Template Test: Template:Template sandbox
Major artists influenced by Johnson edit
The following musicians have been heavily influenced by him, as evidenced by recording several of his songs. Some covers have been given slightly modified titles, which are listed under the cover name, while others are significantly different and are noted.
- The Allman Brothers Band played "Drunken Hearted Boy" at their March, 1971 concerts at the Fillmore East. The original At Fillmore East album omitted this cover, but a 1992 re-release entitled The Fillmore Concerts included this and other unreleased material.
- Dickey Betts, original guitarist for The Allman Brothers Band, covered "Come On In My Kitchen" with his band Great Southern at their March 9th, 2004 concert at The Odeon in Cleveland, Ohio. This show was released as an Instant Live album.
- Rory Block was significantly influenced by Johnson and their mutual mentor Son House. So far, her albums and covers of Johnson's songs include 1981's High Heeled Blues ("Walkin' Blues," "Crossroad Blues," "Kindhearted Man"), 1991's live Mama's Blues ("Terraplane Blues"), 1992's Ain't I A Woman ("Come On In My Kitchen"), 1995's When A Woman Gets The Blues ("Hellhound On My Trail"), 1998's Confessions Of A Blues Singer ("If I Had Possession Over Judgment Day," "Ramblin' On My Mind"), 2002's live album from the Women In (E)motion festival ("Me and the Devil/When You Got a Good Friend," among others previously listed), 2003's Last Fair Deal ("Last Fair Deal Gone Down," "Traveling Riverside Blues"), 2005's From The Dust ("Stones In My Passway"), and 2006's The Lady And Mr. Johnson (all 13 tracks are Johnson's songs). She has also starred in a DVD focusing on teaching how to play Johnson's songs.
- Eric Clapton covered about half of Johnson's songs on 2004's Me and Mr. Johnson, an album consisting entirely of Johnson covers. Released later that year was Sessions For Robert J, an audio and video collection of covers, some of which were not on Me and Mr. Johnson. It was recorded during tour rehearsals and Clapton is usually accompanied by his band, save several times when he plays solo and speaks his thoughts on Johnson's music. Additionally in the scope of his solo career, Clapton has previously recorded "Steady Rollin' Man" on his 1974 album 461 Ocean Boulevard, and "Walkin' Blues" and "Malted Milk" on his 1992 live, acoustic Unplugged album.
- Cream, of which Clapton was a member, recorded "Four Until Late" for 1966's Fresh Cream. Clapton also arranged the famous "Crossroads," which was released on 1968's Wheels of Fire, from Johnson's original "Cross Road Blues" and "Traveling Riverside Blues."
- John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers included Clapton for the 1966 album Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton, which covered "Ramblin' On My Mind."
- Bob Dylan covered "Kindhearted Woman Blues" in his 1962 show(s) at the Gaslight Cafe in New York City's Grenwich Village. Material from the show(s) were released on Live at The Gaslight 1962, but "Kindhearted Woman Blues" was omitted. Dylan also recorded several takes of "Milkcow's Calf Blues" during the sessions for The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, but the song was not included on the album.
- Fleetwood Mac covered "Hellhound On My Trail" on their eponymous 1968 Fleetwood Mac album. Mr. Wonderful, their second UK album for the year, included "Dust My Broom," but the selection of this song could be due to guitarist Jeremy Spencer's strong admiration of Elmore James, who had a hit with his cover of the song in 1952. The 1995 release of Live At The BBC included recordings of "Preachin' Blues" and "Sweet Home Chicago" from 1968, and Jeremy Spencer's arrangement of "I Believe I'll Dust My Broom" entitled "I Believe My Time Ain't Long" from 1967.
- Peter Green Splinter Group, led by Fleetwood Mac's founder Peter Green, has recorded all 29 of Johnson's songs. Most notable are 1998's The Robert Johnson Songbook, of which all 16 song are Johnson's, and 2000's Hot Foot Powder, of which all 13 songs are Johnson's and the album title was likely taken from "Hellhound on My Trail." The 1999 album Soho Session includes 7 of Johnson's songs, followed by the 3 on 1997's Peter Green Splinter Group and 2001's Blues Don't Change, which includes "I Believe I'll Dust My Broom" under the title "I Believe My Time Ain't Long."
- Grateful Dead included "Walking Blues" as a regular feature of their live repertoire in the 1990s. Their version of the songs was arranged and sung by Bob Weir. Recordings of "Walking Blues" appear on 1990's Without A Net, 1996's Dozin' At The Knick, 1997's Terrapin Station (Limited Edition), 2000's Dick's Picks, Vol. 17, and the 2005 CD/DVD Truckin' Up To Buffalo.
- Bob Weir and Ratdog also cover "Walking Blues," and numerous recordings have been released by direct CD marketing. [1]
- Hindu Love Gods, a side-project band of Warren Zevon and R.E.M. members Peter Buck, Mike Mills, and Bill Berry, released their one album in 1990. The eponymous album, supposedly recorded during a late-night drunken session, began with "Walking Blues" which was followed by "Traveling Riverside Blues."
- Keb' Mo' covered "Come On In My Kitchen" and "Kindhearted Woman Blues" on his 1994 debut album Keb' Mo', "Last Fair Deal Gone Down" on 1996's Just Like You, and "Love In Vain" on 1998's Slow Down. He also portrayed Johnson in the 1998 documentary film Can't You Hear the Wind Howl? The Life and Music of Robert Johnson.
- Led Zeppelin included "Traveling Riverside Blues" on the box set version of Coda and the live BBC Sessions. This was not a strict cover musically or lyrically, but instead incorporates lines from "Kind Hearted Woman Blues" and "Come On In My Kitchen" as well. The band also used lyrics from "Traveling Riverside Blues" in "The Lemon Song," on the 1969 album Led Zeppelin II.
- Red Hot Chili Peppers covered "They're Red Hot" as the last track on their 1991 album Blood Sugar Sex Magik. John Frusciante, the guitarist of the group, has said that he listened to Johnson every single night throughout the writing and recording of the album. It had a heavy influence on his subsequent solo work in particular.
- The Rolling Stones covered "Love in Vain" on the 1969's Let It Bleed, and "Stop Breaking Down" on 1972's Exile on Main St.
- Taj Mahal covered "Dust My Broom" and "The Celebrated Walkin' Blues" on his 1968 debut Taj Mahal, "Sweet Home Chicago" on 1972's Recycling The Blues & Other Related Stuff, and "Dust My Broom" again on 1973's Oooh So Good 'n Blues.
- The White Stripes covered "Stop Breaking Down" on their 1999 eponymous debut album The White Stripes. A BBC Radio-1 recording of "Stop Breaking Down" was the B-side to their 2002 single Dead Leaves And The Dirty Ground. The White Stripes have also covered many of Johnson's songs on stage, including "Stones In My Passway."
- John Hammond Jr. (32-20 Blues, Milkcow's Calf Blues, Traveling Riverside Blues, Stones In My Passway, Crossroads Blues, Hellbound Blues [Hellhound On My Trail], Me And The Devil Blues, Walking Blues, Come On In My Kitchen, Preaching Blues, Sweet Home Chicago, When You Got A Good Friend, Judgement Day, Rambling Blues)
- Robert Lockwood, Jr. (32-20 Blues, Stop Breakin’ Down Blues, Little Queen Of Spades, I Believe I’ll Dust My Broom, Ramblin’ On My Mind, Love In Vain Blues, Kind Hearted Woman Blues, Walking Blues, I’m A Steady Rollin’ Man, Sweet Home Chicago)