Up Jumped the Devil

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The Penderyn 2020 Music Book Prize (UK edition) and Living Blues Critics and Readers Choice Best Blues Book of 2019, along with a Certificate of Merit from the ARSC, highlight the significance of this essential exploration of blues lore, black culture, and American music history. Robert Johnson’s recordings from 1936 and 1937 have deeply influenced countless musicians, yet his brief life—cut short at 27—has remained largely undocumented. Gayle Dean Wardlow has been interviewing those who knew Johnson since the early 1960s and discovered his death certificate in 1967. Bruce Conforth began researching Johnson in 1970, aiming to uncover the mysteries surrounding him. This definitive biography utilizes interviews, resources, and previously unseen documents, marking the first comprehensive account of Johnson's life. It reveals his connections with family and friends in Memphis, details his trip to New York, and uncovers the circumstances surrounding his wife Virginia's death and its impact on him. The book also explores his relationships with other women and clarifies the events leading to his tragic demise. This work will captivate blues fans by presenting a vivid portrait of a man previously shrouded in legend.