How do I know if my copy is a first pressing?

Look for the red six-eye Columbia label, CL 1654 catalog number, mono pressing, and 'S' fabrication code on the back liner for the earliest copies.

Robert Johnson King of the Delta Blues Singers Value Guide (2026)

Name: Robert Johnson - King of the Delta Blues Singers (1961 Original Pressing)
Brand: Columbia Records

Vinyl Records

Robert Johnson recorded 29 songs across two sessions in a Texas hotel room and a Dallas studio in 1936 and 1937. Then he died at 27 - possibly poisoned, possibly not. Nobody knows for sure. His music sat on forgotten 78 RPM records for over two decades until Columbia Records released King of the Delta Blues Singers in 1961. That album changed everything. The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin - all of them point back to this record. An original 1961 pressing with the red "six-eye" Columbia label sells for $1,000 to $10,000 depending on condition.

Quick Value Summary


Item	Robert Johnson - King of the Delta Blues Singers
Year	1961
Label	Columbia Records (CL 1654)
Category	Vinyl Records
Format	12" LP, Mono
Series	Thesaurus of Classic Jazz
Condition Range
Later reissues/remastered	$200 – $500
Original six-eye pressing, VG+	$1,000 – $3,000
Original first pressing, NM	$5,000 – $10,000+
Rarity	Uncommon (original first pressing)

The Story

Robert Johnson lived fast, died young, and left almost nothing behind. Two recording sessions. Twenty-nine songs. A handful of blurry photographs. A death certificate that lists "no doctor" in attendance. And a legend - one that says he sold his soul to the devil at a Mississippi crossroads in exchange for his guitar skills.

The legend is almost certainly fiction. The music is undeniably real.

Johnson's recordings were originally released as 78 RPM singles on the Vocalion label in the late 1930s. They sold modestly. After his death in 1938 at age 27 - making him one of the original members of the "27 Club" - his music largely disappeared from public consciousness.

Then Frank Driggs, a producer at Columbia Records, compiled 16 of Johnson's songs into a single LP. King of the Delta Blues Singers was released in 1961 as part of the Thesaurus of Classic Jazz series. The timing was perfect. The folk and blues revival was in full swing. Young musicians were hungry for authentic Delta blues.

The album hit the revival scene like a bomb. Bob Dylan called it one of the most important albums he'd ever heard. Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones reportedly said, "At first I thought it was two guys playing." Eric Clapton called Johnson "the most important blues musician who ever lived." Led Zeppelin borrowed from Johnson's template liberally.

This one album - compiled from scratchy field recordings made in hotel rooms decades earlier - became the bridge between Delta blues and modern rock and roll. It's been called the most important blues album ever made.

How to Identify the Original Pressing

The Six-Eye Label

The key identifier for an original 1961 pressing is the red "six-eye" Columbia label. "Six-eye" refers to the six CBS "eye" logos arranged around the perimeter of the label, with "CBS" at the top. This label style was used by Columbia from approximately 1958 to 1962.

Later pressings use different label designs - two-eye, orange, etc. - and are worth considerably less.

First Pressing Indicators

Catalog number: CL 1654
"S" fabrication code on the back liner - this identifies the very earliest copies from the first pressing run. Copies with the "S" code command a premium over later six-eye variants.
Matrix/runout numbers: x Lp 53016 (Side A) and x Lp 53017 (Side B)
Mono only - stereo versions came later and are not first pressings.
Cover art: Burt Goldblatt painting on the front cover.

What's Not a First Pressing

Any label other than the red six-eye Columbia
Stereo pressings
Different catalog numbers
Later remastered editions (1990s Complete Recordings, etc.)

Value by Condition

The source material - field recordings from the 1930s - means this album was never going to sound pristine. Some surface noise is expected and acceptable even on mint copies. What matters for value is the condition of the vinyl itself (scratches, groove wear) and the cover.

Pressing	Condition	Value Range
Original six-eye, "S" code	Near Mint	$5,000 – $10,000+
Original six-eye	VG+	$1,000 – $3,000
Original six-eye	VG	$500 – $1,000
Later reissues	Various	$200 – $500

The first pressing with the "S" fabrication code is the top target for collectors. It represents the very first copies off the press and commands a clear premium over later six-eye printings from the same run.

Authentication & Fakes

What to Watch For

Later pressings sold as originals. The six-eye label is the key. If it doesn't have six CBS eyes around the perimeter with "CBS" at top, it's not a first pressing.
Label swaps. Rarely, someone might pair a six-eye label from a different album with a Johnson record. Check that the catalog number (CL 1654) and matrix numbers are correct.
Condition exaggeration. "Near mint" is subjective in the vinyl world. Ask for detailed photos of the vinyl surface, label, and cover edges.

Verification Checklist

✅ Red six-eye Columbia label with "CBS" at top
✅ CL 1654 catalog number
✅ "S" fabrication code on back (for earliest pressing)
✅ Matrix: x Lp 53016 / x Lp 53017
✅ Mono pressing
✅ Burt Goldblatt cover painting

Where to Sell

Discogs - Active blues collector community. Good for mid-range copies.
eBay - Wide reach. Detailed photos and honest condition grading will build bidder confidence.
Specialist blues/jazz dealers - Know the market intimately and can place copies with serious collectors.
Heritage Auctions - For near-mint first pressings where the value justifies auction consignment.

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Common Questions

How much is King of the Delta Blues Singers worth?

An original 1961 first pressing with the six-eye Columbia label in VG+ condition: $1,000 to $3,000. Near-mint copies with the "S" fabrication code: $5,000 to $10,000+. Later reissues and remastered editions: $200 to $500.

How do I know if mine is a first pressing?

Look for the red "six-eye" Columbia label with six CBS eye logos around the perimeter. The catalog number should be CL 1654. It should be mono. For the very earliest copies, check for an "S" fabrication code on the back liner.

Why is this album so important?

It introduced Robert Johnson's music to the world beyond a few collectors of old 78s. The folk and blues revival audience of the 1960s discovered it, and through them it influenced the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, and essentially the entire trajectory of rock music. All from 29 songs recorded in two sessions by a man who died at 27.

Did Robert Johnson really sell his soul to the devil?

That's the legend. Johnson was said to have met the devil at a crossroads in Mississippi and traded his soul for supernatural guitar ability. It's a compelling story, rooted in African American folk tradition and blues mythology. What's verifiable is that Johnson's technique was extraordinary - so fluid and complex that early listeners thought they were hearing two guitarists at once.

Are the 78 RPM originals more valuable than this LP?

Original Vocalion 78 RPM singles from 1936–37 are extremely rare and can be worth even more than the 1961 LP. But they're so scarce that the LP is the practical collector target. The 1961 compilation is where most people start - and for many, where they end up.