The 27’s – Pete Ham 1947 - 1975

Part 18 in a series on “The 27’s” – notable musicians who have passed away in their 27^th year.

Pete Ham was born in Swansea, Wales, in 1947 and is remembered as a shy boy who was always carrying around a harmonica.  In 1961 he formed a local rock group called The Panthers. The group would undergo several name and lineup changes before it relocated to London and became The Iveys in 1965.

In London The Iveys gained some notoriety and eventually came to the attention of Mal Evans personal assistant to the Beatles and were eventually signed to the Beatles' Apple label after approval from all four Beatles who were impressed by the band's songwriting abilities. 

The Iveys changed their name to Badfinger with the release of their first single, "Come And Get It," a song written by McCartney.  The track became a Top Ten hit and while Ham had initially protested against using a non-original as their first single it succeeded in putting them on the world stage.  What followed was a string of top ten his, mostly compositions belonging to Pete Ham.  His greatest songwriting success came with his composition "Without You" which became a #1 hit when covered by Harry Nilsson in 1972.

The group signed with an American management company in 1972 and there were promises of substantial money for the band. Their contract with Apple had been fulfilled and Badfinger signed to Warner Brother Records for a reputed $3 million.

The group's first single for Warner was "Love Is Easy,” which bombed in the charts and the album from which it was taken "For Love or Money", enjoyed a similar fate, despite containing a truly brilliant Pete Ham track "Lonely You". There were more interpersonal problems within the band, principally over the material the band were producing and the increasingly anonymous American management company. Badfinger may have been stars in name, but in actuality they remained financially destitute. The band had certainly made a lot of money, but nobody knew where the money was going.

Badfinger recorded "Wish You Were Here" in late 1974, the final offering from the band and it was a masterpiece, probably their finest piece of work. But few got to hear it, in 1975, a Warner Executive found that all the money from their joint account with Badfinger had disappeared and pulled "Wish You Were Here" off the shelves, threatening their group with breach of contract. Nobody in the band knew where the money had gone and Badfinger’s business manager, Stan Polley was unusually silent.

For Pete Ham this was too much to take. He had written three million-selling singles, had toured America six times, had songs covered by innumerable artists and had co-written a song generally considered a standard - yet he was penniless. On the evening of 23 April 1975, after an evening of heavy drinking Pete walked into his garage, put a rope around a joist and hung himself. He was 27 years old.

His suicide note had the statement "I will not be allowed to love and trust everybody. This is better." And an accusatory blast toward Badfinger's business manager, Stan Polley, with Ham writing: "P.S. Stan Polley is a soulless bastard. I will take him with me." Others of Polley's artist and business clients accused him of corruption over the years.

That was truly the end of Badfinger, who called it a day shortly after Pete's death. In the following years various versions of the band would come and go, but they could never recapture the glory days of the late sixties and early seventies.

Pete was survived by his girlfriend Anne and daughter Petera, who was born shortly after his death.

The 27’s – Dave Alexander 1947 - 1975

Part 17 in a series on “The 27’s” – notable musicians who have passed away in their 27th year.

Ever the rebel, Dave Alexander was on the forefront of the punk movement as the original bassist with the band The Stooges. Dave’s family moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan where he attended Pioneer High School. While there Dave became friends with brothers Ron and Scott Asheton who would join him in the band.

To win a bet Dave dropped out of high school his senior year after only 45 minutes on the first day. Later that year he sold his motorcycle and went with Ron Asheton to England to see The Who and to "try and find The Beatles.”

In 1967 Alexander and the Asheton’s met Iggy Pop and together they formed The Stooges. Despite his lack of musical training Dave learned fast and contributed to the all of the songs that appeared on the band's first two albums, The Stooges and Fun House. The band strongly influenced punk, alternative and metal bands for generations to come.

Unfortunately, Alexander suffered from alcohol addiction, which lead to the band firing him in 1970 after he showed up at the Goose Lake International Music Festival too drunk to play. He died of pulmonary edema in 1975 at the age of 27 in Ann Arbor after being admitted to a hospital for pancreatitis, which was linked to his drinking.

Iggy Pop references Dave Alexander in the intro to 'Dum Dum Boys' on his album The Idiot, saying:  "How about Dave? OD'd on alcohol."

The 27’s – Wallace “Wally” Yohn 1947 - 1974

Part 16 in a series on “The 27’s” – notable musicians who have passed away in their 27^th year.

The short and tragic history of Wallace “Wally” Yohn is part of a much larger tragedy involving the band Chase.  Put together in the late ’60s by Bill Chase, a trumpet player, the band was similar to acts like Chicago or Blood, Sweat & Tears and well known for their energetic live shows.  By the time Wally joined Chase, the band had released two albums and toured the world as an opening act that was often more sought after than the headliners.

The band’s self titled first album released in 1971 earned them a Best New Artist Grammy nomination.  In 1972 Bob Chase rearranged the line up of the band, reducing the horn section and releasing a second album, “Ennea.”  The album was not well received and so for Chase’s third and final album Bob brought on an all-new lineup.  It was then that Wally joined the band as keyboardist.

The third album, released in 1974 and titled “Pure Music,” was a hit and the new line up were well on their way to becoming one of the premier brass/rock bands.  This new lineup having survived the release of the third album were back in the studio in Chicago recoding tracks for a fourth album when an aircraft crash on August 9, 1974, claimed the life of Wally Yohn as well as Bill Chase, John Emma, Walt Clark, the pilot and a female passenger.  Despite bad weather the cause of the accident was sited as pilot error and poor radio communication.

The 27’s – Roger Lee Durham 1946 - 1973

Part 15 in a series on “The 27’s” – notable musicians who have passed away in their 27th year.

In 1962, Kansas City high school friends, Ronald Bell, Ron Wilson, Harold 'Ivory' Williams, Charles McCormick, Charles Love, Willis Draffen Jr., and Roger Durham founded the doo-wop group named The Sinceres. By 1968 the band was working as a Las Vegas lounge act, and then in Los Angeles, California, where they learned to play instruments and changed their name to Bloodstone

After little success in California the band moved to London, England, where they teamed up with Mike Vernon, founder of the Blue Horizon Record Label and home to such acts as Fleetwood Mac and Otis Spann. Bloodstone’s sound was characterized as a mix of Jimi Hendrix style funk, doo-wop and gospel. The group soon found its niche in the black rock and funk movement of the seventies, opening for acts including Curtis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye and Elton John.

Roger sang and played percussion on the group’s self titled debut album in 1972, which included “Natural High,” a single that landed on both the R&B and pop Top Ten charts.  Roger's success was short lived, on July 27, 1973 Durham was killed after he fell off a horse. A veteran of the Vietnam War, Durham had served with the United States Air Force as an Airman, and for his service, he was interred in the Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

DEVO CANCELS TOUR

Devo has canceled their current tour due to an unfortunate accident, for details please see the press release below.

 

 

 

DEVO FORCED TO POSTPONE UPCOMING TOUR DATES DUE TO SERIOUS HAND INJURY SUSTAINED BY GUITARIST BOB MOTHERSBAUGH

LIVE DATES FOR 2010 POSTPONED UNTILL SPRING 2011

Devo Founding Members Mark Mothersbaugh and Gerald Casale Will Still Attend Moogfest in Asheville, NC, to Accept Moog Innovation Award, On October 29th

Burbank, CA – DEVO deeply regret that they have had to postpone all of their upcoming live dates for 2010 due to a serious hand injury sustained by guitarist Bob Mothersbaugh. A glass shard sliced Mothersbaugh’s right thumb to the bone, severing a tendon. He underwent immediate emergency surgery and is expected to make a full recovery after proper care and therapy.

Most of DEVO’s upcoming November tour dates, including Solana Beach’s Belly Up, , Los Angeles’ Club Nokia, and San Francisco’s Warfield Theater, will be rescheduled for next spring and the public will be informed once new dates have been confirmed.

DEVO founding members Mark Mothersbaugh and Gerald Casale will still attend Moogfest on October 29^th, in Asheville, NC. As previously announced, DEVO have been awarded the first-ever Moog Innovation Award by Moog Music. The Moog Innovation Award celebrates pioneering artists whose genre-defying work exemplifies the bold, innovative spirit of Bob Moog. Past recipients of the previously titled Moog Award include Keith Emerson, Herb Deutsch, Gershon Kingsley, Jan Hammer, and Bernie Worrell.

The 27’s – Ron "Pigpen" McKernan 1945 – 1973

Part 14 in a series on “The 27’s” – notable musicians who have passed away in their 27th year.

Nicknamed "Pigpen" for his funky approach to life and sanitation, Ron was born into a family that was generally conventional. Born September 8, 1946, in San Bruno, CA, he grew up in a black neighborhood and was exposed to the related music and culture. After being expelled from high school, mostly for dressing like a biker, Ron officially began his musical career by picking out tunes on the piano and playing in bars.

It wasn’t long before McKernan met up with the man who gave him the nickname of Pigpen, Jerry Garcia. The two began to work together and formed Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions. The first genuine recording of Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions was a self-titled release taped live in 1964.

The next official grouping for Pigpen and Garcia would be the Warlocks, with Bob Weir, drummer Bill Kreutzmann, and Phil Lesh. The eventual evolution into the Grateful Dead followed with the addition of drummer Mickey Hart. This grouping of Pigpen, in his biker jacket and bandana, the bohemian and hippie proved an interesting combination.

Another intriguing relationship came about with the romantic pairing of Pigpen with Janis Joplin. The two blues singers had dueted a few times in concert, but Janis disliked the band’s jamming style and nothing serious ever transpired between the two.

Originally a blues musician, Ron and The Grateful Dead eventually morphed with the time to more psychedelic. Ron however was not one to participate in the drug culture, his encounters with drugs were mostly unintentional, the result of Ken Keasy’s acid test parties. Ron’s drug of choice was alcohol and it became his eventual undoing. Congenital biliary cirrhosis combined with excessive drinking eventually forced Ron to leave the band after their European tour in 1972.

On March 8, 1973, Pigpen was found dead of a gastrointestinal hemorrhage at his home in Corte Madera, California. He died alone, having not told anyone in the band about the severity of his illness. He did tell his girlfriend that he didn't want her around when he died and she left about two months before. McKernan is buried at the Alta Mesa Memorial Park in Palo Alto, California. His grave marker is inscribed:

RONALD C. McKERNAN

1945–1973

PIGPEN WAS

AND IS NOW FOREVER

ONE OF THE

GRATEFUL DEAD

LimeWire Shut Down

LimeWire has joined the likes of Napster, Grokster, Kazaa and other peer-to-peer file-sharing services that have been silenced, or forced to become legitimate by the record industry. The popular peer-to-peer file-sharing client has been shut down by the New York District Court, a message on the site reads, “This is an official notice that LimeWire is under a court-ordered injunction to stop distributing and supporting its file-sharing software. Downloading or sharing copyrighted content without authorization is illegal.”

Judge Kimba Wood in Manhattan accepted the request for the injunction because the service had been found liable for copyright infringement. According to a Reuters report, "Saying that LimeWire's parent Lime Wire LLC intentionally caused a "massive scale of infringement" involving thousands of works, Wood issued a permanent injunction that requires the company to disable its "searching, downloading, uploading, file trading and/or file distribution functionality.”

Record companies "have suffered -- and will continue to suffer -- irreparable harm from LimeWire's inducement of widespread infringement of their works," Judge Wood wrote. She called the potential damages "staggering," and probably "well beyond" the New York-based company's ability to pay.

The Reuters report notes that "The signed ruling was made available by The Recording Industry Association of America, which represents music companies. It has said that Lime Wire has cost its members hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue."

The case will resume in January, when the Recording Industry Association of America will attempt to gain compensation for the countless illegal music downloads. The minimum damages for music copyright infringement are $150,000 per infringement, and the RIAA may end up walking away with over $1 billion.

The complete court document can be viewed at: http://download.limewire.com/injunction/Injunction.pdf.

The 27’s – Linda Jones 1944 - 1972

Part 13 in a series on “The 27’s” – notable musicians who have passed away in their 27^th year.

Jones was born in Newark, New Jersey. She started singing in her family's gospel group the Jones Singers at the age of six. Her first recording was "Lonely Teardrops" under the name Linda Lane, on Cub Records in 1963, and she had unsuccessful singles on Atco Records in 1964 and Blue Cat Records the following year.

It was around this time that Linda would be discovered by singer, songwriter and producer George Kerr.  Three years later in 1967, Linda signed with Loma Records, then under Warner Brothers, and released her first masterpiece entitled, “Hypnotized.”  The song became an instant smash hitting #4 on the R&B Singles chart and #21 on the Pop chart.

The writers of “Hypnotized” were Richard Poindexter and Gloria Spolding.  The song was arranged by Richard Tee, a trained session musician who would later form his own group in 1975 called “Stuff.”  Singing background on 'Hypnotized' were George Kerr and the Poindexter Bros.

Soon after her career took off, however, she was diagnosed with diabetes and died at home in Harlem in 1972 while resting between matinee and evening shows at the Apollo Theater.  According to accounts Linda had been booked at the Apollo for a weeklong engagement.  After the matinee she went home and laid down to rest.  When her mother went to wake her for the evening show she was unresponsive.  An ambulance was called which transported her to a local hospital where it was discovered that she was in a diabetic coma.  She passed away later that day.

The 27’s – Jim Morrison 1943 – 1971

Part 12 in a series on “The 27’s” – notable musicians who have passed away in their 27th year.

James "Jim" Morrison is widely considered to be one of the most charismatic frontmen in rock music history.  He was also the author of several books of poetry and the director of a documentary and short film.  While his antics often thrust him into the spotlight, Jim was a relatively shy person who relished in his own thought and preferred to be working on his poetry rather than on the stage.

Jim’s father was held the rank of Admiral in the Navy and Morrison's early life was typical of military families, constant upheaval and strict discipline.  His parents had determined never to use corporal punishment on their children, they instead instilled discipline and levied punishment by the military tradition known as "dressing down". This consisted of yelling at and berating the children until they were reduced to tears and acknowledged their failings.

By the time Morrison's music ascended to the top of the charts in 1967 he had not been in communication with his family for more than a year and falsely claimed that his parents and siblings were dead.  Morrison's father acknowledged the breakdown in family communications as the result of an argument over his assessment of his son's musical talents. One day, an acquaintance brought over a record thought to have Jim on the cover. The young man played the record for Morrison's father and family. After hearing the record, Jim's father wrote Jim a letter telling him to give up any idea of singing or any connection with a music group because of what he considered to be a complete lack of talent in this direction.  He later said he could not blame his son for being reluctant to initiate contact and that he was proud of him nonetheless.

Another incident that Jim claimed to shape his life and art occurred in 1947.  Morrison, then four years old, witnessed a car accident in the desert where a family of Native Americans were injured and possibly killed. Morrison believed the incident to be the most formative event in his life, and made repeated references to it in the imagery in his songs, poems, and interviews.  Interestingly, his family does not recall this incident happening in the way he told it.  Jim’s sister is quoted as saying, "He enjoyed telling that story and exaggerating it. He said he saw a dead Indian by the side of the road, and I don't even know if that's true."

Morrison had flown to Paris in March 1971 as refuge to his legal troubles, write poetry and relax.  He took up residence in a rented apartment and often went for long walks through the city, admiring the architecture.  During that time Morrison seemed to have found at least part of what he was looking for, he shaved his beard and lost some of the weight he had gained in the previous months.

Jim died on July 3, 1971 and in the official account of his death, Jim was found in a Paris apartment bathtub by his girlfriend Pamela Courson.  According to French law no autopsy was performed because the medical examiner claimed to have found no evidence of foul play. The absence of an official autopsy has left many questions regarding Morrison's cause of death.

In his book, “Wonderland Avenue,” Danny Sugerman writes of his meeting with Courson after she returned to the U.S.  According to Sugerman's account, Courson stated that Morrison had died of a heroin overdose, having inhaled what he believed to be cocaine. Sugerman added that Courson had given numerous contradictory versions of Morrison's death, at times saying that she had killed Morrison, or that his death was her fault. However, Courson's story of Morrison's unintentional ingestion of heroin is supported by the confession of Alain Ronay, who has written that Morrison died of a hemorrhage after snorting Courson's heroin, and that Courson nodded off, leaving Morrison bleeding to death instead of phoning for medical help.

The epilogue to the Morrison biography, “No One Here Gets Out Alive,” also gives this account: Alain Ronay and film director Agnès Varda had arrived at the apartment shortly after Morrison's death and Courson said that she and Morrison had taken heroin after a night of drinking. Morrison had been coughing badly, had gone to take a bath, and vomited blood. Courson said that he appeared to recover and that she then went to sleep. When she awoke sometime later Morrison was unresponsive, and so she called for medical assistance.

The first version of “No One Here Gets Out Alive” also gave some credence to the rumor that Morrison may not have died at all, calling the fake death theory “not as far-fetched as it might seem.” This theory led to considerable distress for Morrison's loved ones over the years, notably when fans would stalk them, searching for evidence of Morrison's whereabouts.  In 1995 a new epilogue was added to the book, giving new facts about Morrison's death and discounting the fake death theory saying, “As time passed, some of Jim and Pamela's friends began to talk about what they knew, and although everything they said pointed irrefutably to Jim's demise, there remained and probably always will be those who refuse to believe that Jim is dead and those who will not allow him to rest in peace.”

Lastley, in a July 2007 newspaper interview, a self-described close friend of Morrison's, Sam Bernett, resurrected an old rumor and that Morrison actually died of a heroin overdose in the Rock 'n' Roll Circus nightclub in Paris. Bernett claims that Morrison came to the club to buy heroin for Courson then did some himself and died in the bathroom. He also alleges that Morrison was then moved back to the apartment and dumped in the bathtub by the same two drug dealers from whom Morrison had purchased the heroin. Bernett says those who saw Morrison that night were sworn to secrecy in order to prevent a scandal for the famous club and that some of the witnesses immediately left the country. However, this is just the latest of many in a long line of old rumors and conspiracy theories surrounding Morrison's death and is less supported by witnesses than are the accounts of Ronay and Courson.

Courson herself died of a heroin overdose three years after Jim. Like Morrison, she was 27 years old at the time of her death.

The 27’s – Arlester "Dyke" Christian 1943 - 1971

Part 11 in a series on “The 27’s” – notable musicians who have passed away in their 27th year.

Arlester "Dyke" Christian was the front man and vocalist for the band Dyke and the Blazers. They are most notably remembered for their song, "Funky Broadway - Part I" which was later covered and a #1 hit on the R&B charts for Wilson Picket. The song is remembered as the first time the word “Funky” was used in a title.

Christian had grown up in the street gangs of Buffalo, New York and worked the chitlin' circuit eventually touring the O’Jays and their backing band, The Blazers. While performing in Phoenix, Arizona the O’Jays ran out of money to continue their tour and left the band and Arlester stranded in Phoenix where they took up residence. "Funky Broadway" was inspired by the club scene present at the time on Broadway Road in Phoenix.

The band eventually signed with Phoenix based indie label, Artco. As the band became more successful Arlester stayed close to Arizona purchasing a ranch house in Phoenix. However, he could not escape the ghosts of his past. He often associated with gamblers and developing a heroin addiction.

On March 13, 1971 Arlester got into an argument with a man named Clarence Daniels. It is believed that Daniels was a dealer and that Arlester owed him a sizable sum of money. Arlester thought that Daniels was a narc and feared that he would be reported to the police due to the debt.

That afternoon Daniels was sitting in the driver’s seat of his car and Arlester standing outside the window. As they began to argue Arlester reached through the window and grabbed Daniels. Daniels pulled a gun and shot Arlester once in the leg and then again in the chest. Arlester died shortly thereafter and despite the extenuating circumstances Daniels was acquitted of all charges having claimed he shot Arlester in self-defense.

The 27’s – Janis Joplin 1943 - 1970

Part 10 in a series on “The 27’s” – notable musicians who have passed away in their 27th year.

For an artist who broke down so many barriers you would think that Janis Joplin had conquered her demons. She embraced diversity, transcended traditional sexual roles and fully participated in the hippie movement of the day. Because she was so fully committed to her lifestyle it would be easy to assume that Janis was secure in her identity, but the security that she projected was simply a shunning of the traditional roles typically imposed on women that was born out of insecurity. Beneath the rock and roll persona there was a fragility that was constantly being threatened.

Janis first began to sing the blues as a teenager and although she sang with a few friends the rest of the student body mostly shunned her. Janis was quoted as saying, "I was a misfit. I read, I painted, I didn't hate niggers." She became overweight and her skin broke out so badly she was left with deep scars that required dermabrasion. Other kids at school would routinely taunt her and call her names like "pig," "freak" or "creep."

Janis graduated from high school in 1960 and attended the University of Texas at Austin. The campus newspaper ran a profile of her in 1962 headlined "She Dares To Be Different.” Janis was voted “Ugliest Man on Campus.” The result of such low-handed humiliation was that she left the University to work as a singer.

Janis began to model herself after many of the women she admired, mostly female blues singers. In December 1962 she recorded her first song, "What Good Can Drinkin' Do” at the home of a fellow student. In 1963 she left Texas for San Francisco, eventually living in Haight-Ashbury where she met future Jefferson Airplane guitarist Jorma Kaukonen. The two were joined by Margareta Kaukonen who played the typewriter as a percussion instrument and together the trio recorded a number of blues standards on what would later become known as “The Typewriter Tape.”

Through the end of 1963 and into 1964 Janis’ drug use began to increase. She became known as a speed freak, heroin user and heavy drinker, her favorite drink being Southern Comfort. By the spring of 1965 her addictions became of such concern to her friends that they raised money to buy her a bus ticket back home.

Back in Port Arthur, she changed her lifestyle. She avoided drugs and alcohol, began wearing relatively modest dresses, adopted a beehive hairdo, and enrolled as a sociology major at Lamar University in nearby Beaumont, Texas. During her year at Lamar University Janis travelled regularly to Austin to perform solo, accompanying herself on guitar.

In 1966, Joplin's bluesy vocal style attracted the attention of the psychedelic rock band Big Brother and the Holding Company. Janis was recruited to join the group by promoter Chet Helms who was managing Big Brother. Helms brought her back to San Francisco and Joplin left school to join Big Brother in 1966. In August of that year Big Brother was signed to Mainstream Records and in 1967 Columbia distributed their first album.

Janis’s career moved forward but she was never able to disassociate herself from the past. In an appearance on the Dick Cavett Show she announced that she would attend her ten-year high-school class reunion. When asked if she had been popular in school, she admitted that when in high school, her schoolmates "laughed me out of class, out of town and out of the state.” Joplin attended the reunion accompanied by fellow musician and friend Bob Neuwirth, road manager John Cooke, and her sister Laura, but it turned out to be an unhappy experience for her. When asked by a reporter during the reunion if she entertained at Thomas Jefferson High School when she was a student there, Joplin replied, "Only when I walked down the aisles."

By early 1969 Janis was again seriously addicted to heroin, allegedly shooting at least $200 worth of heroin per day. In February 1970, Joplin stopped her drug and alcohol use. She retreated to Brazil with her friend Linda Gravenites and became involved in a romance with American schoolteacher David Niehaus who was traveling around the world. They were photographed by the press at Carnival in Rio de Janeiro and appeared to be having a great time.

When the trip to Brazil ended Joplin returned to the United States where she began using heroin again. Her relationship with Niehaus soon ended because of the drugs, her relationship with Peggy Caserta and a refusal to take some time off work to travel with David. Despite picking up her old habits again, her band mates always claimed she was hard working and sober while recording. They said she would do drugs in the evening and after recording sessions for the album, “Pearl.”

By October 3, 1970, Janis was almost finished recording her new album. On that day she visited the Sunset Sound Studios in L.A. and listened to the instrumental track for “Buried Alive in the Blues,” which she was scheduled to record the vocals for the next day.

That evening when she returned to her hotel she injected herself by “skin-popping” which works slower than injecting directly into the veins. A normal IV injection sends the drug to the brain within seconds. "Popping" the heroin mixture can take as long as 90 minutes to take maximum effect. When the heroin took effect, she was caught off guard and fell to floor, hitting her head on a dresser.

Reportedly, Janis's dealer was normally a very careful person. In times past he had always used a chemist to measure the purity of the drug, but that week the chemist was out of town and rather than miss out on the sale, the dealer cut his own batch. What resulted was a batch that was 40-50% pure, too strong for most users and catching many of them off guard. Eight other users died that weekend from the bad batch.

Janis was discovered the next day, band members were concerned when Janis didn't show up for the recording session and after trying to reach her by phone, John Cooke went to the hotel and knocked the door down. He found her body facedown, wedged between the dresser and bed, dried blood from her head injury covered her face.

According to her wishes, Janis' body was cremated and her ashes strewn along the Northern California coast near Stinson Beach. Janis had also requested that money be set aside for her wake. Invitations for the event were given out to some 200 special guests and read: "Drinks are on Pearl."

The 27’s – Jimi Hendrix 1942 - 1970

Part 9 in a series on “The 27’s” – notable musicians who have passed away in their 27th year.

On September 18, 1970, the world lost one of the greatest guitarists of all time. Jimi Hendrix discovered the guitar when he was thirteen years old and despite a lack of formal training and releasing just three albums during his lifetime he remains one of the most influential musicians in the history of rock music.

His death, though clouded in supposed conspiracy, is somewhat straightforward. On the evening of September 17, 1970, Jimi had been at a party and was picked up by girlfriend Monika Dannemann. The two drove to her flat at the Samarkand Hotel where he died a few hours after midnight. Dannemann said that after they returned to her flat that Jimi had, unknown to her, taken nine of her prescribed Vesperax sleeping pills. The normal medical dose for Vesperax was half a tablet, but Hendrix was unfamiliar with the medication and unintentionally overdosed.

Dannemann's comments about that morning were often contradictory, varying from interview to interview. Dannemann would claim that she had discovered Jimi unconscious and unresponsive sometime after 9 a.m. and that Hendrix was alive at 11:30 a.m. when he was placed in the ambulance. She would also say that she rode with him in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. Later she claimed that former road managers Gerry Stickels and Eric Barrett had been present before the ambulance was called and had removed some of Hendrix's possessions, including some of his most recent messages.

Police and ambulance statements show that there was no one but Hendrix in the flat when they arrived at 11:27 a.m., and that he had been dead for some time. The ambulance crew as well stated that Jimi was dead and that they were unaccompanied when they transported his body. According the doctor who initially attended to him, Hendrix had asphyxiated in his own vomit, mainly red wine.

Dannemann continued in her claims and following a libel case brought in 1996 by Hendrix's long-term English girlfriend Kathy Etchingham, Monika Dannemann committed suicide.

Almost as tragic as Jimi’s death was the disposition of his estate following his passing. Jimi died without a will and for nearly 20 years after his death a California attorney managed his estate. In 1995 Jimi's father, Al, sued and won the rights to Jimi's music. Al created the corporation, Experience Hendrix, LLC to manage the rights to Hendrix’s music.

Things got more complex when Al died of congestive heart failure in 2002. At the time the Hendrix estate was worth about $80 million. Al’s will stipulated that Experience Hendrix, LLC was to exist as a trust designed to distribute profits to a list of Hendrix family beneficiaries. Upon his death, it was revealed that Al had signed a revision to his will, which removed Hendrix's brother Leon Hendrix and other family members as beneficiaries. The revised will left the estate almost entirely to Al's adopted daughter Janie who was not a blood relation to Jimi. Al had divorced Jimi's mother in the late 1950s and adopted Janie when he married her mother in 1968. At the time of Jimi’s death Janie was only 9 years old and had met Jimi just once as he passed through Seattle on tour. Janie, whose birth name was Janie Jinka later changed her name to Janie Wright and then to Janie Hendrix.

Jimi's brother, Leon, alleged that Janie manipulated Al into writing Leon and his children out of the will, and sued to be written back in. A 2004 probate lawsuit merged Leon's challenge to the will with charges from other Hendrix family beneficiaries that Janie Hendrix was improperly handling the company finances. The suit argued that Janie and a cousin, Robert Hendrix, paid themselves exorbitant salaries and covered their own mortgages and personal expenses from the trust while the beneficiaries went without payment and the Hendrix gravesite in Renton went uncompleted.

Janie and Robert's defense was that the company was not profitable yet, and that their salary and benefits were justified given the work that they put into running the company. Leon charged that Janie had convinced Al, then old and frail, into signing the revised will and sought to have the previous will reinstated. The defense argued that Al willingly removed Leon from his will because of Leon's problems with alcohol and gambling.

In the end, Judge Jeffrey Ramsdell of the King County Superior Court in Washington State didn't believe that Janie preyed on Al's weakened state and coerced him to remove Leon from the will. Instead, Ramsdell noted that Leon's drug use, demands for money, and threats of litigation provided reason enough for Al to change his estate plan. According to Judge Ramsdell, "Janie was the family member Al trusted the most."

Currently, Leon has been clean for over twelve years and lives with his girlfriend who is a doctor in Los Angeles, California. His band named “The Leon Hendrix Band” has released one album to date called “Keeper of the Flame.” Leon has toured the last few years performing large venue concerts. His wish is to keep his brother Jimi's legacy alive by dedicating his songs to him when he performs.

Those who had been closest to Hendrix during his life, particularly relatives on his mother's side, never benefited at all from his body of work.

The 27’s – Alan “Blind Owl” Wilson 1943 – 1970

Part 8 in a series on “The 27’s” – notable musicians who have passed away in their 27^th year.

Alan "Blind Owl" Wilson was the leader, singer, and primary composer in the blues band Canned Heat. He played guitar and harmonica, and wrote most of the songs for the band.  Wilson performed at two iconic concerts of the 60’s, the Monterey Pop Festival and Woodstock. Canned Heat also appeared in the film Woodstock, and the band's song "Going Up the Country," which Wilson sang, is featured prominently.  Wilson also wrote "On the Road Again," the first major hit for a blues band composed of white musicians. 

Aside from his love of music and the blues Wilson was also an avid conservationist and often slept outdoors to be closer to nature. In 1969, he wrote and recorded a song, "Poor Moon", which expressed concern over potential pollution of the moon. He wrote an essay called 'Grim Harvest', about the coastal redwood forests of California. 

Alan acquired the nickname "Blind Owl" owing to his extreme nearsightedness and in one instance when he was playing at a wedding he laid his guitar on the wedding cake because he did not see it. He was legally blind and the blindness caused him to suffer deep depression that he often tried to escape through drug use. 

Shortly before his death he had been checked into a psychological clinic after an attempted suicide resulting from depression due to both his deteriorating eyesight and being distraught over the L.A. smog and the destruction the environment in general.  When Alan was released from the clinic he was placed under the care of fellow band mate Bob Hite. 

On September 3rd, 1970 Wilson was found dead in a sleeping bag outside Hite’s Topanga Canyon home with an empty bottle of tranquilizers by his side.  There was no suicide note and while his death was ruled an overdose it is generally thought that it was intentional.

The 27’s – Brian Jones 1942 – 1969

Part 7 in a series on “The 27’s” – notable musicians who have passed away in their 27^th year.

When you think of the Rolling Stones two names first come to mind, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.  Most people will remember Brian Jones as a member of the band who died, but not a lot will remember his contributions.  It was Brian Jones who first assembled the band.  It was Brian Jones who introduced Keith Richards to the blues and the music of Robert Johnson.  It was Brian Jones who, despite protests by Jagger and Richards, gave the band their name.  Despite this, at the time of his death, Jones was out of the band, in fact, the benefit concert that The Stones performed two days after his death had been originally intended as a platform to announce a replacement for Brian Jones.

When asked if he felt guilty about Jones's death, Mick Jagger told Rolling Stone in 1995: "No, I don't really. I do feel that I behaved in a very childish way, but we were very young, and in some ways we picked on him. But, unfortunately, he made himself a target for it; he was very, very jealous, very difficult, very manipulative, and if you do that in this kind of a group of people, you get back as good as you give, to be honest. I wasn't understanding enough about his drug addiction. No one seemed to know much about drug addiction. Things like LSD were all new. No one knew the harm. People thought cocaine was good for you."

It is true that Jones had a serious drug problem and it was very easy for police investigators to not even question that his drowning had to do with his drug use.  Jones’ girlfriend, Swedish student Anna Wohlin, was certain that Jones was alive when they took him out, but by the time the doctors arrived it was too late and he was pronounced dead. The coroner's report stated "death by misadventure” and noted his liver and heart were heavily enlarged by drug and alcohol abuse.

 

At the time of his death Jones had been forced out of The Stones.  Brian had for many years tried to guide the band, but his drug use and roller coaster behavior made it necessary for the band to assign him “minders” to babysit him.  At the same time the band limited his role, taking more control away from him and putting it in the hands of others, hiring Tom Keylock as manager.  Personally as well Brian’s life was up and down.  During a trip to Morocco Keith Richards had an affair with Jones’ then girlfriend Anita Pallenberg, putting further distance between him and his bandmates.

Brian needed a break.  He retreated to Cotchford Farm, the former residence of Winnie-the-Pooh author A. A. Milne and setting for the books.  Jones purchased the estate in November 1968 and had set about working to restore it.  He hired builder Frank Thorogood who had previously done work for Mick Jagger and Keith Richards but been fired when it was discovered that he had stolen a guitar from Richards.  Despite the theft from Richards, Thorogood convinced Brian that he needed to be located on the estate for work to commence.  The married Thorogood moved into the guesthouse with a girlfriend, but soon the quarters were not adequate for the pair and they conveniently moved themselves into the main house.  About this time items started to disappear from Jones’ home.

Despite the distraction Brian set about focusing on his music.  He was soon working on a new “super group” with Steve Winwood, Steve Marriott, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan and John Lennon.  The Stones were also back in the studio and Brian was planning on contributing to the new album.  Things seemed to have turned around. 

On the night of July 2^nd 1969 Jones was swimming in the pool with Thorogood.  Thorogood’s girlfriend was also present that night as was Anna Wohlin.  The women were inside when Thorogood says that he left to get a cigarette and on his return found Brian floating in the pool.  Wohlin has said that Thorogood behaved suspiciously and showed little sympathy when Jones was discovered in the pool, but that she was not present at Jones's death. 

The Rolling Stones performed at a free concert in Hyde Park on July 5, 1969, two days after Jones's death. The concert had been scheduled weeks earlier and the band decided to dedicate the concert to Jones. Before the Rolling Stones' set Jagger read excerpts from "Adonais", a poem by Percy Shelley about the death of his friend John Keats, and stagehands released hundreds of white butterflies as part of the tribute. The band opened with a Johnny Winter song that was one of Jones's favorites, "I'm Yours and I'm Hers.”  Pete Townshend wrote a poem titled "A Normal Day for Brian, A Man Who Died Every Day,” Jimi Hendrix dedicated a song to him on television and Jim Morrison published a poem entitled "Ode to L.A. While Thinking of Brian Jones, Deceased."

Jones was buried in Cheltenham Cemetery in a casket sent by Bob Dylan.  Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman were the only Rolling Stones who attended the funeral. Mick Jagger and Marianne Faithfull were travelling to Australia to begin filming the movie Ned Kelly; they stated that their contracts did not allow them to delay the trip to attend the funeral. Keith Richards reportedly remained in the recording studio. 

Seemingly this might be the end of the story.  However, in November of 1993, on his deathbed, Frank Thorogood confessed to Tom Keylock that he had drowned Jones that night in the pool.  Said Thorogood, “It was me that did Brian.  I just finally snapped – it just happened.” 

As the story goes, the pool party that night had been intended as a farewell for Thorogood.  The work that was being done on the estate had virtually come to a halt as Thorogood and his pals had turned the project into a nonstop party at Brian’s expense.  Thorogood had been joined at the pool by a few of his crew and they set about bullying Brian by dunking him under the water until he relented and would give them their jobs back.  Allegedly during the razing Thorogood held Jones under the water too long and he drowned.

In August 2009 Sussex Police announced that they had decided to review Brian Jones' death.

New From Kings Of Leon - Come Around Sundown

The brothers Followill (aka Kings of Leon) have done it again.  Where their last album, “Only by the Night” put them on the map, this new album will give you directions home, better than that, it's GPS for what is becoming a great American rock band.  

The first track track (ironically titled "The End") has that same sound that made “Use Somebody” a hit.  Caleb sings, "I just want to be there, when you're all alone," his voice is distant, echoing, as if he’s singing from some distant place letting you feel the loneliness.

Other songs are upbeat, but all have that signature sound that won’t disappoint fans.  The album is confident and mature, and until dethroned I’m calling these guys the Kings of Rock, but don’t take my word for it, listen for yourself - the album drops Tuesday but you can listen to it today on AOL, click here or follow the link below, but do it quick, it'll probably only be up for week.

http://music.aol.com/new-releases-full-cds/#/2

The 27’s – Dickie Pride 1941-1969

Part 6 in a series on “The 27’s” – notable musicians who have passed away in their 27th year.

Dickie Pride was born Richard Charles Knellar and discovered by promoter and manager Larry Parnes while singing in a pub at the age of sixteen.  Parnes signed the young boy and immediately gave him his stage name, Dickie Pride.  His first concert was at the Kilburn Gaumont State Cinema, at the time the biggest cinema in the UK.  The music magazine Record Mirror wrote of his performance that "he ripped it up from the start" and he so shook up the theatre that he became known as ‘The sheik of shake'.

In March 1959 Dickie released his first single, a cover of the Little Richard song “Slippin' and Slidin” and August 1959 the television producer, Jack Good saw Dickie perform at 'The Big Beat Show' a show produced by Parnes.   In April 1960 ABC-TV screened the first edition of Good's new weekly rock and roll TV show, Wham! which featured Dickie.

Dickie had an obvious talent for singing live but it never transferred successfully to recordings.  After his 1961 album “Pride Without Prejudice” sold very badly he was dropped by Parnes.  Dickie began to suffer from mental illness and soon fell under the influence of drugs.  His musical career began to decline and in 1967 he entered a psychiatric clinic where a lobotomy was performed.

On 26 March 1969, Pride was found dead in his bed due to an overdose of sleeping pills.  Many of Parnes' artists including Billy Fury and Joe Brown were devastated, claiming that out of all of them, Pride had been the most talented and the best singer.

The 27’s – Malcom Hale 1941-1968

Part 5 in a series on “The 27’s” – notable musicians who have passed away in their 27th year.

Spanky and Our Gang was an American 1960s folk-rock band led by Elaine "Spanky" McFarlane. The band derived its name from the popular Our Gang or Little Rascals comedies. McFarlane earned her nicknamed "Spanky" because one of the band members, thought that she resembled Our Gang star George "Spanky" McFarland.

In October 1968, the group suffered a tragedy when lead guitarist Malcolm Hale died of carbon monoxide poisoning due to a faulty space heater, it is also reported that Hale may have also been suffering from pneumonia at the time. The group disbanded shortly afterwards.

Prior to Malcom’s death the band had two hit records, a self-titled first album and 1968’s “Like to get to Know You.”  Mercury released a third album, “Anything You Choose b/w Without Rhythm or Reason,” in January 1969, the album was recorded mostly with studio musicians.  

After the band's break-up "Spanky" enjoyed some success as a solo artist. She toured for years with the Mamas & the Papas, singing primarily the parts previously performed by the late Cass Elliot.  The group briefly reformed in 1975 and recorded an album "Change" for the Epic Label.

New Flo Rida - Check it out here!

Flo Rida's highly anticipated third studio album, Only 1 Flo (Pt. 1), arrives in stores and online November 30th. The album is highlighted by the brand new single "Turn Around (5, 4, 3, 2, 1)." Fresh off the success of his current smash single "Club Can't Handle Me (feat. David Guetta)," which became the rapper's fourth Top 10 U.S. single, Flo Rida's newest offering will be released in two parts, showcasing his multiple sides. Only 1 Flo (Pt. 1) - a collection of anthems that display his melodic style - will be followed by Only 1 Rida (Pt. 2) - an edgier compilation that showcases the rapper's verbal dexterity and various rhyme patterns - expected in the spring of 2011.

James Blunt Gets a Date!

Atlantic put out this press release today concerning James Blunt’s new album that I told you about here.    Scroll down to the bottom for an emotional live performance of “If Time Is All I Have” from the new album.

JAMES BLUNT GETS INTO “SOME KIND OF TROUBLE”;

5X GRAMMY-NOMINATED BRITISH SINGER/SONGWRITER SETS

EAGERLY AWAITED THIRD ALBUM;

FIRST SINGLE,” STAY THE NIGHT,” ARRIVES ON NOVEMBER 2nd

“SOME KIND OF TROUBLE” HITS THE U.S. ON JANUARY 25th

Custard/Atlantic recording artist James Blunt has announced the release of his hugely anticipated new album. “SOME KIND OF TROUBLE” lands at U.S. stores and online retailers on January 25th, 2011.

The album – which follows 2007’s acclaimed “ALL THE LOST SOULS” – will be heralded by the infectious single, “Stay The Night.” Written by Blunt with Ryan Tedder (OneRepublic) and award-winning songwriter/producer Steve Robson (Carrie Underwood, Rascal Flatts, Take That), the sexy, acoustic driven party song will be available at all leading U.S. DSPs on November 2nd.

“SOME KIND OF TROUBLE” finds Blunt in a delightfully upbeat frame of mind, capturing the five-time Grammy-nominated troubadour’s newfound sense of spontaneity and excitement. Produced by Robson (with additional production from The Bird & the Bee’s Greg Kurstin, and Eg White), the album marks a new chapter for Blunt, who sees his internationally successful first two albums as a kind of matched pair – action and reaction.

“The second album was quite introverted,” he says. “It was about perception. But these new songs are not about fame and celebrity – they’re about reality. I’ve been hanging out with my friends, writing songs about the world we live in, and where we want to go.”

Among the highlights of “SOME KIND OF TROUBLE” are the bittersweet “These Are The Words,” the trenchant, pointed “Superstar” and the powerful, unsentimental ballad, “No Tears,” which Blunt views as the album’s anchor, describing it as “the summing up of a life,” explaining that, “There are certain songs along the way that are milestones, that define a writer to themselves. ‘No Tears’ is my milestone on this album.”

As the release of “SOME KIND OF TROUBLE” approaches, Blunt is already eager to share his new material with his fans everywhere, promising that “We’re going to have the time of our lives playing these songs.” A worldwide tour is slated to kick off in early 2011 – full details will be announced shortly.

With global album sales now at a staggering 18 million, James Blunt is without question among the most gifted and successful singer/songwriters of his generation. He first captured the world’s attention in 2005 with his 2x RIAA platinum-certified debut, “BACK TO BEDLAM,” which featured the history-making #1 classic, “You’re Beautiful.” “ALL THE LOST SOULS” followed two years later, debuting atop the album charts in 10 countries and earning unanimous critical acclaim for such hits as “1973” and “Same Mistake.”

The 27’s – Rudy Lewis 1936-1964

Part 4 in a series on “The 27’s” – notable musicians who have passed away in their 27th year.

One would need a road map to navigate the lineup changes and the various incarnations of the R&B doo-wop group The Drifters.  By some accounts they have had over 60 different vocalists mostly due to members being low-paid hired musicians recruited by the group's management.  It is this within this tangled web that we find Rudy Lewis.

Generally considered to be the golden age of The Drifters are the years from 1958 to 1960 under George Treadwell’s management with Ben E. King was the primary vocalist.  

Lover Patterson, the Drifters' road manager, got into a fight with George Treadwell and as Patterson had King under personal contract, he refused to let him tour and King was only able to record with the group.  Johnny Lee Williams handled the vocals on tour but when the group passed through Williams' hometown of Mobile, Alabama, Williams left the group.  Around that time King asked Treadwell for a raise and a fair share of royalties, Treadwell refused and King left the group as well.

Rudy Lewis had been with the gospel group, The Clara Ward Singers and auditioned for George Treadwell as a replacement for Williams and King at Philadelphia's Uptown Theater.  In 1960 he signed on to the group sharing vocal duties with Johnny Moore.  Lewis was the vocalist on a number of The Drifters major hits including  "Some Kind Of Wonderful,” "Please Stay,” "Up on the Roof,” and "On Broadway.”  Lewis was also named in The Drifters Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction. 

The Drifters were scheduled to record "Under the Boardwalk" on May 21, 1964 but the night before the scheduled recording session Lewis was found in his hotel room dead of a heroin overdose with the needle still stuck in his arm.  Initially his death was reported as “asphyxiation after a particularly large supper” by Johnny Moore who wanted to preserve the group’s image.  The next morning Moore went into the studio and recorded “Under the Boardwalk” which had been intended for Rudy. 

Rudy had the bad fortune to join the group after Ben E. King redefined their sound, and he never got the recognition that King did, despite the fact that he ended up singing most of King's repertory in concert. Like King, he had a rich voice that could express passion in a compelling manner. 

The 27’s – Jesse Belvin 1932 – 1960

Part 3 in a series on “The 27’s” – notable musicians who have passed away in their 27^th year.

Jesse Belvin was born on December 15, 1932 in Texarkana, Texas, and moved with his family to Los Angeles at the age of five.  In the early 1950’s he sang backing vocals in saxophonist Big Jay McNeely's backing vocal quartet, Three Dots and a Dash.  Jesse also released three solo records, none of which achieved much success, but with his fourth record he finally broke through with the song "Dream Girl,” featuring Marvin Phillips on saxophone.  “Dream Girl” reached #2 on the R&B charts in 1953 shortly before Jesse was drafted into the army. 

While in the army Jesse continued to write songs.  His song "Earth Angel” was recorded by The Penguins, and became one of the first R&B singles to cross over onto the pop charts, selling over a million copies.  Throughout the 50’s he continued to sing for numerous labels under different names. His biggest hit was "Goodnight My Love,” which hit #7 on the R&B chart.

Inspired by his wife and manager Jo Anne to develop his style, he signed to RCA Records in 1959, and immediately had a Top 40 hit with "Guess Who,” which was written by his wife. He also recorded an album, “Just Jesse Belvin,” developing a more mature and sophisticated sound. He soon gained the nickname "Mr. Easy" and RCA began considering him as a potential crossover star for white audiences.

Working towards this goal Jesse was scheduled to perform a concert in Little Rock Arkansas.  Also to perform that night with Jesse was Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson, and Marv Johnson. The show was the first concert to be played before an integrated audience in the history of Little Rock and continued despite numerous death threats.  The concert went on as planned but had to be stopped twice by interruptions from whites in the audience shouting racial epithets and urging white teenagers to leave. 

After the concert Jesse and his wife were involved in a head-on collision near Hope, Arkansas from which neither survived.  Because of the death threats and the racial incidents at the concert there was speculation that Belvin's car had been tampered with prior to the accident, though nothing was ever proved.

The 27's - Nat Jaffe 1918 - 1945

Part 2 of a series on the 27’s – notable musicians who have passed away in their 27th year.

The next member of the 27’s is swing pianist Nat Jaffe.

Nat was born January 1, 1918 and at the age to three moved to Berlin Germany where he lived until 1932. While growing up in Germany he was schooled in classical piano. When Jaffe returned to the United States at the age of 14 he discovered jazz piano and through the late 30’s he played with many of the notable musicians of the day, working with Jan Savitt, Joe Marsala, Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong, Charlie Barnet, Jack Teagarden and Sarah Vaughan.

Three of his solo piano pieces were recorded in 1938, but not released by Onyx Records until 1974 as part of a compilation album. Along with his solo work and collaborations Nat was also the leader of the Nat Jaffe Trio which included guitarist Remo Palmieri and bassist Leo Guarnieri. At the time of his death he was recording with another group, Nat Jaffe and his V-Disc Jumpers that featured Don Byas and Flip Phillips on tenor saxophone, Charlie Shavers on trumpet and Specs Powell on drums.

Jaffe died in 1945 as a result of complications from high blood pressure.

The 27's - Robert Johnson 1911-1938

Robert Johnson was born in Hazlehurst, Mississippi, on May 8, 1911 to Julia Major Dodds and Noah Johnson. At the time Julia was married to Charles Dodds, a relatively successful and prosperous wicker furniture maker. Together Julia and Dodds had ten children, but Dodds had been forced out of Hazelhurst by lynch mob following a dispute with white landowners in the city. Dodds escaped by disguising himself as a woman and relocated to Memphis under the name Charles Spencer. Julia stayed behind, but sent their children one at time to live with their father.

It was during this time that Robert was born, the result of and affair that Julia had with Noah Johnson, a local farm worker. Despite the infidelity Robert was accepted by Dodd and was also sent to live with his siblings.

Around 1919 Robert returned to live with his mother who had relocated to Robinsonville, Mississippi. Julia had remarried a man named Dusty Willis and Robert soon became known as "Little Robert Dusty” although he continued to use the name Robert Spencer. Later Robert adopted the surname of his natural father, Noah Johnson and is listed as Robert Johnson on his marriage certificate to then sixteen-year-old Virginia Travis who died during childbirth shortly after their marriage.

Around 1930 the blues musician Son House moved to Robinsonville where his musical partner, Willie Brown, already lived. While both House and Brown remember Robert Johnson, they don’t remember him being very good at the guitar. About this time Johnson left the Robinsonville area, then reappeared a few months later with a miraculous guitar technique.

According to legend, as a young black man living in rural Mississippi, Robert Johnson had a great desire to become a blues musician. He was told to take his guitar to a crossroad near the Dockery Plantation at midnight. There he was met by the Devil who took the guitar and tuned it. The Devil played a few songs and then returned the guitar to Johnson, giving him mastery of the instrument in exchange for his soul.

Johnson began travelling up and down the Delta as an itinerant musician. When he would arrive in a new town, he would play on street corners for tips. Johnson often did not focus on original compositions, but instead performed standards of the day. Johnson also had an uncanny ability to establish a rapport with his audience, in every town in which he stopped, Johnson would establish ties to the local community.

During this time Johnson established a relationship with Estella Coleman, a woman who was about fifteen years older and the mother of musician Robert Lockwood, Jr. Johnson reportedly cultivated a woman to look after him in each town he played in. He supposedly asked homely young women living in the country with their families whether he could go home with them, and in most cases the answer was yes, until a boyfriend arrived or Johnson was ready to move on.

In 1936 Johnson made his first recordings. The recording session was held in room 414 at the Gunter Hotel in San Antonio where Brunswick Records had set up as a temporary studio. In the ensuing three-day session, Johnson played sixteen selections, and recorded alternate takes for most of these. Among the songs Johnson recorded were "Come On In My Kitchen,” "Kind Hearted Woman Blues,” "I Believe I'll Dust My Broom" and "Cross Road Blues.” The first songs to appear were "Terraplane Blues" and "Last Fair Deal Gone Down.” These were probably the only recordings of his that he would live to hear.

In 1937, Johnson traveled to Dallas, Texas, for another recording session in a makeshift studio at the Brunswick Record Building, 508 Park Avenue. Eleven records from this session would be released within the following year.

Johnson died on August 16, 1938, at the age of 27, near Greenwood, Mississippi. He had been playing for a few weeks at a country dance in a town a few miles from Greenwood. Johnson began flirting with a woman at a dance who offered him an open bottle of whiskey. The woman was unaware that her husband had poisoned the bottle of whiskey she gave to Johnson. Fellow blues legend Sonny Boy Williamson allegedly advised him never to drink from an offered bottle that had already been opened. According to Williamson, Johnson replied, "Don't ever knock a bottle out of my hand."

Johnson is reported to have begun feeling ill the evening after drinking from the bottle and had to be helped back to his room in the early morning hours. Over the next three days, his condition steadily worsened and witnesses reported that he died in a convulsive state of severe pain, symptoms which are consistent with strychnine poisoning.

Robert Johnson has had enormous impact on music and musicians that came after him and influenced genres of music that weren’t recognized as such until long after his death. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame included four of his songs in a set of 500 they deemed to have shaped the genre:

* “Sweet Home Chicago” (1936)
* “Cross Road Blues” (1936)
* “Hellhound on My Trail” (1937)
* “Love in Vain” (1937)

Johnson recorded these songs a decade and a half before the beginning of rock and dying a year or two later. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted him as an “Early Influence” in their first induction ceremony in 1986, almost a half century after his death.