Episode 312 Deals at the Crossroads - Robert Johnson, Paganini and Petey Wheatstraw

Here we are with another 'Summerween' episode.  this time we are digging into musicians who supposedly made deals with the devil for their skill and fame.  We start with the Mississippi Delta's favorite crossroads legend, Robert Johnson.  We tell both the legendary version of his tale and then we dig down to what is likely the truth behind his life.  Then we jump back to Europe in the 1700's where we meet a slightly strange man named Niccolo Paganini and hear about his deal with the devil.  Then we dispense with the legend and tell the truth of his life, at least as much as we know,  Finally, we tell the legend of Petey Wheatstraw, the Devil's Son-In-Law and then again, contrast that with the real life of Blues musician William Bunch, who used the name to perform and leaned into the legend hard.  We examine the legacy of these tales and even discuss how their represented on the modern internet where, under their videos, you can read comments of people openly accusing people like Katy Perry and Taylor Swift of having sold their souls for fame and fortune in this don't look now but the devil's watchin' episode of the Family Plot Podcast!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/family-plot--4670465/support. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices