Roots of Rhythm and Blues: The Robert Johnson Era
odd: label: Introduction
content: At the very first Smithsonian Folklife Festival back in 1967, visitors would have heard performers similar to the artists in this program. Grassroots singers and instrumentalists from the Georgia and South Carolina Sea Islands, New Orleans French Quarter, New York City, and the Mississippi Delta offered the oldest songs they knew, then described in music and words their creative innovations. They explained how their music coordinated work, praised and lifted the spirit, danced out joy or sorrow, and helped them struggle for change. In every succeeding Festival, the oldest, root traditions were presented alongside emergent forms created by artists fired and inspired by their heritage.

"The Roots of Rhythm and Blues: The Robert Johnson Era" embodied a tried and true Festival approach: starting with the roots and presenting the full flower of the traditions, old and young; highlighting links in the creative chain of a people's art. Robert Johnson was a potent and significant link in tradition; he passionately absorbed and then reforged the music of his community and era. His art decisively influenced the music of today's world. This program sought to explore that story of creative change and cultural continuity.

Worth Long and Ralph Rinzler were Curators, and Arlene Reiniger was Program Coordinator. Roots of Rhythm and Blues: Tbe Robert Johnson Era was made possible with the support of Music Performance Trust Funds and the Smithsonian Institution's Special Exhibition Fund.
label: Participants
content: Home, Work, Social Gatherings

R.P. Hunt, 1928-1996, harmonica, Coldwater, Mississippi

Children's Games

Brightwood Elementary School students, Washington, D.C.

Fife & Drum

Jesse Mae Hemphill, drum, Como, Mississippi

Napoleon Strickland, fife, Como, Mississippi

Abe Young, drum, Como, Mississippi

R.L. Boyce, drum, Como, Mississippi

E.P. Burton, drum, Como, Mississippi

Bernice Evans, drum, Senatobia, Mississippi

Otha Turner, fife, Senatobia, Mississippi

Work Chants

Railroad Maintenance Workers  -- Railroad Maintenance WorkersHenry Caffe, Birmingham, AlabamaArthur James, Birmingham, AlabamaJohn Henry Mealing, 1911-, Birmingham, AlabamaAbraham Parker, 1914-, Birmingham, AlabamaCornelius Wright, 1929-1996, Birmingham, Alabama

David Savage, 1927-, Greenville, Mississippi

Joseph Savage, 1928-, Greenville, Mississippi

Spirituals and Gospel

McIntosh County Shouters  -- McIntosh County ShoutersCatherine Campbell, Townsend, GeorgiaThelma Ellison, 1919-1997, Townsend, GeorgiaHarold Evans, 1936-, Townsend, GeorgiaLawrence McIver, Townsend, GeorgiaVerti McIver, Townsend, GeorgiaBenjamin Reed, 1931-2005, Townsend, GeorgiaDoretha Skipper, 1926-, Townsend, GeorgiaCarletha Sullivan, 1941-, Townsend, GeorgiaElizabeth Temple, 1934-, Townsend, GeorgiaOdessa Young, 1918-2003, Townsend, Georgia

Moving Star Hall Singers  -- Moving Star Hall SingersBenjamin Bligen, 1926-, Johns Island, South CarolinaRuth Bligen, 1931-, Johns Island, South CarolinaJanie Hunter, Johns Island, South CarolinaChristina McNeil, Johns Island, South CarolinaMary Pinckney, Johns Island, South CarolinaLoretta Stanley, 1945-, Johns Island, South CarolinaReverend Leon Pinson, guitar, New Albany, MississippiLee Russell Howard, keyboards, New Albany, Mississippi

Delta Blues

Kent DuChaine, guitar, Birmingham, Alabama

David "Honeyboy" Edwards, guitar, Chicago, Illinois

Michael Frank, 1949-, harmonica, Chicago, Illinois

Frank Frost, harmonica, piano, Clarksdale, Mississippi

Robert Jr. Lockwood, 1915-, guitar, Cleveland, Ohio

Lonnie Pitchford, guitar, Lexington, Mississippi

Gene Schwartz, bass guitar, Cleveland, Ohio

Johnny Shines, guitar, Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Henry Townsend, guitar, piano, St. Louis, Missouri

Elmore Williams, guitar, mouth sounds, Natchez, Mississippi

Mamie Davis Blues Band  -- Mamie Davis Blues BandDale Cusic, drums, Greenville, MississippiMamie Davis, 1940-2001, vocals, Greenville, MississippiAlbert Foe, bass guitar, Greenville, MississippiLarry Blackwell, guitar, Greenville, Mississippi
name: label: Collection Creator
content: Smithsonian Institution. Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
setName: label: See more items in
content: Smithsonian Folklife Festival records: 1991 Festival of American Folklife
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections
identifier: label: Identifier
content: CFCH.SFF.1991, Series 5
objectType: label: Type
content: Archival materials