Twelve-Bar Road, chapter 2 · Part 2, A first voice

The first voices on record

From 1929 a studio in Wisconsin recorded the Delta’s guitarists, and what the sources document about them is much less than what is told.

By the end of the 1920s the record companies knew that a man singing to his own guitar could sell, and they went looking for more. In Mississippi, Paramount’s talent scout was H.C. Speir of Jackson, and his most important find was Charley Patton, who began recording in 1929 and made more than forty songs for the label.1,2

That year Paramount opened a studio at its factory in Grafton, Wisconsin, and over the next three years Patton, Tommy Johnson, Skip James, Son House, Willie Brown and others traveled north to record there. Son House made his first records at Grafton in 1930, when he and Willie Brown traveled up by car with Patton. Then the Depression took the market away, and in the summer of 1932 Paramount closed the studio.1,3

Who learned from whom, to 1945

192019301940othersDeltaBentoniaMemphisTexasLouisianaPiedmontSt. LouisPre-war ChicagoBlind Lemon Jefferson is said to have taken from Henry Thomas: told as a story.Henry Stuckey taught Skip James: told as a story.Terrell Ledbetter taught Lead Belly: one source says so.Memphis Minnie played with Willie Brown: one source says so.Scott Bohanner taught Muddy Waters: one source says so.Muddy Waters is said to have taken from Robert Johnson: one source says so.Muddy Waters is said to have taken from Robert Nighthawk: one source says so.Muddy Waters is said to have taken from Charley Patton: one source says so.Muddy Waters learned from Blind Lemon Jefferson’s records: one source says so.Robert Johnson learned from Skip James’s records: one source says so.Willie Brown taught Son House: one source says so. Son House played with Willie Brown: one source says so.T-Bone Walker is said to have taken from Lead Belly: one source says so.Tampa Red is said to have taken from Lonnie Johnson: one source says so.Tommy Johnson played with Willie Brown: one source says so. Tommy Johnson is said to have taken from Willie Brown: one source says so.Willie Brown played with Charley Patton: one source says so. Willie Brown is said to have taken from Charley Patton: one source says so.Willie Brown played with Son House: one source says so.Rev. Gary Davis taught Blind Boy Fuller: documented.Blind Lemon Jefferson played with Lead Belly: documented.Bukka White is said to have taken from Charley Patton: documented.Henry Sloan taught Charley Patton: documented.Lead Belly played with Blind Lemon Jefferson: documented.Muddy Waters is said to have taken from Son House: documented.Rev. Gary Davis played with Blind Boy Fuller: documented.Ike Zimmerman taught Robert Johnson: documented.Son House taught Robert Johnson: documented.Willie Brown taught Robert Johnson: documented.Charley Patton taught Robert Johnson: documented.Robert Johnson taught Robert Lockwood Jr.: documented.Houston Stackhouse taught Robert Nighthawk: documented.Robert Nighthawk is said to have taken from Tampa Red: documented.Son House played with Charley Patton: documented. Son House is said to have taken from Charley Patton: one source says so.James McCoy taught Son House: documented.Blind Lemon Jefferson taught T-Bone Walker: documented.T-Bone Walker is said to have taken from Lonnie Johnson: documented.T-Bone Walker is said to have taken from Scrapper Blackwell: documented.Tampa Red played with Memphis Minnie: documented.LeDell Johnson taught Tommy Johnson: documented.Tommy Johnson played with Charley Patton: documented. Tommy Johnson is said to have taken from Charley Patton: documented.Rev. Gary Davis, first recorded 1935Rev. Gary DavisBlind Boy Fuller, first recorded 1935Blind Boy FullerLead Belly, first recorded 1933Lead BellyBlind Lemon Jefferson, first recorded 1925Blind Lemon JeffersonHenry Thomas, first recorded 1927Henry ThomasCharley Patton, first recorded 1929Charley PattonBukka White, first recorded 1930Bukka WhiteHenry Sloan, outside the players this history followsHenry SloanTerrell Ledbetter, outside the players this history followsTerrell LedbetterWillie Brown, first recorded 1930Willie BrownMemphis Minnie, first recorded 1929Memphis MinnieScott Bohanner, outside the players this history followsScott BohannerMuddy Waters, first recorded 1941Muddy WatersSon House, first recorded 1930Son HouseRobert Johnson, first recorded 1936Robert JohnsonRobert Nighthawk, first recorded 1937Robert NighthawkIke Zimmerman, outside the players this history followsIke ZimmermanSkip James, first recorded 1931Skip JamesRobert Lockwood Jr., first recorded 1941Robert Lockwood Jr.Houston Stackhouse, outside the players this history followsHouston StackhouseTampa Red, first recorded 1928Tampa RedHenry Stuckey, outside the players this history followsHenry StuckeyJames McCoy, outside the players this history followsJames McCoyT-Bone Walker, first recorded 1929T-Bone WalkerLonnie Johnson, first recorded 1925Lonnie JohnsonScrapper Blackwell, first recorded 1928Scrapper BlackwellLeDell Johnson, outside the players this history followsLeDell JohnsonTommy Johnson, first recorded 1928Tommy Johnson
192019301940othersDeltaBentoniaMemphisTexasLouisianaPiedmontSt. LouisPre-war ChicagoBlind Lemon Jefferson is said to have taken from Henry Thomas: told as a story.Henry Stuckey taught Skip James: told as a story.Terrell Ledbetter taught Lead Belly: one source says so.Memphis Minnie played with Willie Brown: one source says so.Scott Bohanner taught Muddy Waters: one source says so.Muddy Waters is said to have taken from Robert Johnson: one source says so.Muddy Waters is said to have taken from Robert Nighthawk: one source says so.Muddy Waters is said to have taken from Charley Patton: one source says so.Muddy Waters learned from Blind Lemon Jefferson’s records: one source says so.Robert Johnson learned from Skip James’s records: one source says so.Willie Brown taught Son House: one source says so. Son House played with Willie Brown: one source says so.T-Bone Walker is said to have taken from Lead Belly: one source says so.Tampa Red is said to have taken from Lonnie Johnson: one source says so.Tommy Johnson played with Willie Brown: one source says so. Tommy Johnson is said to have taken from Willie Brown: one source says so.Willie Brown played with Charley Patton: one source says so. Willie Brown is said to have taken from Charley Patton: one source says so.Willie Brown played with Son House: one source says so.Rev. Gary Davis taught Blind Boy Fuller: documented.Blind Lemon Jefferson played with Lead Belly: documented.Bukka White is said to have taken from Charley Patton: documented.Henry Sloan taught Charley Patton: documented.Lead Belly played with Blind Lemon Jefferson: documented.Muddy Waters is said to have taken from Son House: documented.Rev. Gary Davis played with Blind Boy Fuller: documented.Ike Zimmerman taught Robert Johnson: documented.Son House taught Robert Johnson: documented.Willie Brown taught Robert Johnson: documented.Charley Patton taught Robert Johnson: documented.Robert Johnson taught Robert Lockwood Jr.: documented.Houston Stackhouse taught Robert Nighthawk: documented.Robert Nighthawk is said to have taken from Tampa Red: documented.Son House played with Charley Patton: documented. Son House is said to have taken from Charley Patton: one source says so.James McCoy taught Son House: documented.Blind Lemon Jefferson taught T-Bone Walker: documented.T-Bone Walker is said to have taken from Lonnie Johnson: documented.T-Bone Walker is said to have taken from Scrapper Blackwell: documented.Tampa Red played with Memphis Minnie: documented.LeDell Johnson taught Tommy Johnson: documented.Tommy Johnson played with Charley Patton: documented. Tommy Johnson is said to have taken from Charley Patton: documented.Rev. Gary Davis, first recorded 1935Rev. Gary DavisBlind Boy Fuller, first recorded 1935Blind Boy FullerLead Belly, first recorded 1933Lead BellyBlind Lemon Jefferson, first recorded 1925Blind Lemon JeffersonHenry Thomas, first recorded 1927Henry ThomasCharley Patton, first recorded 1929Charley PattonBukka White, first recorded 1930Bukka WhiteHenry Sloan, outside the players this history followsHenry SloanTerrell Ledbetter, outside the players this history followsTerrell LedbetterWillie Brown, first recorded 1930Willie BrownMemphis Minnie, first recorded 1929Memphis MinnieScott Bohanner, outside the players this history followsScott BohannerMuddy Waters, first recorded 1941Muddy WatersSon House, first recorded 1930Son HouseRobert Johnson, first recorded 1936Robert JohnsonRobert Nighthawk, first recorded 1937Robert NighthawkIke Zimmerman, outside the players this history followsIke ZimmermanSkip James, first recorded 1931Skip JamesRobert Lockwood Jr., first recorded 1941Robert Lockwood Jr.Houston Stackhouse, outside the players this history followsHouston StackhouseTampa Red, first recorded 1928Tampa RedHenry Stuckey, outside the players this history followsHenry StuckeyJames McCoy, outside the players this history followsJames McCoyT-Bone Walker, first recorded 1929T-Bone WalkerLonnie Johnson, first recorded 1925Lonnie JohnsonScrapper Blackwell, first recorded 1928Scrapper BlackwellLeDell Johnson, outside the players this history followsLeDell JohnsonTommy Johnson, first recorded 1928Tommy Johnson
  • Documented: a first-hand source, or two independent ones
  • One source says so
  • A story the sources tell
  • In the same room: taught, or played together
  • A teacher this history does not follow, set at the left because the record gives them no year

Rev. Gary Davis taught Blind Boy Fuller: documented. Blind Lemon Jefferson played with Lead Belly: documented. Blind Lemon Jefferson is said to have taken from Henry Thomas: told as a story. Bukka White is said to have taken from Charley Patton: documented. Henry Sloan taught Charley Patton: documented. Lead Belly played with Blind Lemon Jefferson: documented. Terrell Ledbetter taught Lead Belly: one source says so. Memphis Minnie played with Willie Brown: one source says so. Scott Bohanner taught Muddy Waters: one source says so. Muddy Waters is said to have taken from Son House: documented. Muddy Waters is said to have taken from Robert Johnson: one source says so. Muddy Waters is said to have taken from Robert Nighthawk: one source says so. Muddy Waters is said to have taken from Charley Patton: one source says so. Muddy Waters learned from Blind Lemon Jefferson’s records: one source says so. Rev. Gary Davis played with Blind Boy Fuller: documented. Ike Zimmerman taught Robert Johnson: documented. Son House taught Robert Johnson: documented. Willie Brown taught Robert Johnson: documented. Charley Patton taught Robert Johnson: documented. Robert Johnson learned from Skip James’s records: one source says so. Robert Johnson taught Robert Lockwood Jr.: documented. Houston Stackhouse taught Robert Nighthawk: documented. Robert Nighthawk is said to have taken from Tampa Red: documented. Henry Stuckey taught Skip James: told as a story. Willie Brown taught Son House: one source says so. Son House played with Willie Brown: one source says so. Son House played with Charley Patton: documented. Son House is said to have taken from Charley Patton: one source says so. James McCoy taught Son House: documented. Blind Lemon Jefferson taught T-Bone Walker: documented. T-Bone Walker is said to have taken from Lead Belly: one source says so. T-Bone Walker is said to have taken from Lonnie Johnson: documented. T-Bone Walker is said to have taken from Scrapper Blackwell: documented. Tampa Red is said to have taken from Lonnie Johnson: one source says so. Tampa Red played with Memphis Minnie: documented. LeDell Johnson taught Tommy Johnson: documented. Tommy Johnson played with Charley Patton: documented. Tommy Johnson is said to have taken from Charley Patton: documented. Tommy Johnson played with Willie Brown: one source says so. Tommy Johnson is said to have taken from Willie Brown: one source says so. Willie Brown played with Charley Patton: one source says so. Willie Brown is said to have taken from Charley Patton: one source says so. Willie Brown played with Son House: one source says so.

38 links among the players who had recorded by 1945: 22 documented, fourteen resting on one source and two told as stories.

Learned in a room

Before there were many records to learn from, a player learned by standing next to someone who could already play. Charley Patton learned from Henry Sloan, who also lived on Dockery Farms. Tommy Johnson learned the basics of the guitar from his older brother LeDell, then spent a year playing in the Delta with Patton and Willie Brown. Son House studied the guitar with Willie Brown, and the young Robert Johnson learned from both of them.2,4,5,6,7,8

Recorded where they were

Records were not the only way the music was kept. From 1933 John A. Lomax, often with his son Alan, traveled the South recording for the Library of Congress, and prisons were among the places they went. In July 1933, at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, they met Lead Belly, who had been a prisoner there since 1930, and recorded him. At Parchman, in Mississippi, folklorists recorded Bukka White in 1939, while he was an inmate there.9,10,11

In 1941 the Library of Congress and Fisk University sent Alan Lomax and John Work III to Coahoma County. In August they recorded Muddy Waters in his own house on the Stovall Plantation near Clarksdale, and on 3 September they recorded Son House and Willie Brown at Clack Store. By 1943 both House and Waters had gone north, Waters to Chicago and House to Rochester, New York.12,3,13

Who had recorded by 1945

1920193019401929: Paramount opens its Grafton studio.1929 Paramount opens its Grafton studio1930: Son House records at Grafton.1930 Son House records at Grafton1932: Paramount closes its Grafton studio.1932 Paramount closes its Grafton studio1933: The Lomaxes record Lead Belly at Angola.1933 The Lomaxes record Lead Belly at Angola1939: Bukka White recorded at Parchman.1939 Bukka White recorded at Parchman1941: Muddy Waters recorded at Stovall.1941 Muddy Waters recorded at Stovall1943: Muddy Waters moves to Chicago.1943 Muddy Waters moves to ChicagoDeltaCharley Patton: born about 1891, died 1934.Charley PattonMississippi John Hurt: born 1892 or 1893, died 1966.Mississippi John HurtTommy Johnson: born 1896, died 1956.Tommy JohnsonSon House: born 1894 or 1902, died 1988.Son HouseBukka White: born about 1904, died 1977.Bukka WhiteRobert Nighthawk: born 1909, died 1967.Robert NighthawkRobert Johnson: born about 1911 or 1912, died 1938.Robert JohnsonMuddy Waters: born 1913, died 1983.Muddy WatersRobert Lockwood Jr.: born 1915, died 2006.Robert Lockwood Jr.Willie Brown: birth year unknown, death unrecorded.Willie BrownBentoniaSkip James: born 1902, died 1969.Skip JamesMemphisMemphis Minnie: born 1897, died 1973.Memphis MinnieTexasHenry Thomas: born 1874, died 1950.Henry ThomasBlind Lemon Jefferson: born 1893 or 1894, died 1929.Blind Lemon JeffersonT-Bone Walker: born 1910, died 1975.T-Bone WalkerLouisianaLead Belly: born about 1885 or 1888, died 1949.Lead BellyPiedmontRev. Gary Davis: born 1895 or 1896, died 1972.Rev. Gary DavisBlind Willie McTell: born 1898 or 1901, died 1959.Blind Willie McTellBlind Boy Fuller: born 1907, died 1941.Blind Boy FullerSt. LouisLonnie Johnson: born 1889 or 1894 or 1899 or 1909, died 1970.Lonnie JohnsonVaudevilleSylvester Weaver: born 1896, died 1960.Sylvester WeaverGospelBlind Willie Johnson: born 1897, died 1945.Blind Willie JohnsonPre-war ChicagoScrapper Blackwell: born 1903 or 1904, died 1962.Scrapper BlackwellTampa Red: born 1900 or 1903 or 1904 or 1908, died 1981.Tampa RedJazz-bluesCharlie Christian: born 1916, died 1942.Charlie Christian
1920193019401929: Paramount opens its Grafton studio.1929 Paramount opens its Grafton studio1930: Son House records at Grafton.1930 Son House records at Grafton1932: Paramount closes its Grafton studio.1932 Paramount closes its Grafton studio1933: The Lomaxes record Lead Belly at Angola.1933 The Lomaxes record Lead Belly at Angola1939: Bukka White recorded at Parchman.1939 Bukka White recorded at Parchman1941: Muddy Waters recorded at Stovall.1941 Muddy Waters recorded at Stovall1943: Muddy Waters moves to Chicago.1943 Muddy Waters moves to ChicagoDeltaCharley Patton: born about 1891, died 1934.Charley PattonMississippi John Hurt: born 1892 or 1893, died 1966.Mississippi John HurtTommy Johnson: born 1896, died 1956.Tommy JohnsonSon House: born 1894 or 1902, died 1988.Son HouseBukka White: born about 1904, died 1977.Bukka WhiteRobert Nighthawk: born 1909, died 1967.Robert NighthawkRobert Johnson: born about 1911 or 1912, died 1938.Robert JohnsonMuddy Waters: born 1913, died 1983.Muddy WatersRobert Lockwood Jr.: born 1915, died 2006.Robert Lockwood Jr.Willie Brown: birth year unknown, death unrecorded.Willie BrownBentoniaSkip James: born 1902, died 1969.Skip JamesMemphisMemphis Minnie: born 1897, died 1973.Memphis MinnieTexasHenry Thomas: born 1874, died 1950.Henry ThomasBlind Lemon Jefferson: born 1893 or 1894, died 1929.Blind Lemon JeffersonT-Bone Walker: born 1910, died 1975.T-Bone WalkerLouisianaLead Belly: born about 1885 or 1888, died 1949.Lead BellyPiedmontRev. Gary Davis: born 1895 or 1896, died 1972.Rev. Gary DavisBlind Willie McTell: born 1898 or 1901, died 1959.Blind Willie McTellBlind Boy Fuller: born 1907, died 1941.Blind Boy FullerSt. LouisLonnie Johnson: born 1889 or 1894 or 1899 or 1909, died 1970.Lonnie JohnsonVaudevilleSylvester Weaver: born 1896, died 1960.Sylvester WeaverGospelBlind Willie Johnson: born 1897, died 1945.Blind Willie JohnsonPre-war ChicagoScrapper Blackwell: born 1903 or 1904, died 1962.Scrapper BlackwellTampa Red: born 1900 or 1903 or 1904 or 1908, died 1981.Tampa RedJazz-bluesCharlie Christian: born 1916, died 1942.Charlie Christian
  • Born, and the life that followed
  • Years in which they recorded
  • Sources disagree about the year of birth
  • Died
  • Lived on after 1945
  • A year no source records

Blind Boy Fuller: born 1907, first recorded 1935, died 1941. Blind Lemon Jefferson: born 1893 or 1894, first recorded 1925, died 1929. Blind Willie Johnson: born 1897, first recorded 1927, died 1945. Blind Willie McTell: born 1898 or 1901, first recorded 1927, died 1959. Bukka White: born 1904, first recorded 1930, died 1977. Charley Patton: born 1891, first recorded 1929, died 1934. Charlie Christian: born 1916, first recorded 1939, died 1942. Henry Thomas: born 1874, first recorded 1927, died 1950. Lead Belly: born 1885 or 1888, first recorded 1933, died 1949. Lonnie Johnson: born 1889 or 1894 or 1899 or 1909, first recorded 1925, died 1970. Memphis Minnie: born 1897, first recorded 1929, died 1973. Mississippi John Hurt: born 1892 or 1893, first recorded 1928, died 1966. Muddy Waters: born 1913, first recorded 1941, died 1983. Rev. Gary Davis: born 1895 or 1896, first recorded 1935, died 1972. Robert Johnson: born 1911 or 1912, first recorded 1936, died 1938. Robert Lockwood Jr.: born 1915, first recorded 1941, died 2006. Robert Nighthawk: born 1909, first recorded 1937, died 1967. Scrapper Blackwell: born 1903 or 1904, first recorded 1928, died 1962. Skip James: born 1902, first recorded 1931, died 1969. Son House: born 1894 or 1902, first recorded 1930, died 1988. Sylvester Weaver: born 1896, first recorded 1923, died 1960. T-Bone Walker: born 1910, first recorded 1929, died 1975. Tampa Red: born 1900 or 1903 or 1904 or 1908, first recorded 1928, died 1981. Tommy Johnson: born 1896, first recorded 1928, died 1956. Willie Brown: birth year unknown, first recorded 1930.

25 guitarists who had made a record by 1945, each in the lane where they played, with seven events along the top. For ten of them, sources disagree about the year of birth, and the timeline shows every year given.

What is documented, and what is told

No guitarist of the period is surrounded by more stories than Robert Johnson, and it helps to know which parts are documented. He recorded at two sessions, in San Antonio in November 1936 and in Dallas in June 1937, twenty-nine songs in all. He died in Greenwood, Mississippi, on 16 August 1938. Those facts are documented.14,8

Much of the rest is told as legend, and the sources say so. The story that he sold his soul at a crossroads is introduced by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with the words “legend has it”, and his gravesite marker calls it a myth that some believe. The story that he was poisoned is reported as an allegation. For a guitarist the difference matters, because the records are what he left, and they are where you can hear what he played.15,8,7

One of the players who changed what Paramount looked for is missing from the timelines. Blind Blake’s records sold well enough in 1926 to show the company a market for singers who played their own guitar, but the sources this course relies on do not give his dates of birth and death, and a timeline can only draw what a source states.1

Sources

  1. Mississippi Blues Trail, “Paramount Records” (marker, Grafton, Wisconsin).
  2. Mississippi Blues Trail, “Birthplace of the Blues?” (marker, Dockery).
  3. Mississippi Blues Trail, “Son House” (marker, Tunica).
  4. Mississippi Blues Trail, “Tommy Johnson” (marker, Crystal Springs).
  5. Mississippi Encyclopedia, “Tommy Johnson”, by James G. Thomas, Jr.
  6. Mississippi Encyclopedia, “Son House (Eddie James House, Jr.)”, by Ted Olson.
  7. Mississippi Encyclopedia, “Robert Johnson” (Preston Lauterbach).
  8. Mississippi Blues Trail, “Robert Johnson Gravesite” (marker, Greenwood).
  9. Douglas D. Peach, “Lead Belly: Resources in the American Folklife Center” (research guide, created 12 January 2026).
  10. Wayne Gard, “Lomax, John Avery”, Handbook of Texas Online.
  11. Mississippi Blues Trail, “Parchman Farm” (marker, Parchman).
  12. Mississippi Blues Trail, “Muddy Waters’s Cabin” (marker, Stovall Plantation, Clarksdale).
  13. Mississippi Blues Trail, “Muddy Waters Birthplace” (marker, Rolling Fork).
  14. Handbook of Texas Online, “Johnson, Robert” (Roger R. Gates).
  15. Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, “Robert Johnson” (inducted 1986).

This lesson was drafted with the help of AI, so it may contain a mistake. Its diagrams are drawn by Everyfret’s own software. How Everyfret is made