JOHN LOMAX

(1867 - 1948)

(born September 23, 1867, Goodman, Mississippi; 
died January 26, 1948, Greenville, Mississippi)

Folklorist John Lomax from Goodman, Mississippi was a pioneer in recording and collecting black field music and folk songs, prison work chants, blues and spirituals. 

Because of his efforts, folk-blues artist such as Leadbelly and songs such as "Rock Island Line" and "John Henry" have become part of the American music treasury. 

In all, Lomax amassed some ten thousand recordings for the Library of Congress, including hundreds of blues songs that serve as the foundation of what we know about the origins and early development of the music.

Robert Santelli -- The Big Book of Blues : A Biographical Encyclopedia