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Robert Leroy Johnson was born on May 8, 1911, in Hazlehurst, Mississippi. He was an American blues
singer, songwriter and musician. Johnson's
poorly documented life and death have given rise to much legend. The one
most closely associated with his life is that he sold his soul to the devil at a local crossroads to achieve musical success. The film, Crossroads, was based on this ledgend.
The recordings by Johnson in 1936 and 1937 display a combination of singing, guitar skills, and songwriting talent that has influenced later generations of musicians. He is recognized as a master of the blues, particularly the Delta blues style. In September of 1998, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum paid tribute to Robert Johnson even though Johnson only recorded 29 songs before dying in August of 1938.
The recordings by Johnson in 1936 and 1937 display a combination of singing, guitar skills, and songwriting talent that has influenced later generations of musicians. He is recognized as a master of the blues, particularly the Delta blues style. In September of 1998, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum paid tribute to Robert Johnson even though Johnson only recorded 29 songs before dying in August of 1938.
Robert Johnson, Memphis - circa 1935
photo by the Hooks Bros
Hellhound on My Trail
is the reason Johnson had such an influence on the Delta Blues
form of music. It is his most famous song out of the 29
songs recorded before his early death. The song is rated as one of the
100 greatest musical works of the 20th century by National Public Radio
and as the best blues poetry by music historian Samuel Charters. Johnson is a legendary figure who allegedly sold his soul to
the devil in return for his musical talent. The song is meaningless if
detached from his persona as his early death is believed to be related
to the song—he had a hellhound after him because of his bargain with the
devil. It is entwined with his mystique.
"The
Crossroads", where Robert Johnson supposedly sold his soul to the Devil
in exchange for mastery of the blues, according to the legend, is the
intersection of U.S. Routes 61 and 49, at Clarksdale, Mississippi, United States.
Clarksdale, MS Crossroads
photo by
The 1986 film, Crossroads, directed by Walter Hill and starring Ralph Macchio, was based on this Johnson legend. I think this is the best film Macchio has appeared in; he did not actually play the guitar but he does an amazing job of going through the motions of doing it.
Crossroads
movie poster
The film featured a score written by Ry Cooder, which was performed by Arlen Roth, Steve Vai and Cooder on guitars and Sonny Terry along with Frank Frost on harmonicas.
photo by Susan Titelman
Crossroads original soundtrack
vinyl LP album back cover detail
detail photo of album back cover by Styrous®
Ry Cooder is an American musician, songwriter, film score composer and record
producer. He is a multi-instrumentalist but is best known for his slide guitar work, his interest in roots music
from the United States, and his collaborations with traditional
musicians from many countries, so, he was a perfect choice to score the
music for the film.
He has played with John Lee Hooker, Captain Beefheart, Gordon Lightfoot, Ali Farka Touré, Eric Clapton, The Rolling Stones, Van Morrison, Neil Young, Randy Newman, Linda Ronstadt, David Lindley, The Chieftains, The Doobie Brothers, and Carla Olson & the Textones (on record and film). He formed the band Little Village. He also produced the Buena Vista Social Club album (1997), which became a worldwide hit. Wim Wenders directed the documentary film of the same name (1999), which was nominated for an Academy Award in 2000.
Cooder was ranked eighth on Rolling Stone magazine's 2003 list of "The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" (David Fricke's Picks). A 2010 ranking by Gibson placed him at number 32.
Crossroads original soundtrack
photo of album back cover by Styrous®
Arlen Roth is an American guitarist, teacher, and author. From 1982–1992, he was a columnist for Guitar Player magazine. Those ten years of columns became a book, Hot Guitar.
He has performed and recorded with the Bee Gees, Rory Block, Cindy Cashdollar, Ry Cooder, Bob Dylan, Duane Eddy, Ramblin' Jack Elliot, John Entwistle, Art Garfunkel, Danny Gatton, Vince Gill, Levon Helm, Bill Kirchen, Sonny Landreth, Albert Lee, David Lindley, Don McLean, Steve Morse, Phil Ochs, Brad Paisley, John Prine, John Sebastian, Simon and Garfunkel, Paul Simon, Phoebe Snow, James Taylor, Kate Taylor, Livingston Taylor, Rick Wakeman, Joe Louis Walker, and Steve Wariner.
Crossroads original soundtrack
detail photo of album back cover by Styrous®
Steve Vai is an American guitarist, composer, singer, songwriter, producer and three-time Grammy Award winner. He has worked with Frank Zappa and played in Zappa's band from 1980 to 1983. He has recorded and toured with Alcatrazz, David Lee Roth, and Whitesnake, as well as recording with artists such as Public Image Ltd, Mary J. Blige, Spinal Tap and Ozzy Osbourne.
Crossroads original soundtrack
vinyl LP album back cover detail
detail photo of album back cover by Styrous®
My favorite cut on the album is Viola Lee Blues. It has a dixieland, funeral procession feeling to it but a little more upbeat and opens with a great mandolin played by Cooder. It features Walt
Sereth who plays soprano sax, George
Bohannon on baritone horn with a vocal by Cooder (link below).
Crossroads original soundtrack
vinyl LP album back cover detail
detail photo of album back cover by Styrous®
Sonny Terry was an American Piedmont blues and folk musician,
who was known for his energetic blues harmonica style, which frequently
included vocal whoops and hollers and occasionally imitations of trains
and fox hunts. In 1938 Terry was invited to play at Carnegie Hall for the first From Spirituals to Swing concert, and later that year he recorded for the Library of Congress.
Terry was also in the 1947 original cast of the Broadway musical comedy Finian's Rainbow. He also appeared in the film The Color Purple, directed by Steven Spielberg. He appeared in the 1979 Steve Martin comedy The Jerk. Terry collaborated with Ry Cooder on Walkin' Away Blues. He performed the cover of Crossroad Blues by Robert Johnson for the film Crossroads.
Side 1:
A1 - Crossroads, Backing Vocals – Bobby King, Terry Evans, Willie Green, Bass – Nathan East, Drums – Jim Keltner, Guitar, Vocals – Ry Cooder, Harmonica – Sonny Terry, Piano – Jim Dickinson - 4:23
A2 - Down In Mississippi, Bass – Jorge Calderon, Drums – Jim Keltner, Guitar, Mandolin – Ry Cooder, Percussion – Miguel Cruz, Piano – Jim Dickinson, Vocals – Bobby King, Terry Evans, Willie Green* - 4:26
A3 - Cotton Needs Pickin’, Bass – Richard "Shubby" Holmes, Drums – John Price, Guitar – Otis Taylor, Ry Cooder, Organ – Jim Dickinson, Vocals, Harmonica – Frank Frost - 2:58
A4 - Viola Lee Blues, Bass – Jorge Calderon, Drums – Jim Keltner, Horn [Baritone] – George Bohannon, Piano, Guitar – Jim Dickinson, Saxophone [Soprano] – Walt Sereth, Vocals, Mandolin – Ry Cooder - 3:11
A5 - See You In Hell, Blind Boy, Arranged By [Strings] – Kirby Johnson, Piano – Van Dyke Parks, Synthesizer – Alan Pasqua, 2:12
Side 2:
B1 - Nitty Gritty Mississippi, Backing Vocals – Bobby King, Terry Evans, Willie Green, Bass – Nathan East, Drums – Jim Keltner, Guitar – Ry Cooder, Vocals, Piano – Jim Dickinson - 2:57
B2 - He Made A Woman Out Of Me, Bass – Nathan East, Drums – Jim Keltner, Guitar – Ry Cooder, Organ – William "Smitty" Smith, Piano – Jim Dickinson, Vocals – Amy Madigan - 4:12
B3 - Feelin' Bad Blues, Guitar – Ry Cooder, Keyboards [Dolceola] – Jim Dickinson - 4:17
B4 - Somebody's Callin' My Name, Arranged By, Guitar – Ry Cooder, Vocals – Arnold McCuller, Bobby King, Sam King, Willie Green - 1:45
B5 - Willie Brown Blues, Bass – Nathan East, Drums – John Price, Guitar – Ry Cooder, Harmonica – Frank Frost, John "Juke" Logan, Piano – Jim Dickinson, Vocals – Joe Seneca - 3:46
B6 - Walkin' Away Blues, Guitar – Ry Cooder, Harmonica – Sonny Terry - 3:40
Companies, etc.
Pressed By – Specialty Records Corporation
Credits:
Engineer [Second] – David Ahlert, Judy Last, Tony Chiappa
Mastered By – Bernie Grundman
Recorded By – Mark Ettel
Remix – George Massenburg
Barcode and Other Identifiers
Barcode (text): 0 7599-25399-1
Matrix / Runout (Variant 1: Side A, etched except SRC[logo] stamped): 1-25399-A-SR1 SRC[logo]
Matrix / Runout (Variant 1: Side B, etched except SRC[logo] stamped): 1-25399-B-SR2 SRC[logo]
Matrix / Runout (Variant 2: Side A, etched except SRC[logo] stamped): 1-25399-A-SR3 SRC[logo]
Matrix / Runout (Variant 2: Side B, etched except SRC[logo] stamped): 1-25399-B-SR2 SRC[logo]
Matrix / Runout (Variant 3: Side A, etched except [SRC logo]): 1-25399-A-SR3 1-1 [SRC logo]
Matrix / Runout (Variant 3: Side B, etched except [SRC logo]): 1-25399-B-SR3 [SRC logo] 1-
Ry Cooder – Crossroads - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Label: Warner Bros. Records – 1 - 25399
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1986
Genre: Blues, Stage & Screen
Style: Soundtrack, Delta Blues
Viewfinder links:
Bee Gees
Captain Beefheart
Eric Clapton
Bob Dylan
Duane Eddy
John Lee Hooker
Steve Martin
Van Morrison
Phil Ochs
Ozzy Osbourne
Public Image Ltd (PiL)
The Rolling Stones
John Sebastian
Simon & Garfunkel
Spinal Tap
Sonny Terry
Rick Wakeman
Whitesnake
Neil Young
Frank Zappa
Net links:
Cast
Film's music chronology
Plot
Reference sites:
choose901 ~ Hooks Brothers Photography Documented Black Memphis
eltastate.edu ~
Hooks Brothers: Portrait of 20th Century African-American Life in Memphis
Mississippi Blues Travelers ~ Hooks Brothers Photography Studio
NPR ~ Robert Johnson At 100, Still Dispelling Myths
Robert Johnson Blues Foundation ~ Robert Johnson
udiscovermusic ~ The Devil’s Music: The Life And Legacy Of Robert Johnson
YouTube links:
Crossroads ~
Crossroads - Ry Cooder (Studio Version)
Down In Mississippi
Cotten Needs Pickin'
Viola Lee Blues
See You in Hell, Blind Boy
He Made a Woman Out of Me
Feelin' Bad Blues
Somebody's Callin' My Name
Willie Brown Blues
Walkin' Away Blues
Steve Vai vs Ralph Macchio Epic Guitar Battle
Crossroads guitar duel (extended version) (9 min., 30 sec.)
Styrous® ~ Friday, May 8, 2019
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