Earle - who's better known for his country rock output - tells WBUR: "I always approach it from the songwriting standpoint. He was Robert Johnson because of the songs.

"He wrote every song that's a big deal. Every form of the post-war alleged blues is based on one Robert Johnson song or another. And it's absolutely the truth. He's every bit the father of the modern genre."

He continues: "Johnson, as a songwriter, is pretty fascinating - there are no earlier versions of these songs that anybody's been able to find. They all begin with him, which I think's fascinating." Read more - here.

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