Blind Willie Johnson

Blind Willie Johnson, a seminal gospel-blues artist and revered bottleneck slide guitarist, is known for his powerful voice and classic songs such as "Jesus Make up My Dying Bed" and "Dark Was the Night -- Cold Was the Ground." Born around 1902 in Texas, Johnson, blinded as a child, turned to music as a means of livelihood, playing his guitar with a pocketknife and slide. Despite his profound blues talent, Johnson's true passion lay in gospel music, as he became a Baptist preacher and performed with his wife, Angeline, bringing spiritual music to the streets of Dallas and Waco.

Recording for Columbia Records in the late 1920s, Blind Willie Johnson produced enduring tracks like "Mother's Children Have a Hard Time" and "God Don't Never Change." Despite limited commercial success, his influence endured through covers by artists like Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton. Johnson's tragic death in 1947 marked the end of his recording career, but his legacy lives on in collections such as "Dark Was the Night" and "Praise God, I'm Satisfied," showcasing his unparalleled talent in gospel-blues and slide guitar.