Standin' At The Crossroads

English · Music, Essays & Short Works

This episode explores Depression-era styles, including the revolutionary music of Robert Johnson — the single most important country blues artist of the pre-War era. It examines Johnson's legacy and investigates the 'mythology' of the blues, including the battle between the sacred and the secular.

Listeners visit the legendary crossroads of Highways 49 and 61 at midnight on a Saturday night. Interviewees include Eric Clapton, Chris Thomas King, R.L. Burnside, and Bonnie Raitt. The program ends with a performance by two modern exponents of the Piedmont blues style, Cephas and Wiggins.

This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.