He goes to pickin' notes ungodly

From a land unknown, singin'

like a blackbird possessed . . .

Little Robert grew up fast.

He came from the muddy back roads of Mississippi, lived largely in mystery, and died young, leaving behind little more than two grainy photographs and a batch of tinny recordings. But with a guitar in his hands, he played and sang the blues like none before. His name? Robert Johnson: a man some have called the root of rock 'n' roll, a musician trailed by rumors that his guitar was tuned by the devil.

The poems of J. Patrick Lewis, haunting illustrations of Gary Kelley, and musical lyrics of Robert Johnson himself harmonize in Black Cat Bone to tell the tale of this most legendary bluesman. As the poems explore the humble origins, rambling travels, and tragic death of Johnson, chalk illustrations offer a window onto the legends that have taken root to explain his extraordinary skills. An endnotes section at the back of the book lends factual footing to the story of this 1930s guitarist and singer, offering a fuller picture of his rise, fall, and the myth-steeped legacy that surrounds him still.