Blues You Can Use – Peter Green, “The Robert Johnson Songbook”

Our editor Sam asked if I would do reviews on some of my favorite blues albums. So I thought I would start that process today. The album I have chosen is "The Robert Johnson Songbook" by Peter Green. This album features the music of two of the most mysterious men in the history of the Blues. Robert Johnson sold his soul at the Crossroads, and Peter Green vowed to never play the blues again because they were evil. Peter Green was the founding member of Fleetwood Mac. Green, Mick Fleetwood and John McVie all came from John Mayhall Blues Breakers.

Green has been called one of the greatest guitarist ever. Even BB King once said Peter Green was the only guitar player who ever made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. Unfortunately, Peter also had some sanity issues, joined a religous cult early in the 70's and was living on the streets, fingernails 3 to 4 inches long. Green seemed to struggle with reality according to Mick Fleetwoods Biography.

He said he would never play the blues again because they were evil, and he once shot at a delivery man for bringing him a royalty check. For years Peter never recorded again, until 1998 when he released this album. It is amazing set of music and won him a WC Handy Award.

According to the editorial review on Amazon:

On this release, Green serves up 16 outstanding interpretations of Robert Johnson classics. The songs that Robert Johnson recorded in various Texas hotel rooms in 1936 and 1937 are amongst the most significant and influential works in the history of Blues music. It was thus very appropriate that it was to these landmark songs that Peter Green turned when recording 1998's outstanding award winning Robert Johnson Songbook. This record shows a real return to form for the founder of Fleetwood Mac and one of the greatest ever white Blues guitarists. In 1999 The Robert Johnson Songbook won Peter Green a prestigious W. C. Handy Award.

Two great but certainly troubled artists, and definitely an amazing album.