Willie Johnson was born near Independence, Texas, in 1897 to Willie and Mary (Fields) Johnson. His family moved to Marlin when he was a young boy, and there he first learned gospel songs at church; his first guitar was said to be made from a cigar box. He lost his sight as a child, possibly as the result of an accident at home. He grew up in and around Marlin singing on the streets there and in nearby Hearne, later moved to Dallas, and continued as a sidewalk performer. Between 1927 and 1930, he recorded a total of 30 songs in four recording sessions in Dallas, New Orleans, and Atlanta for Columbia Records' "Race" series for African American artists, and sold about 5,000 records each year from 1929 to 1934. He and his family settled in Beaumont, purchased a home, and lived there for the rest of his life. After his recording career ended, he earned a meager living as a street musician and preacher and operated the House of Prayer in his home at 1440 Forrest Street. After his death in 1945, his recordings brought him great commercial popularity, and his music was rereleased several times and covered by many notable musicians. His gospel recordings display a moving but raspy singing voice and mastery of the slide guitar. In 1977, his recording of "Dark was the Night, Cold was the Ground" was chosen for inclusion on the golden record compiled to showcase the diversity of earth's cultures and sent out of the solar system on the Voyager 1 spacecraft.