For the inaugural post of this series, I could think of no better person to go with than Robert Johnson.  All of country, rock, and pop and every sub-genre and off-shoot, including jazz, would not exist if this man had not come along.  His songs have been covered by everyone.  A few I know of are Eric Clapton, Crosby, Stills, and Nash, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.  There are countless others.

One of the few photos of Johnson known to exist.

Born in 1911 in Mississippi, Johnson took to music early in life, playing the harmonica for many years.  But he didn't become a serious guitarist until around the time he married Virginia Travis in 1929.  Sadly, one year later, she died at age 16 during child birth.  Desperate to avoid the harsh work of a sharecropper, Johnson made a go as a traveling musician.

Here is where the first big myth about Johnson begins.  During these travels, much of his whereabouts is unknown (more is known than thought, but there are still gaps as to where he was during some years).  When he resurfaced, he suddenly could play the guitar at an astonishing level.  If you listen to the 1936-37 recordings, there are plenty of times when he sounds as if he is playing two guitars at once.  It's more than just a bass thump with the thumb, and this type of performance coupled with his haunting voice and lyrics (all popping up seemingly out of a mysterious absence) led to the mythic idea that Johnson went to some magical crossroads and sold his soul to the Devil in order to become a great guitarist.

On August 13, 1938, Johnson played his last gig at Three Forks, a jook joint in the Delta.  And here comes the other big myth/mystery.  He died in 1938, but nobody knows exactly what happened.  Rumors abound including stabbing, poisoning, and of course, that the Devil came to collect his soul.  Poisoning is the most common, practical theory and appears to have some backing to it, but chances are, we will never know.

What's more incredible is how the mythos of Robert Johnson has also penetrated our world.  The 1986 movie Crossroads (starring Ralph Macchio, Joe Seneca, and Jami Gertz) played a bit on the mysteries surrounding Johnson's amazing but limited output.  Short stories and novels have been written using Johnson and his legend as ways to ground other fantasy elements.  Most recently, the television show Supernatural has made the idea of a crossroads deal with the devil a part of their mythos complete with direct nods to Johnson.  And why not?  Robert Johnson's story is straight out of an Urban Fantasy novel.  Most importantly, songs like Crossroad Blues and Come On In My Kitchen hit you right to the bone so quickly, it's no wonder Johnson's influence has reached almost all of American music.