Robert Johnson

At that time, Julie was separated from her husband Charles Dodds Jr., a successful carpenter. Later, Julie reunited with Charles, who had changed his surname to Spencer, but their relationship did not last. Robert grew up with the surname Spencer, not knowing that Charles was not his biological father, until his mother revealed the truth, and he then adopted the surname Johnson. The family settled in Robinsonville in 1918.From a young age, Johnson showed an interest in music, starting with the harp and then the harmonica. Although he attended school, he showed little academic interest and left in 1927, citing vision problems.In February 1929, he married Virginia Travis, who was 16 years old.

She became pregnant and died during childbirth along with her baby in April 1930. His second wife was Esther Lockwood, mother of Robert Lockwood Jr., who would also become a notable blues musician.After years of performing in the southern United States, Johnson recorded his 29 iconic songs in two sessions: the first at a hotel in San Antonio, Texas, on November 23, 26 and 27, 1936, and the second in a studio in Dallas, Texas, on June 19 and 20, 1937.Johnson's death is surrounded by mystery. The most accepted theory is that he was poisoned with naphthalene in a whiskey bottle by the husband of Beatrice Davies. However, the lack of information has fueled other theories, such as pneumonia, syphilis or a shooting.

His death certificate, which does not include an autopsy, states that he died on August 16, 1938 in Greenwood, Mississippi. His place of burial is uncertain, with three possible locations: the Payne Chapel Cemetery near Quitman, Mississippi, with the inscription Resting in the blues; the Little Zion Church cemetery near Greenwood, restored in 2020 by Sony Music; and a memorial in the Mount Zion Baptist Church cemetery, also near Greenwood.