He's amazing but he is second to Jimmy Reed when it comes to the pre-electric era blues. Reed's early stuff was much in the same vein but he was a better singer. Interestingly enough I feel Johnson is a better song writer than ol' mr. Reed. Both of them rest in peace.

Where would we be without Robert Johnson's infuence? The man almost singlehandedly changed music....for the western world. All late 20th century western popular music can be traced back to his influence, and it keeps going and going.

His collection of work should be a required purchase by anyone who even slightly fancies him or herself to be even a minor authority on music. Incredibly talented, and influential on every blues or blues/rock band since.

The simplicity of the recordings, the complexity of his guitar playing, the haunting soulful quality of his voice, the metaphorical lyrics: never did anyone, in the history of music, rock so hard with just one acoustic guitar and a microphone. If you want to know were rock started, start with Robert Johnson.

the myth, legend, the master of blues.

Invented modern blues as we know it today. Really haunting stuff to listen to, the guitar playing is so intricate and perfectly matched his voice.

Robert Johnson wrote a lot of material later ripped off by Rock Bands.He was a prolific songwrier,lived a mysterious and adventurous life,and has an almost mythic aura about the circumstances of his death.One thing is for sure:he was an awesome guitarist!Even though the recordings that survive are primative,there is still so much power and soul in his music that one can only guess at how awesome he sounded in person at some juke joint.

Love Robert Johnson, always have.

Unbelievably good. Maybe he did sell his soul to the devil. Crossroads, Hellhound on my Trail, and guitar to make you weep.

Even though he was a blues musician, what he contributed to rock and roll was immense. Without R.J., we probably wouldn't have Jeff Beck, Cream, Led Zeppelin, or The Who. It's amazing that his recordings were so meaningful with just his voice, lyrics, his guitar, and a simple 4-track recorder. Most of his songs were done in one take. Legend said that he went to a dusty crossroads intersection one night in Mississippi to sell his soul to the devil to become famous. Though it came with a price, and it eventually caught up with him in 1938 when he was poisoned by a jealous husband due to an adulturous affair, or so does legend say. I guess that's why they thought rock and roll was the devil's music in the 50s.

His recordings are impressive, innovative and sort of haunting.

because he is the Shakespeare and Villon of Blues

He changed the face and sound of American music as we know it

About 5 years ago, after hearing how influential Robert Johnson has been on modern musicians, I bought his two-CD "Complete Recordings." My level of music sophistication is not all that advanced, but even I could appreciate the intensity and skill of this pioneering blues guitarist. Don't expect slick music, though - these are old, scratchy recordings.

delicate, complex, and only him on the record. Totally pure. He started it all. Thanks Robert.

Writers like Greil Marcus have tried making Johnson's records into some sort of Holy Grail -- a hype they shouldn't have to live up to. But they come damn close. "Come In My Kitchen," "Love In Vain," "Hellhounds on my Trail" are all remarkable...