Robert Johnson Test Pressing *Own A Piece Of History*
  $   228

 


$ 228 Sold For
Feb 5, 2009 Sold Date
Jan 29, 2009 Start Date
$   50 Start price
16   Number Of Bids
  USA Country Of Seller
eBay Auctioned at
 
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Description

Here's your chance to own a piece of music history.  This auction is for a test pressing of Robert Johnson's "Drunken Hearted Man".  This was part of a group of test pressings that was originally made for Columbia producer Frank Driggs in the late 1950's or early 1960's, when Columbia was considering the reissue of some of its back catalog of country and blues recordings.  Shortly afterward, Columbia and most other record companies abandoned their old stamping equipment, thus halting the production of such test pressings. 

"Drunken Hearted Man" was originally recorded in Dallas on either June 19 or June 20, 1937.  From these recordings Driggs produced the first reissue anthology of Johnson's recordings, "King of the Delta Blues" in 1961 - an album that proved to be the most influential album for modern popular groups including the Rolling Stones, Cream and Led Zeppelin.  Johnson's recorded repertoire consisted of only 29 songs, which he produced in 1936 and 1937, five of which were never issued during his short lifetime.

I purchased two of these test pressings from an auction house.  (The other, "Phonograph Blues" will be listed in a separate auction).  Since I am not a professional grader, I will use the grading that the original auction provided.  The grading for "Drunken Hearted Man" is listed at EX 6.  It plays clean.  The two pictures attached to this listing are of the actual record and the characters pressed into the matrix (DAL 397).  This disc was previously part of Heritage Auctions "Good Rocking Tonight" collection

The shipping for this auction is USPS Priority Mail.  Because of the rarity of this item, insurance is required.




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