In his short life, Robert Johnson contributed more to the development of blues music than arguably any other artist.  Born May 8, 1911 in Hazelhurst, Mississippi, Johnson was influenced by fellow Mississippi musicians Charley Patton and Willie Brown.

As a child, Johnson taught himself to play the harmonica before moving on to the guitar.  Legend has it that  in return for his blues guitar skills, which he picked up incredibly quickly, Johnson sold his soul to the Devil at the crossroads of routes 61 and 49 in the Mississippi Delta.  Johnson decided to play the blues professionally in 1930, after his first wife died during childbirth.  Although he only recorded 29 songs throughout his career, including "Me and the Devil Blues," "Walkin' Blues" and "Sweet Home Chicago," Johnson is universally hailed as a brilliant guitarist and musician.  After remarrying in 1931, Johnson devoted his life to a career as a touring musician, playing solo shows in Memphis, Chicago and New York. 

On August 13, 1938, in Greenwood, Mississippi, Johnson was given a poisonous concoction of whiskey laced with strychnine after having an affair with the wife of a local juke-joint owner.  He died three days later on August 16 at the age of 27.  In 1980, Johnson was inducted into the Blues Foundation's Hall of Fame, and into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.