1938 robert johnson american singer songwriter and guitarist bo 08 16
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1938 88 years ago Notable Deaths August 16

Robert Johnson, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1911)

On August 16, in the year 1938, Robert Johnson, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1911). This event is recorded as a Notable Deaths event in the history of August 16, one of 428 recorded events on this date across all of history.

1 notable person is associated with this event, including Robert Johnson. Learn more below.

Robert Leroy Johnson was an American blues musician and songwriter. His singing, guitar playing and songwriting on his landmark 1936 and 1937 recordings have influenced later generations of musicians. Although his recording career spanned only seven months, he is recognized as a master of the blues, particularly the Delta blues style, and as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame describes him as perhaps "the first ever rock star".

Key Facts

  • This event took place on August 16, 1938 (AD era).
  • It is categorised as a Notable Deaths event in recorded history.
  • Referenced in 1 Wikipedia article.
  • 1 notable person is recorded as involved in or associated with this event.
  • Wikipedia source last updated on 12 July 2026.

On This Date in History 428

Type Year Date Event
Notable Deaths 2023 Aug 16 Howard S. Becker, American sociologist (born 1928)
Notable Deaths 2021 Aug 16 Sean Lock, English comedian and actor (born 1963)
Historical Events 2020 Aug 16 The August Complex fire in California burns more than one million acres of land.
Notable Deaths 2019 Aug 16 Peter Fonda, American actor, director, and screenwriter. (born 1940)
Notable Deaths 2019 Aug 16 Richard Williams, Canadian-British animator (born 1933)
Notable Deaths 2018 Aug 16 Aretha Franklin, American singer-songwriter (born 1942)
Notable Deaths 2018 Aug 16 Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Indian poet and 12th Prime Minister of India (born 1924)
Notable Deaths 2018 Aug 16 Wakako Yamauchi, American-Japanese writer (born 1924)
Notable Deaths 2016 Aug 16 João Havelange, Brazilian water polo player, lawyer, and businessman (born 1916)
Notable Deaths 2016 Aug 16 John McLaughlin, American television personality (born 1927)
Historical Events 2015 Aug 16 More than 96 people are killed and hundreds injured following a series of air-raids by the Syrian Arab Air Force on…
Historical Events 2015 Aug 16 Trigana Air Flight 267, an ATR 42, crashes in Oksibil, Bintang Mountains Regency, killing all 54 people on board.
Notable Deaths 2015 Aug 16 Jacob Bekenstein, Mexican-American physicist, astronomer, and academic (born 1947)
Notable Deaths 2015 Aug 16 Anna Kashfi, British actress (born 1934)
Notable Deaths 2015 Aug 16 Shuja Khanzada, Pakistani colonel and politician (born 1943)
Notable Deaths 2015 Aug 16 Mile Mrkšić, Serb general (born 1947)
Selected Events 2015 Aug 16 Suicide bombers assassinated Pakistani politician Shuja Khanzada and killed at least 21 others at his home in Attock…
Notable Deaths 2014 Aug 16 Patrick Aziza, Nigerian general and politician, Governor of Kebbi State (born 1947)
Notable Deaths 2014 Aug 16 Vsevolod Nestayko, Ukrainian author (born 1930)
Notable Deaths 2014 Aug 16 Mario Oriani-Ambrosini, Italian-South African lawyer and politician (born 1960)
Notable Deaths 2014 Aug 16 Peter Scholl-Latour, German journalist, author, and academic (born 1924)
Historical Events 2013 Aug 16 The ferry St. Thomas Aquinas collides with a cargo ship and sinks at Cebu, Philippines, killing 61 people with 59…
Notable Deaths 2013 Aug 16 David Rees, Welsh mathematician and academic (born 1918)
Historical Events 2012 Aug 16 South African police fatally shoot 34 miners and wound 78 more during an industrial dispute at Marikana near Rustenburg.
Notable Deaths 2012 Aug 16 Princess Lalla Amina of Morocco (born 1954)
Notable Deaths 2012 Aug 16 Martine Franck, Belgian photographer and director (born 1938)
Notable Deaths 2012 Aug 16 Abune Paulos, Ethiopian patriarch (born 1935)
Notable Deaths 2012 Aug 16 William Windom, American actor (born 1923)
Notable Deaths 2011 Aug 16 Mihri Belli, Turkish activist and politician (born 1916)
Historical Events 2010 Aug 16 AIRES Flight 8250 crashes at Gustavo Rojas Pinilla International Airport in San Andrés, San Andrés y Providencia,…
Notable Deaths 2010 Aug 16 Dimitrios Ioannidis, Greek general (born 1923)
Selected Events 2009 Aug 16 At the World Championships in Athletics in Berlin, Usain Bolt ran the 100 metres in 9.58 seconds, breaking his own…
Historical Events 2008 Aug 16 The Trump International Hotel and Tower in Chicago is topped off at 1,389 feet (423 m), at the time becoming the…
Notable Deaths 2008 Aug 16 Dorival Caymmi, Brazilian singer-songwriter and actor (born 1914)
Notable Deaths 2008 Aug 16 Ronnie Drew, Irish musician, folk singer and actor (born 1934)
Notable Deaths 2008 Aug 16 Masanobu Fukuoka, Japanese farmer and author (born 1913)
Notable Deaths 2007 Aug 16 Bahaedin Adab, Iranian engineer and politician (born 1945)
Notable Deaths 2006 Aug 16 Alfredo Stroessner, Paraguayan general and dictator; 46th President of Paraguay (born 1912)
Historical Events 2005 Aug 16 West Caribbean Airways Flight 708, a McDonnell Douglas MD-82, crashes in Machiques, Venezuela, killing all 160 people…
Notable Deaths 2005 Aug 16 Vassar Clements, American fiddler (born 1928)
Notable Deaths 2005 Aug 16 Tonino Delli Colli, Italian cinematographer (born 1922)
Notable Deaths 2005 Aug 16 William Corlett, English novelist and playwright (born 1938)
Notable Deaths 2005 Aug 16 Frère Roger, Swiss monk and mystic (born 1915)
Notable Deaths 2004 Aug 16 Ivan Hlinka, Czech ice hockey player and coach (born 1950)
Notable Deaths 2004 Aug 16 Balanadarajah Iyer, Sri Lankan journalist and poet (born 1957)
Notable Deaths 2004 Aug 16 Carl Mydans, American photographer and journalist (born 1907)
Notable Deaths 2004 Aug 16 Robert Quiroga, American boxer (born 1969)
Notable Deaths 2003 Aug 16 Idi Amin, Ugandan field marshal and politician, 3rd President of Uganda (born 1928)
Notable Deaths 2002 Aug 16 Abu Nidal, Palestinian terrorist leader (born 1937)
Notable Deaths 2002 Aug 16 Jeff Corey, American actor (born 1914)

This article draws on content from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

People Involved

Robert Johnson

American blues musician and songwriter (1911–1938)

death

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