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Post by snakehips on May 22, 2020 11:05:37 GMT
Hi again !
She has had the photo for 80 years - it's real, whether the book is full of juicy new facts or disappointingly not. Either way, the photo still shows RJ.
I thinks it's all pretty mean having a go at a 96yr old, questioning her motives, when you don't know her. Sure, others involved in the book could have ulterior motives - but that is only a "could" - but that doesn't mean it is so. The negativity of some here is astounding and disappointing.
Apparently, she was holding on to that photo, keeping it safe, knowing that here step-sister Carrie (RJ's half sister) had "borrowed" out her own two (Hooks Brothers) pics of RJ, one to Mack McCormack and one to Steve LaVere - only to never get them back again - and was bitter about that. Some have stated that Mack McCormack, who kept the (still) unseen photo (of RJ in his suit WITH his cousin, same Hooks Brothers session as the Gibson L1 photo) claimed he didn't cheat Carrie, as he never made any money out of the photo - but Carrie was just annoyed at him (as Steve LaVere) BECAUSE she never got the photo back. Under those circumstances, the lady with the new book, probably didn't trust anyone enough, to want to risk losing this photo - until now, when she was possibly promised, beyond her reasonable doubt, that she would never "lose" the photo.
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Post by bonzo on May 22, 2020 11:43:23 GMT
Hi Snakey, you always have a well thought out point of view that is respected on the forum, even if not always agreed with! To have a photo of RJ is a good thing, either we believe it's him or we don't, either it matters to us or it doesn't. Your reference to the 'sister'of RJ as a nice old lady who didn't want to lose a photograph of somebody dear to her is accurate and quite understandable. That's the photo thing, it's her business, we can make our own minds up, no harm done. Put that same photo on the cover of a book purporting to be the reminiscences of a young girl growing up with RJ, whole other story. Somebody is going to make a shed load of dosh! We all have a pretty good idea of what the content of the book will be. What insight could a 12 year old girl give into the life of a man she met occasionally over a few years. Hopefully she has happy memories of a kind man who would visit and play guitar and sing and be fun to be around. A nice Uncle. That's it. Any opinions on his life beyond that would only, could only, be based on the hearsay we've all become familiar with. Personally I like the 'new' picture and am happy to believe it's him. Will I be buying the book? No.
Best wishes to you all, John
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Post by Deleted on May 22, 2020 11:58:37 GMT
I dont have all the facts and not interested in any book...but having hard time understanding why wait until you are 96 years old to cash in a valuable item...and enjoy the money. Photo looks authentic to me.
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Post by bonzo on May 22, 2020 12:21:55 GMT
Hi Fred. I wonder if she has grandkids?!
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Post by slide496 on May 22, 2020 12:41:59 GMT
I swore to myself that I wouldn't comment but I can't help it..... Am I right in seeing that RJ is playing the same chord shape in all three photos i.e the original two accepted ones and this new one? In which case, could those with better eyes, computer knowledge, photo experience etc. than me have a look and see if there has been any photo manipulation with his left hand. I hope that it is a genuine happy, smiley picture of RJ but I'm yet to be convinced. Harriets point of actually showing the original, front and back, as it is, makes the best sense to me. I have photoshop and can enlarge the photo, but IMHO you would need to consult with an expert specializing in photo retouching, restoring of old photos. I'm not familiar with the techniques and tools of photo retouchers, those depend on the photo they were given I saw questionable areas on the face that looked "fiddled with and painted over" but there wasn't anything that jumped out as me in any other area, such as the left hand as to compositing or anything like that. Whether or not the photo was also manipulated to make a statement about the personality and expression you would need to compare the original photo to be sure. To my mind, this kind of controversy should have been taken into account and they could have avoided it by adding restored to the credits for the photo and publishing the original front and back, so I am disgusted by that as well as the claim that this finally reveals Johnson's true persomality, sets the record straight or anything like that.
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Post by Deleted on May 22, 2020 12:47:20 GMT
John, My thought was that she should have done a deal earlier in life so as not to risk losing (financial) control of the situation herself. At 96 someone could possibly challenge her mental capacity...
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Post by Deleted on May 22, 2020 13:11:23 GMT
John, My thought was that she should have done a deal earlier in life so as not to risk losing (financial) control of the situation herself. At 96 someone could possibly challenge her mental capacity... I'm way off 96 and my mental capacity is challenged on a regular basis.
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Post by bonzo on May 22, 2020 13:12:09 GMT
Understood Fred. Maybe she's had it in mind for awhile and never got round to it (wonder what that feels like?!) Has the opportunity for a book only recently presented itself? (Or been presented to her?) What has taken such import to some of us on the forum would be of no interest to the majority of people, even blues fans. The book will be of limited interest and will be bought by 'completests' who would collect anything to do with RJ and blues books in general. I know I'm not the only one here with the odd shelf full! The publishers must figure there's a profit to be made, it's certainly won't be a coffee table art book! As far as money goes, you could probably make a decent crust licensing the picture out for jigsaws, coffee mugs, posters etc! I doubt that RJ is turning in any of his three graves!
Best wishes to you all, John
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Post by Michael Messer on May 22, 2020 13:57:21 GMT
I can't help but keep mentioning Operation Mincemeat during the Second World War. We don't need to discuss the operation on here, but just Google it and find out how much of a deception was created and how much they went into the details to make it convincing. That was to fool an enemy, which is different to fooling a gullible public, but when money comes into the frame..... I have never trusted anything, apart from the music itself, about the Robert Johnson legacy since 1990 when the whole catalogue, name and use of image became the property of an individual businessman. Try this one... www.deltahaze.com/DHCHome.htmlShine On Michael
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Post by Pickers Ditch on May 22, 2020 14:25:17 GMT
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Post by bonzo on May 22, 2020 14:48:23 GMT
Won't go to far off piste Michael,but the movie/documentary was on TV to coincide with the VE day commemorations.
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Post by Michael Messer on May 22, 2020 17:04:15 GMT
Stephen Lavere died a few years ago, but i would imagine his estate, or a company representing his estate, still controls RJ's estate. Robert's music still dissolves me every time I hear it. Just extraordinarily beautiful....phew! Shine On Michael
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Post by slide496 on May 22, 2020 17:38:41 GMT
Well that's a real eye opener - she was petitioning as the representative of his sister's estate for control of that estate (and her cut?) since about 1989 if I read correctly!
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Post by coach on May 22, 2020 19:05:02 GMT
I think Coach is involved with photography.. I'm involved with a number of things and none of them photography my phone camera is about as much as I know. I did used to work for a few pro snappers back in the day but that was doing dark rooms and audio suites - nothing to do with the actual picture gubbins
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Post by jono1uk on May 22, 2020 19:29:28 GMT
My apologies it's Davey who is the photographer.
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