Dark Was the Night

Gary Golio; illustrated by E.B. Lewis

The poignant story of Blind Willie Johnson--the legendary Texas musician whose song "Dark Was the Night" was included on the Voyager I space probe's Golden RecordWillie Johnson was born in 1897, and from the beginning he loved to sing--and play his cigar box guitar. But his childhood was interrupted when he lost his mother and his sight. How does a blind boy make his way in the world? Fortunately for Willie, the music saved him and brought him back into the light. His powerful voice, combined with the wailing of his slide guitar, moved people. Willie made a name for himself performing on street corners all over Texas. And one day he hit it big when he got a record deal and his songs were played on the radio. Then in 1977, his song--"Dark Was the Night"--was chosen to light up the darkness when it was launched into space on the Voyager I space probe's famous Golden Record. His immortal song was selected for the way it expresses the loneliness humans all feel, while reminding us we're not alone.

INTRIGUING PIECE OF MUSIC HISTORY: How does a blind, self-taught musician end up having his song chosen as one of only a few to represent all of humanity?AUTHOR'S PREVIOUS PICTURE BOOK BIOGRAPHIES: Gary Golio has received starred reviews for his picture books about Billie Holiday, Carlos Santana, John Coltrane, Jimi Hendrix, Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie, and Charlie Chaplin.LUMINOUS WATERCOLOR ILLUSTRATIONS: E.B. Lewis has truly outdone himself in his light-filled paintings showing the high and low points of Willie's life.EMPOWERING MESSAGE: Willie Johnson faced adversity and overcame so much, through hard work, talent, and his love of music.CONTINUING FASCINATION WITH GOLDEN RECORD: A 40th anniversary vinyl boxset of the Golden Record was released in 2017. (Started as a Kickstarter campaign with a $198,000 goal, it had a total of $1,363,037 pledged.)ONE FOR THE "RECORD" BOOKS! In 2013, Voyager I (carrying the Golden Record) became the first human-made object to leave our solar system.ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR CURIOUS READERS: Back matter includes author's notes, the Golden Record's song list, and a bibliography.