Escaping the Delta - by Elijah Wald (Paperback)

About the Book

From the Back Cover

The life of blues legend Robert Johnson becomes the centerpiece for this innovative look at what many consider to be America's deepest and most influential music genre. Pivotal are the questions surrounding why Johnson was ignored by the core black audience of his time yet now celebrated as the greatest figure in blues history.

Trying to separate myth from reality, biographer Elijah Wald studies the blues from the inside -- not only examining recordings but also the recollections of the musicians themselves, the African-American press, as well as examining original research. What emerges is a new appreciation for the blues and the movement of its artists from the shadows of the 1930s Mississippi Delta to the mainstream venues frequented by today's loyal blues fans.

Review Quotes

"If you read only one book about blues...read this one." - Starred Booklist on Escaping the Delta

"Elijah Wald overturns [the] myths and puts Johnson's music into a broader, often surprising context. . . Thanks to his examination and research, a new picture of Johnson emerges." - Wall Street Journal

"Wald's is a story of race, to be sure, of black musicians, primarily, and black and white audiences...Full of insight and intelligence." - Susan Larson, New Orleans Times-Picayune on Escaping the Delta