Robert Johnson—the pre-war blues genius who influenced blues and rock immeasurably, famous for the “crossroads” legend of selling his soul for mastery. P-VINE now reissues all 12 SP records he left on Vocalion, using masters transferred directly from the original 78rpm discs owned by company founder Akira Kochi—without any digital processing.

Compared with all previous LP and CD editions, this version reveals astonishing presence and clarity, as if Johnson were performing right in front of you. A landmark project in blues history.

Comment by Akira Kochi (One of the P-VINE founders): “Pure analog sound with zero digital correction. Absolutely do not listen through phone earbuds! Depending on the title, only around 5–10 clean original SP discs still exist worldwide. P-VINE has now dropped the needle on these rare 78rpm originals—this is Robert Johnson in his true form.”

This first release features Johnson’s iconic “Cross Road Blues,” whose chilling performance—darting between high and low strings while singing with piercing desperation—made the crossroads legend believable. Covered by countless artists from Eric Clapton to modern players, it stands as one of the greatest blues classics.

The B-side, “Ramblin’ On My Mind,” features the triple-note high-string motif also heard in “I Believe I’ll Dust My Broom,” greatly influencing Elmore James and many others. A perfect entry point into this definitive reissue series.