Restored Robert Johnson Test Pressing Reveals Haunting First Take of 'Come On in My Kitchen'

Sound restorer Nick Dellow has uploaded a remarkably restored digitized test pressing of Robert Johnson's "Come On in My Kitchen" (take one) to YouTube, offering unprecedented audio clarity of the 1936 recording. Johnson recorded only 29 songs between 1936 and 1937 before dying at age 27, yet his work secured his status as one of the most influential blues musicians. The second take was released by Vocalion Records in 1937, deemed more commercially viable, but take one is now regarded by enthusiasts as the true rendition. The public first heard it in 1961 on the compilation "King of the Delta Blues Singers," which built Johnson's posthumous fan base. The restored audio deepens the legend of Johnson's preternatural musical power.