Robert Johnson

Book Review: Up Jumped the Devil: The Real Life of Robert Johnson

Robert Johnson allegedly sold his soul in exchange for his incredible talent—a deal that led to his tragic death at age 27. Written by Johnson experts, this book not only destroys every myth that ever surrounded Johnson, but also tells a very human and tragic story of a real person. Up Jumped the Devil promises to astonish blues fans who thought they knew something about Johnson—most of those things, say the authors, are wrong—and will be a great read for anyone interested in blues, black culture and American music.

By Bruce Conforth and Gayle Dean Wardlow

(hardcover) $30.00