larry.

Robert Johnson so calls, disappears for a year and returns as a proficient Guitarist. It's been a whole ''Entire Year'' that's more than enough time to dedicate yourself and practice diligently playing the guitar to become a proficient Guitarist. Infact, anyone could easily become reasonably proficient in a matter of a few weeks just minimally practicing playing the guitar. Give me a year to diligently practice playing the guitar, within that year, I'll be able to compete with the likes of... Eddie Van Halen, Slash, Chuck Berry, Jimmy Hindrance and George Benson. Learning too professionally or even competently play the guitar, is not rocket science, but it is pretty cool that Robert Johnsons newly acquired guitar playing skills was also accompanied with a folklore, that really contributes to the enigma.

Make $$ bro, great work

I'm a Brazilian lover of the old Blues. Nice tribute you made to this incredible musician! I love the Blues!! Robert Johnson is in our hearts forever!!!

Thanks for trying to stay with facts instead of repeating a lot of the bs that was fantasized by white record collectors from New York. Robert never claimed to have made a deal with the devil. Tommy Johnson and Petie Wheatstraw did to get attention. Actually Robert was well educated for the times, and was probably the first blues man to be inspired by records he heard on the radio. Though he was in Hazelhurst early in his life, he lived in Memphis as a teen. Before they passed away, I made friends with Big Walter Horton and Honeyboy Edwards. Honeyboy was a bit of a tale teller, but Big Walter, who was pretty quiet, always said he played with Robert for tips in Handy Park near Beale Street as a teen. None of the Chicago guys believed him, but that fact was recently confirmed by Robert’s stepsister’s book, Brother Robert.

Awesome documentary thanks🌹❤️

Thanks fellows for letting us all join y'all on such a special trip. I enjoyed every minute. Just like being there. Lots of good stories.

And you guys are awesome keep up the work it is public knowledge, and it’s very interesting to know things that went on in our world. You are well appreciated by many.