A lot of folks send me email that really belongs in the threads. This is one that came in this evening from R. spearko.

Why is it that when a white person master's the genre of western academic music by, say, the age of ten, he's hailed as a prodigy or supergenius, but when a poor black man from the mississippi delta creates something geniunely beautiful it's because he sold his soul to the devil? I don't think anyone ever accused Wagner for his brilliance or Harry Partch for his originality, let's not condemn Robert Johnson for simple lack of better explanation- maybe he had a 240 I.Q. -who knows? This idiotic legend detracts from the genius Jonson possessed, musically, lyrically, and intellectually, when it becomes the dominant theme in any discussion about him, and don't kid yourself- it usually does. Do you recall the last time someone decided that poor uneducated whites from the mountains could not have possibly spawned a music as complex, emotional, and original as bluegrass, and then deduced that only a felicitous relationship with Satan could have produced it? Please, let's let human endeavor speak or sing for itself- maybe fear of god and the devil or love of them, can influence someone's creation, but i can't remember the last time i saw god and the devil jamming out at the local taproom. There really is enough to occupy ourselves with in the real world, if as much energies and time were spent listening to Robert Johnson's music as is speculating where the "crossroads" is, or how to learn to play the guitar overnight, we might actually have some decent transcriptions of Robert Johnson's work. Please don't take this as a personal attack or criticism- i'm only trying to ask a question and i guess it's just this 21st century angst that makes me a bit edgy. I'm just tired of hearing "Robert Johnson? Wasn't he that guy that sold his soul to the devil?" I think we are responsible for righting the wrongs of the age of misinformation- so someday maybe people will think of some other connection to preface their RJ discussions with. Anyway i can't really see what my question was, to reiterate, i only hope to the devil i had one- anyway thanks for listening.

R. spearko