Somewhere along a lonely Mississippi highway, the story goes, a young bluesman met the devil at a crossroads and traded his soul for the ability to play guitar like no one before him. Truth? Folklore? Nearly ninety years after Robert Johnson’s mysterious death, the legend still haunts American music. This Friday on Deeper Roots, we’re chasing that legend down Highway 61, through tales of devilish bargains, restless spirits, haunted souls, and the musicians who kept the mystery alive. From Johnny Winter and Lucinda Williams to Tom Waits, the Handsome Family, and Johnny Cash, it’s two hours of dark Americana, blues, and musical storytelling. We won’t hear a single Robert Johnson recording, but his shadow will be everywhere.
