Who was Robert Johnson?

Call Me From the Grave tells the true story of Robert Johnson (born 1911, died 1938), a Black blues musician from the Mississippi Delta who, legend has it, sold his soul to the Devil in exchange for musical prowess. Although he only lived 27 years, Robert, known for his unique and matchless guitar playing technique and his chilling vocals, went on to posthumously become one of the most influential musicians and songwriters of the 20th century.

Full Synopsis

A blues singer, Bobby, performs for patrons in a bar, weaving the tale of Robert Johnson (“Jericho”). Time turns back and transports us to a church in Mississippi, where we meet a young Robert (“Jesus, Lord”).

After the church service, Robert practices on his guitar at home, but is teased by a strange man that warns that practice, alone, will not get Robert as far as he wants to go. The man vanishes, just as Robert’s parents arrive to scold their son for playing music when he should be working. Robert dreams of a life as a famous musician, but feels stuck as a sharecropper (“A Soul Ain’t Free”). Virginia, his loving girlfriend, witnesses his daydreaming and conveys that she does not want to be what gets in the way of his dream. Robert assures her that his dream cannot exist without her. She then reveals that she is pregnant and the two decide to be wed (“Livin’ The Dream”).

The community gathers for the wedding, but gossip about Robert and Virginia (“Gossip Chorus 1”). The strange man appears and mocks Robert for choosing to marry. While helping prepare the church for the wedding, Virginia’s sister, Sarah, is giddy when her boyfriend, Charles, promises that they too will marry soon. Virginia’s father, Pastor Travis, refuses to come and officiate the wedding, leaving Charles to lead the congregation in the tradition of jumping the broom. As months go by, we see glimpses of Robert repeatedly being denied opportunities to play at the juke, yet working in the fields to support his family. Meanwhile, Charles has lost all of his savings due to bad investments and postpones his wedding to Sarah. The strange man makes another appearance (“Jump The Broom”).

A few months pass by as we hear more gossip about Robert, Virginia, their coming baby, and how Red, the Juke owner, still won’t let him play (“Gossip Chorus 2”) Later, Sarah tells Virginia and Julia, Robert’s mother, that Charles has been offered a job in another town, and she is going to go with him even though they are not yet married. Virginia disapproves, revealing that Charles has hit Sarah. After an argument, Sarah asserts that Charles is her greatest love and that she is going with him (“Good Enough For Me”). As Sarah storms out, Robert enters to find Virginia upset with him for staying out late at the juke every single night. They argue and Robert storms out to go back to the juke while Virginia sings to their unborn child. While at the juke, Robert strikes luck and is offered a chance to fill in for a missing performer. However, just as Robert is about to start playing, he gets news that Virginia is in troubled labor. He hesitates, but ultimately leaves to go be with her. Upon arriving, Robert finds that Virginia has died and only the child remains (“Waiting For You”). 

At Virginia’s funeral, Pastor Travis takes Robert’s son from him and bars Robert from seeing the boy as he believes Robert is not fit to raise him (“Gossip Chorus 3”). Three months later, Robert has sunk into a drunken depression that leads to a heated argument with his family. Robert grabs his guitar and leaves his home to strike out on his own (“Listen To The Man”).

Act Two

Seven years later, Robert is now locally renowned for his guitar skills. He plays for a packed juke when famed bluesman, Son House, notices him (“Bluesman”). After his set, Robert runs into Sarah and Charles. It is clear that the situation has become very physically abusive. Robert feels that he ought to stay and help, but Son House offers Robert to join him on tour. The Devil intervenes, and Robert leaves with Son House (“A Soul Ain’t Free (Reprise)”). Before he leaves, Robert tells Sarah to tell his son, Bobby, that he is dead. Sarah laments her own situation (“Bruises”).

While on tour, Robert and Son House play in the jukes, cafes, and streets of Memphis, St. Louis, and Chicago. Robert has his fill of women and whiskey—often aided by the Devil (“Train Sequence”). While playing on the streets of Chicago, the two men are approached by Don Law, a British record producer. Don offers them a record deal, asking them to come into his office the next day. That night, Robert is temporarily distracted by a local prostitute (“All I Need’s A Nickel”). The next morning, Robert and Son House record a song in which Robert, for the first time in years, expresses his pain in losing Virginia (“Down Hearted Blues”).

The record is a hit. Back in Mississippi, Julia listens to her son’s record, missing him deeply. Dusty is now passed, leaving her to work and pay off the rest of the house herself. Sarah comes over to the house, and by now it is clear that the abuse has gotten to be continuous and often. Sarah’s father, Pastor Travis, has also passed, so now it is up to her to take care of Robert’s son. Julia and Sarah speak of Robert and decide to write him letters, each pleading that he come home in order to help the other (“Letters (Come Home)”). After receiving the letters, Robert is concerned for Sarah’s life and safety, as well as the safety of his son. The Devil reminds him that if he returns home, he will die and lose everything, but Robert decides his family is more important and chooses to go home anyway (“Let Your Soul Be Free (Reprise)”).

Robert returns to find his mother physically struggling to pay off the house. Robert hints that he is facing a difficult internal decision and suggests that he does not have much time left. Julia reassures him that there is always time to right past wrongs and that God will give him the strength to do what he must (“He Will Free You”). Robert gives her the money to pay off the house and leaves to go find Sarah and Bobby.

In a juke, a desperate Charles offers up Sarah for sexual use in order to stay at the gambling table. She refuses, but Charles threatens her (“Bruises (Reprise)”). Robert arrives. He and Sarah embrace as Charles re-enters. Charles flies into a jealous rage at Sarah, but Robert encourages her to stand up for herself. Charles attacks Sarah, forcing Robert to intervene. The two men fight, and Robert is stabbed in the chest. Charles turns to go for Sarah when Robert uses the last of his strength to pull out the knife and stab Charles in the back, saving Sarah (“Listen to the Man (Reprise)”). Sarah is distraught, but Robert uses his last moments to meet his son and thank Sarah for helping him finally do something right again.

In an epilogue, we return to the juke joint from the opening with Bobby, who has concluded his tale. Listeners are filled with questions, mainly; did Robert get his soul back. Bobby states that all we know is that his daddy was one hell of a guitar player.

Robert’s loved ones mourn him as he rises into the afterlife, greeted by Virginia. She informs him that because Robert gave up his life for another, he has been granted his soul back and gets to join her in heaven (“Finale: Call Me From The Grave”).