NCW Libraries

May 8, 2011, marks the 100th birthday of Mississippi Delta bluesman Robert Johnson, who, according to legend, sold his soul down at the crossroads of Highway 61 and Highway 49 in a midnight bargain that has haunted the music world for three-quarters of a century. The deal brought forth Johnson's incandescent guitar technique and a run of 10-inch 78 rpm singles for the Vocalion, Oriole, Conqueror and Perfect labels recorded in San Antonio in 1936 and...

"A new Son House album of previously unreleased recordings from the legendary 'Father of the Delta Blues' features the never-before-released title track, 'Forever On My Mind.' The album comes from noted blues manager and historian Dick Waterman's archives which were the first upon Son House's 1964 rediscovery. Restored to clarity by producer Dan Auerbach for Easy Eye Sound, they represent the earliest recordings of House after his return to the limelight...

At 83, Chicago legend Buddy Guy remains the standard-bearer for the blues, an icon determined to see the art form live on long after he's gone. Enter young guitar phenom Quinn Sullivan, who has been mentored by Guy since he was a kid. This stirring documentary, amplified by electrifying musical performances, charts the guidance Guy himself received from the likes of Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf while observing the Grammy winner passing his wisdom...