508 Park Ave – Set to be Destroyed?

It’s true – the permits are filed.  Can the building be saved?

 

508 Park Ave

 

This is an update to a previous post on this site, entitled “Robert Johnson’s Dallas Session – A Letter and a Building.“

The legendary building where Robert Johnson recorded in Dallas Texas is a historical building to those into the blues.  To this site, it is another historical location in not only the blues, but in american history that is set to be lost forever.  

The building, long for sale (but with little interest) is not going to be saved.  Nothing short of a miracle can do it – the permits have been filed to tear this beautiful building – along with its history – down to the dirty ground.  

Read more to find out more details and see if there is anything that can be done to save this precious monument.  

 

Don Law Robert Johnson letter

Don law Q & A?

 

The Letter About Robert…

Frank Driggs apparently wrote a letter to Don Law inquiring about the Robert Johnson recording sessions.  The letter, dated April 10th, 1961, reads as a question and answer session with Frank asking the questions, and Don Law hand writing in the answers.  

Some of the stories and answers are quite interesting – paying for Johnson’s prostitute, how much he was paid for recording, and several other facts come to light in this letter.  Read on to view the entire two page letter.

Hill Country Revue and Blues Evolution

The Mississippi Allstars Mixed With Burnside

Hill Country Revue

If you’ve never heard of the Mississippi Allstars, there is a good chance you’ve never heard modern blues.  But if you pass on Hill Country Revue, you’re just plain crazy.  These guys are bad asses.

Read more as we learn more about the band, their music, and the history.  Learn about their ties with R.L. Burnside, the blues music scene, and more.  Finally, download a full length feature song (MP3) of theirs and formulate your own opinion.

This is one group you don’t want to miss.

 

 

2009 Blues Trip Book Released

The 2009 Blues Trip Book has been created, and is available.

  So what is it?  The 2009 Blues Book is what we use on our travels.  It contains addresses, phone numbers, contact names, hotel confirmations, information, maps, photos, geo codes, latitude and longitude data, and more.  This is everything we need to get us to where we are going.  it even includes a tight time schedule, so we can fit the most in for the time alloted.  

Anyway, I am willing to release this to those interested.  Simply post a comment to this post, and I will send you the full book (minus our hotel confirmations).  These travel books are so planned out, that they take about a year to fully complete.   Don’t miss out – if you are ever planning a trip to the Delta, especially Clarksdale and Memphis, this is the book that will lead you to the promise land.

Enjoy!

The Importance of Ishmon Bracey

 

Ishmon Bracey

Why Ismon Bracey is so Important to the Delta Blues

Ishmon Bracey is more than another predominant bluesman from the Delta.  Named after an Old Testament  character, Ishmon was a combination of musician, preacher, showman, and entertainer.

Also, Ishmon Bracey is one bluesman witness that most researchers can rest their theories on – his eye witness accounts could almost all be backed up with fact. 

 

Ike Zinnerman and His Graveyard

 

Ike Learned atop the Stones

Research and Deduction Reveal the Graveyard Ike Zinnerman practiced in.

 It has long been told that Ike ZInnerman told Robert Johnson he learned to play the guitar by sitting atop the tombstones in a graveyard.  While this seems a little creepy, and lends to the whole devil at the crossroads legend, it was more than likely just a quiet place to practice.

Read further to learn the name and location where Ike would practice, and possibly took legendary Robert Johnson to teach.

 

Tommy Johnson – Life and Death

 

Tommy Johnson

Tommy Johnson Lived and Died by the Blues

 According to Tommy’s brother Ledell, Tommy Johnson lived and died by the blues.  Playing on the road, secret marriages, busting up guitars, and even jamming with Patton.  Some even claim Tommy taught Patton the famous “Pony Blues”.

Get as close as you can to Tommy Johnson via this detailed report by his brother, coupled with research by Wardlow and others.  Tommy, was in fact, a man of the Delta blues.

 

 

 

 

 

Robert Johnson Made a Demo?

Is it True Robert Johnson  Made and Shopped Around a Demo?  Apparently, Yes.

Read about the fact that Robert Johnson did indeed record a demo, on record, and shopped it around to various places.   Back in the 1930’s, these were called audition records.   Read on to find out the history of this recording, and the song Johnson used on his one-track demo.

Charley Patton Death Certificate

 

Charley Patton

Charley Patton’s Death Certificate is Sure to Clear a Few Things Up

Where did he die?  When, and with whom?  How did he die, and what really killed him?  These are questions that are answered as we take a look at Charley Patton’s death certificate.  Although there are still mysteries left to solve, this document helps shed some light.

Take a look and not only see the document for yourself, but hear some of the interesting stories told surrounding Charley’s death.

 

 

 

Robert Johnson – Poison Didn’t Kill Him! – Part 2

Poison Couldn’t Have Killed Robert Johnson

 

I strongly believe, as do others, that Robert Johnson was not poisoned that faithful night in August 1938.  Personally, I believe Marfan’s Syndrome had more to do with it than anything else.   To read about it, please review Part 1 of this series.  

However, new evidence has been brought to light that it it medically impossible for him to have been poisoned.