therapon,

My observations are a result of my informal study but I can say that in terms of ownership Robert Johnson is one of the few that can really claim ownership of his songs. That's not my opinion as much as it is a common tribute paid by his close fiends and generations of players after him.

As for examples of immortality through sharing the blues style; I read a part of an interview with Missipppi Fred McDowell where the interviewer asked him why he tried to teach everybody 'his' songs. He indicated in his reply that what he wanted most was for his music to live on and the only way he knew to do it was to give it away.

The person interviewing Fred felt it was a waste of his opportunity to earn more by not giving away his music. Fred tried to make him understand but I don't think he did.

I believe that having been discovered late (1959) on his farm near Como Missippi, Fred McDowell represents a direct line to the earliest days of the blues in the Delta. He created some of his earliest songs as far back as 1929 according to one album I have.

Before I really get to ramblin' I'll just say that the blues is much bigger than one artist can claim and most of the Delta Bluesmen knew it.

Gene E