Topic: The Robert Johnson "Biography of a phantom" by Mack Mccormick

[Blues Vintage]

Is this book ever goin' to be published? I read somewhere he's maybe scared of Stephen Lavere cause the book contains a third picture of robert. there also rumors he has in his posession a unissued recording of robert johnson.

I don't know if this old news but I found this document on the net. Its a letter from frank driggs from columbia records to don law (present at the RJ recordings) In the letter among other things Don Law gives his discription of robert johnson. It also confirms that robert was picked up by the police on the first night.

Link from dallas observer;
http://www.scribd.com/doc/11129232/20090122125042109?from_email_04_friend_send=1&emid=11092176

[Bunker Hill]

There's been a fair amount of MMcC discussion hereabouts, admittedly not directly concerned with the RJ LaVere debacle, but click the tag below to read what folk here have said in the past...

[jostber]

Some more details on Robert Johnson's demise here:

http://thedeltablues.wordpress.com/2009/07/22/facts-around-johnsons-poisoning-killers-revealed/

[Richard]

How interesting. To add to this I consulted the resident doctor about Marfans Syndrone and was given short lecture, the gist of which is Marfan's is indeed an 'orrible thing to have and the outlook is not great anyway. It's genetic, but for me the interesting thing that links this is the RJ picture showing of his hands and long fingers. Classic Marfan's has the measurement of the outstretched arms being more than the body height.

Live and learn.

[jostber]

More recent stuff on Robert Johnson here:

http://blues.jfrewald.com/?tag=robert-johnson-death

Another story from the Greenwood Museum:

http://mymississippimemories.blogspot.com/2009/06/greenwood-blues-heritage-museum-and.html

[btasoundsradio]

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/718575/biography-of-a-phantom-by-robert-mack-mccormick-with-editors-preface-and-afterword-by-john-w-troutman/
publish date 4/23

[David Kaatz]

The drama of In Cold Blood meets the stylings of a Coen brothers film in this long-lost manuscript from musicologist Mack McCormick, whose research on blues icon Robert Johnson’s mysterious life and death became as much of a myth as the musician himself
Sounds like quite the hyperbole to me.

"including 40 unseen black-and-white photographs" !
Although I imagine most of those are of family, places, and acquaintances rather than Johnson himself.

[Stuart]

I took it as more of a description of Mack's writing style re: his manuscript, along with the legend and lore surrounding it, but we'll just have to wait and see. "The proof of the pudding," and all that...

"40 previously unpublished photos" is more like it, I would venture to guess. Like Dave says, most of them probably not of Robert, but to visually flesh out some background.

John Troutman is a solid historian who tends to stick to the facts (and whom I've met), so it will be interesting to read what he has to say.

Thanks for the update.

[Blues Vintage]

Like I said in the first post of this topic, McCormick had at least one unpublished photo of Robert Johnson (Peter Guralnick saw it).
Taken on the same day where Robert wears the pinstripe suit. It was or is hidden in a safe in Mexico. We'll see if it's in the book.

But great this is finally coming out either way.

[Rivers]

Or not, one way or another. I have a lotta stuff hidden in safes in Mexico. Who doesn't? 

[Tim Connor]

According to Amazon, it's coming out in April (you can pre-order it now). However, there are a lot of people who trusted Mack McCormick and lived to regret it...

[btasoundsradio]

here is the cover

[Blues Vintage]

However, there are a lot of people who trusted Mack McCormick and lived to regret it...

I trusted Mack McCormick a lot more than Stephen LaVere. And he (McCormick) was evidently the better writer.

[Rivers]

I really hope the book comes out. Re. the topographic map on the book cover, any theories as to what that overlaid little arrow is pointing at? I compared it with Google Maps but couldn't pin the exact area down. I believe the town to the bottom right is Greenwood.

[eric]

Yes, it's Greenwood.  Nothing but open fields, at least to my eye.  You can orient by the Little Zion Baptist church, which shows up on google maps.