24 Jul
Robert Johnson Sells His Soul To The Devil
Rosedale, Mississippi was the place where the legendary bluesman Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil in exchange for musical genius. Interestingly, there are other contenders in the myth of Robert Johnson’s devil-purchased soul — and the crossroads of US 61 and US 49 in Clarksdale is where most blues tourists pay their respects. Of course the location of Johnson’s crossroads can’t be proven, but Rosedale did figure in the lyrics of one of Johnson’s most famous songs, “Traveling Riverside Blues”. “Lord, I’m goin’ to Rosedale,” he wails, “gon’ take my rider by my side.” “Traveling Riverside Blues” had a huge influence on rock-n-roll, and was remade as “Crossroads” by Eric Clapton and was also covered by Led Zeppelin.