Devil at the Crossroads

I was the main historian and narrator, both on and off screen, for this Netflix documentary about Robert Johnson.  Watch the whole thing on Netflix!,\

Live At Nine television show in Memphis as part of the book tour for Up Jumped the Devil: The Real Life of Robert Johnson

Music connects us, but like many things also seems to fall along racial cleavages, telling us where and to whom we belong. But, creativity rarely respects arbitrary barriers.  Prof Brian Lowery talks with Bruce Conforth, Professor of American culture and Founding curator of Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. They talk about the many contributions Black people have made to almost every popular music genre, and the impact African American music has had on almost every corner of the world.   

The winning book is 'Up Jumped The Devil - The Real Life of Robert Johnson' 

Really The Blues interviews Bruce Conforth about Robert Johnson

Bruce Conforth and Josh Davis perform The Red Rose Rag

Bruce Conforth and Josh Davis perform Robert Johnson's "Love In Vain"

 Former curator of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (and current UM Lecturer) Bruce Conforth joined curator (and PhD candidate) Kristine Ronan in the gallery to talk about how folk art and roots music are intertwined (or, as the music people would say, how they jam together).  Bruce and Kristine had a great conversation (which we've captured on video) - and we hope you'll check out some of the music and art they talk about.