? Finding Robert Johnson in 2004 ?
Early in the morning of March 20, 2004, I headed south out of St. Louis on
highway 55. Some 430 miles & 7 hours later, my '72 Chevy pulled into an
old graveyard in Greenwood, MS.
I was immediately greeted by Deacon Sylvester Hoover of Little Zion
M.B.
Church. Deacon Hoover is the sponsor of this weekend's Tribute to Robert
L. Johnson, the legendary bluesman that frequented the area during the
1930's. Mr. Johnson was buried in this church cemetery in 1938.
Several of Johnson's descendents are special guests at the 2-day event,
including Claud L. Johnson,
son of Robert along with Steve Johnson, Grandson of
Robert.
Also in attendance is Mrs. Rosetta C. Eskridge who attended the funeral
some 66 years ago. Ms Rosie has lived nearby on the L
uther Wade Plantation
since 1932. Note: Mrs. Rosie died 2 years after this event and is
buried in this graveyard next to her Husband Tom. The stone shows the date
of death as 7-1-2006, however Mrs. Rosie died on 6-22-2006.
Tom & Rosie's Plantation House
Tom "Peter Rabbit"
Eskridge, Rosie's husband, dug Robert
Johnson's
grave right under a pecan tree. The Johnson family, visitors, and several
members of this 140+ year old church had just completed a clean-up of the
cemetery and church grounds. Note: The stone shows the name Eskridge
mispelled with an extra letter 'E'.
Mary Hoover, choir member and
wife of
Sylvester, reported that a few snakes were removed while workers cut grass,
removed whiskey bottles, picked up beer cans, and assorted other trash left by
blues fans visiting the gravesite.
The church property on Money Road borders the
Tallahatchie River about 2 miles north
of Greenwood, MS. Thousands of graves are located within this isolated,
tree lined, and peacefully secluded spot. About 5 P.M., the Little Zion
M.B. Church Choir finished their rehearsal and headed home while the Johnson
Family headed to their hotel in Greenwood and the '72 Chevy headed north on
Highway 49 to Clarksdale where I would spend the night.
I arrived back in Greenwood at 11 A.M. on Sunday March 21, 2004 to attend the
special Church Services. McArthur McKinley has been Pastor since 1987 and
welcomed me, the Johnson Family, and other event visitors. On this day,
Pastor McKinley led 80 attendees through a joyous celebration that included a
Gospel reading, prayers, local 
announcements, a special tribute by Reverend
Steve Johnson, and song. The ten member choir was led by Mrs. Martha
Johnson and was accompanied on the piano by Mrs. Eloise Gray. I must say
that Mrs. Gray could really lay it down with a strong left hand.
Immediately after the church services, a special dinner of deep 
fried
chicken, lemon baked chicken, dressing, greens, yams, buttermilk cornbread,
peach cobbler, and sweet tea was served at Hoover's Country
Kitchen.
Hoover's Kitchen is located at 214 Young Street in the Greenwood area known as "Baptist
Town". Sylvester Hoover is a gracious host, a #1 Blues Fan, and the
Unofficial Mayor of Baptist
Town. Robert Johnson was living in Baptist
Town at the time of his death and often performed on the corner lot directly across
from Hoover's Kitchen & Grocery. I suspect the area looks pretty much
as it did during Johnson's time of the late 1930's.
The real treat for all was the impromptu Blues session that took place on
this same empty corner lot while we were visiting. A power cord was
stretched out from someone's house and the group started in. People just
appeared from the 
alleyways, houses, and from up the street. This Blues
Band included Willie Gatewood, James Givens, Roger Johnson, and P-Man. The Power of the
Blues came over us
all. Within minutes, Willie & Ann, Bill, Dwight, Ollie, Buckethead, Pops, and others were
dancing and enjoying a sunny afternoon in Mississippi with the blues.
Ollie's hat was put down and these musicians made a few bucks much the same as
Robert Johnson did 70 years earlier on the same spot.
It seemed fitting that this
spontaneous event took place in the presence of Robert's son Claud, and Robert's
grandson Steve, along with the rest of the Johnson family. Claud L. and
Steve Johnson live in Crystal Springs, MS just 12 miles from Robert's birthplace
of Hazlehurst, MS.
On December 7, 2001, after a prolonged 10 year legal battle of ups and downs, Claud L. Johnson was named legal heir of his father's estate by The Supreme Court of Mississippi. Claud told me that he had always known that Robert was his father. The difficulty was proving it in the courts. Claud also told me what the middle initial "L" stood for in both his & his father's name, but I promised never to tell anyone while outside of the Little Zion Graveyard. If you ever run into me at the gravesite, I'll tell you the secret "Mississippi" truth!
Robert's life was one of mystery and legend, and the mystery continues in death. In addition to the Little Zion gravesite, there are two additional gravesites! Payne Chapel Church outside of Itta Bena boasts a site, while Mount Zion Church outside of Morgan City boasts another site. The Morgan City site includes an impressive grave marker that was provided by Sony/Columbia records. In 1990, Columbia Records had released "The Complete Works" of Robert Johnson. Needless to say, the release turned into a big hit for Johnson's music.
Robert L. Johnson became known as the King of the Mississippi Delta Country Blues even though he died tragically at the tender age of 27 and recorded only 29 songs in just two sessions.
Good Times, Good Food, Good Friends, Good Music
All in the area that gave
birth to the Blues.
St Louis Frank
March 21, 2004