BLACK BLUES LEGEND
BLIND WILLIE JOHNSON BLASTS INTO OUTER SPACE
IN NEW PICTURE BOOK
ABOUT HIS SOUL-STIRRING SONG
Ask Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Lucinda
Williams and Jack White to name the slide-guitar player they most admire, and
they'll all say Blind Willie Johnson. What those musicians may not know is that
one of his songs found its way to the depths of outer space. In Dark
Was the Night – Blind Willie Johnson's Journey to the Stars, NY Times-bestselling author Gary Golio
and Caldecott Honoree E. B. Lewis weave a magical tale of how the healing power
of music can turn darkness into light.
Born in 1897, young Willie shone as he sang
and played a cigar box guitar made by his father. But his bright childhood fell
dark when he lost both his mother and his sight. Fortunately, his love of music
led him back into the light. He began singing in churches and later brought his
unique blend of gospel-blues to street corners all over Texas. Willie's
powerful voice, joined to the wail of his slide guitar, moved even more people
when he cut some records and his songs were played on the radio. Yet by the
time he died, he and his music were largely forgotten.
Then, in 1977, Willie's haunting song,
"Dark Was the Night," was launched into space on the Voyager I
space probe's famous Golden Record. There, along with the many sounds and
sights of planet Earth, is the soul-stirring song of a blind man, telling us
not to be afraid of the dark, and reminding us that we are never really alone.
"An ode to a too-little-discussed musician and an excellent
introduction to his amazing musical talent."
Kirkus, *starred review*
Kirkus, *starred review*
“An
inspiring story of one man’s commitment to lifting up himself and those around
him with his music.
An
American treasure who shouldn’t go unsung."
Booklist
"Lewis's
expressive watercolors depict the subject's humble country beginnings as well
as the joy that he felt when he sang and played"
"A
beautiful, timely tribute to a little-known musician and space venture."
School Library Journal, *starred review*
Gary Golio is the
author of the NY Times bestseller JIMI:
Sounds Like a Rainbow – A Story of the Young Jimi Hendrix, winner of a Coretta Scott King
Illustrator Award; Bird & Diz and Strange Fruit – Billie Holiday and the Power
of a Protest Song, both ALA Notables; and other books about legendary
artists. A writer and musician, Golio has been featured on NPR’s "Weekend Edition",
CBS-TV’s “Sunday
Morning News,” and on radio stations nationwide. He lives
in the Hudson Valley with his wife, children’s book author Susanna Reich.
E.B.
Lewis is a fine artist and the acclaimed illustrator of over 70 books,
among them Coming On Home Soon by Jacqueline Woodson (Caldecott Honor Award), Talkin' About Bessie by Nikki Grimes
(Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award), and The Secret World of Walter
Anderson by Hester Bass (Orbis Pictus Award). He is also the recipient
of the NY Times Best Illustrated Book
Award, Kirkus' Best Illustrated Book Award, and four additional Coretta Scott
King Illustrator Awards. Lewis teaches at the University of Arts in
Philadelphia, and lives in Folsom, New Jersey.
###
Dark
Was the Night – Blind Willie Johnson's Journey to the Stars
Written by Gary Golio
Illustrated by E.B. Lewis
Published by Penguin/Nancy Paulsen Books
August 2020 • Ages 5-8 • 32 pages • $17.99 hardcover/$10.99
Ebook • ISBN: 978-1524738884
