How did Son House influence Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters?

Eddie "Son" House was a seminal figure in the Mississippi Delta blues tradition whose music exerted a powerful influence on later blues performers, most notably Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters.1

• Influence on Robert Johnson: In Robinsonville, Mississippi, Johnson came into contact with House, who was a master of the Delta style. Along with other local legends like Charley Patton and Willie Brown, House influenced Johnson’s early playing. Although House and his contemporaries were initially unimpressed by Johnson's early musical attempts, Johnson later incorporated several of House's songs into his own repertoire.23
• Influence on Muddy Waters: Growing up in the Mississippi Delta, Waters eagerly absorbed the classic Delta blues styles of artists including Son House and Robert Johnson. This foundational exposure helped shape Waters's own musical development before he moved to Chicago and pioneered the Chicago blues style.45

While House's own recordings in the 1930s failed to find a large audience at the time, his legacy remains tied to the profound impact he had on these two iconic musicians.1