Blues History
Blues is an American Heritage, and it should be noted as such. Blues is a musical art form with it's own distinct musical progressions and much more. The Blues is a musical genre. The Blues means a lot of things to a lot of people.
The best way to understand the blues is to visit our Blues Videos page and watch and listen to the music.
To learn even more about it's origins and historical and cultural significance check out some of the articles and videos on this page.
|
What is "the Blues"?
A Brief discussion of the definition of blues music (mojohand.com) Blues is an African-American music that traverses a wide range of emotions and musical styles. “Feeling blue” is expressed in songs whose verses lament injustice or express longing for a better life and lost loves, jobs, and money. But blues is also a raucous dance music that celebrates pleasure and success. Central to the idea of blues performance is the concept that, by performing or listening to the blues, one is able to overcome sadness and lose the blues. Among the formal, identifying musical traits of the blues are the familiar “blue notes,” a three-line AAB verse form, and a characteristic use of the familiar blues chord progression. Historically, the popularity of blues coincides with the rise of the commercial recording industry, the introduction of “race” records aimed at black record-buyers after 1920, and the emigration of black Americans from the rural South to the urban North. Many of the earliest black American recording stars were blues singers. The first blues songs to be recorded, often called “classic blues,” were jazz-influenced songs in a vaudeville style, sung by the great blueswomen: Gertrude “Ma” Rainey, Bessie Smith, and others. These singers were often accompanied by pianists, guitarists, or even small jazz combos. The “country blues,” usually considered an earlier form of the genre, was actually recorded in the mid-1920s. There are several regional styles of country blues, including delta blues from the Mississippi Delta, Texas blues, and Piedmont blues from the Southeast. Country blues was usually recorded by a single male singer, self-accompanied on the guitar or piano, with perhaps an accompanying harmonica or simple percussion. Charley Patton, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Blind Boy Fuller, and Robert Johnson were country blues musicians. Beginning in the 1930s, blues musicians fell under the influence of urban culture, including popular music and jazz. Combos incorporating piano, guitar, and percussion developed, although the country, “downhome” origins of the musicians were still evident in the music. Major musicians of the 1930s included Tampa Red, Big Bill Broonzy, Little Brother Mongomery, Leon Carr and Scrapper Blackwell, Lonnie Johnson, and Memphis Minnie. After World War II, the use of electrified instruments became inevitable. During the 1940s, some blues bands even incorporated saxophones, although the preference was for amplified harmonicas, especially in Chicago, a predominant center of blues recording in the 1950s. Blues from this period is often called “urban blues,” “electric blues,” or simply “Chicago blues.” Important urban blues musicians included Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Elmore James, Howlin’ Wolf, T-Bone Walker, and B. B. King. Blues remains with us in contemporary American culture, and as a traditional musical form it has been subjected to countless revivals and reinterpretations. Its current practitioners often integrate the sounds and instrumental pyrotechnics of rock music and the sheen of urban soul; but the twelve-bar form, variations on the blues chord progression, and emotive lyrical content remain relatively unchanged. 100 greatest classic blues songs
1. Memphis Blues - W.C. Handy 2. Crazy Blues - Mamie Smith 3. Pine Top Boogie - Pine Top Smith 4. Dust My Broom - Elmore James 5. Boogie Chillun - John Lee Hooker 6. Mannish Boy - Muddy Waters 7. Stormy Monday - T-Bone Walker 8. Hellhound On My Trail - Robert Johnson 9. Spoonful - Willie Dixon 10. The Thrill Is Gone - B.B. King 11. Good Morning Little Schoolgirl - Sonny Boy Williamson I 12. Born Under A Bad Sign - Albert King 13. Forty Four Blues - Roosevelt Sykes 14. Smokestack Lightnin' - Howlin' Wolf 15. Statesboro Blues - Taj Mahal 16. Hoochie Coochie Man - Muddy Waters 17. Juke - Little Walter 18. The Little Red Rooster - Willie Dixon 19. Come In My Kitchen - Robert Johnson 20. I'm a King Bee - Slim Harpo 21. The Things That I Used To Do - Guitar Slim 22. Back Door Man - Willie Dixon 23. It's My Own Fault - B.B. King 24. I'm Tore Down - Freddie King 25. T-Bone Blues - T-Bone Walker 26. Sweet Home Chicago - Robert Johnson 27. Preaching The Blues - Son House 28. Nobody Knows You When You're Down & Out - Bessie Smith 29. I Can't Be Satisfied - Muddy Waters 30. Shake Your Moneymaker - Elmore James 31. Matchbox Blues - Blind Lemon Jefferson 32. Hideaway - Freddie King 33. How Long, How Long Blues - Leroy Carr & Scrapper Blackwell 34. Five Long Years - B.B. King 35. Red House - Jimi Hendrix 36. Cross Road Blues - Robert Johnson 37. All Your Love - Magic Sam 38. Give Me Back My Wig - Hound Dog Taylor 39. Reconsider Baby - Lowell Fulson 40. Worried Life Blues - Sleepy John Estes 41. If Trouble Was Money - Albert Collins 42. I Ain't Superstitious - Willie Dixon 43. Sweet Black Angel - Robert Nighthawk 44. I Know What You're Putting Down - Louis Jordan 45. Black Snake Moan - Blind Lemon Jefferson 46. Ball and Chain - Big Mama Thornton 47. Further On Up The Road - Bobby 'Blue' Bland 48. I Can't Quit You Baby - Otis Rush 49. Boom Boom - John Lee Hooker 50. Born In Chicago - Paul Butterfield Blues Band 51. Let The Good Times Roll - Louis Jordan 52. Pride and Joy - Stevie Ray Vaughan 53. Pony Blues - Charley Patton 54. The Sky Is Crying - Elmore James 55. Catfish Blues - Robert Petway 56. Highway 49 - Big Joe Williams 57. See That My Grave Is Kept Clean - Blind Lemon Jefferson 58. Blues Before Sunrise - Leroy Carr & Scrapper Blackwell 59. Baby Please Don't Go - Big Joe Williams 60. Bumble Bee - Memphis Minnie 61. I'm Ready - Muddy Waters 62. It Hurts Me Too - Elmore James 63. Stop Breakin' Down - Robert Johnson 64. Texas Flood - Stevie Ray Vaughan 65. I'm In The Mood - John Lee Hooker 66. Me and The Devil Blues - Robert Johnson 67. The Walkin' Blues - Taj Mahal 68. 'Taint Nobody's Bizness If I Do - Bessie Smith 69. It's Tight Like That - Tampa Red 70. Love In Vain - Robert Johnson 71. Evil - Willie Dixon 72. Baby Scratch My Back - Slim Harpo 73. Wang Dang Doodle - Koko Taylor 74. On The Road Again - Canned Heat 75. Rock Me Mama - Arthur 'Big Boy' Crudup 76. Three O'Clock Blues - B.B. King 77. Tomorrow Night - Lonnie Johnson 78. Boom Boom Out Go The Lights - Little Walter 79. The Same Thing - Willie Dixon 80. West Coast Blues - Blind Blake 81. How Many More Years - Howlin' Wolf 82. Cryin' Shame - Lightnin' Hopkins 83. Rollin & Tumblin - Elmore James 84. Everyday I Have The Blues - B.B. King 85. Messin Around - Memphis Slim 86. Blues After Hours - Pee Wee Crayton 87. Eyesight To The Blind - Sonny Boy Williamson II 88. CC Rider - Ma Rainey 89. I'm Tired - Savoy Brown 90. Graveyard Dream Blues - Ida Cox 91. Beaver Slide Rag - Peg Leg Howell 92. Key To The Highway - Big Bill Broonzy 93. Messin' With The Kid - Junior Wells 94. The Seventh Son - Willie Dixon 95. As The Years Go Passing By - Gary Moore 96. We're Gonna Make It - Little Milton 97. Drinking Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee - Stick McGhee 98. Hard Luck Blues - Roy Brown 99. Black Magic Woman - Fleetwood Mac 100. Stone Crazy - Buddy Guy 100 greatest classic blues instrumentals 1. Juke - Little Walter 2. Hide Away - Freddie King 3. Albatross - Fleetwood Mac/Peter Green 4. San-Ho-Zay - Freddie King 5. Phillip's Goes Banana's - Hound Dog Taylor 6. The Supernatural - John Mayall's Bluesbreakers 7. Wham - Lonnie Mack 8. Strollin' With Bones - T-Bone Walker 9. Hawaiian Boogie - Elmore James 10. Chitlin' Con Carne - Junior Wells 11. Thank You Mr. Poobah - Paul Butterfield Blues Band 12. Roller Coaster - Little Walter 13. Remembering Stevie - Buddy Guy 14. Okie Dokie Stomp - Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown 15. Hookin' - Earl Hooker 16. Frankie & Johnny Boogie - Memphis Slim 17. Lookin Good - Magic Sam 18. Avalanche - Albert Collins 19. Albert's Shuffle - Mike Bloomfield/Al Kooper 20. Rude Mood - Stevie Ray Vaughan 21. Cha Cha The Blues - Charlie Musselwhite 22. 12:15 Slow Goonbash Blues - Shuggie Otis 23. Blue Guitar - Earl Hooker 24. Blues For Shawn - Ronnie Earl 25. Ice Pick - Albert Collins 26. Easy Rider - Electric Flag 27. Chicago Breakdown - Big Maceo 28. Blues Boys Tune - B.B. King 29. Sweet Ginny - Jay Hawkins 30. Side Tracked - Freddie King 31. Unmilitary Two-Step - Rory Gallagher 32. Bill's Blues - Ronnie Earl 33. Blues Fore' Dawn - Jimmy Thackery 34. The Blues Walk - Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown 35. Drivin' Wheel - Earl Hooker 36. Boogie Albert - John Mayall 37. You and Me - Snooks Eaglin 38. 4811 Wadsworth (Blues For George) - Rod Piazza 39. The Stumble - Freddie King 40. Wade In The Water - Dr John 41. Purple - Shuggie Otis 42. Sad Hours - Little Walter 43. Jam On a Monday Morning - Buddy Guy 44. Tribute To Elmore James - Roy Buchanan 45. The Messiah Will Come - Jimmy Thackery 46. Hey Jose - Ronnie Earl 47. Whammer Jammer - J. Geils Band 48. Blues We Like - B.B. King 49. Christo Redemptor - Charlie Musselwhite 50. Hot Fingers - Lonnie Johnson 51. The Screwdriver - Earl Hooker 52. Tribal Dance - Fleetwood Mac/Peter Green 53. Dirty Girl - Jimmie Vaughan 54. Really - Mike Bloomfield/Al Kooper 55. Old Time Sake - Guitar Shorty 56. Scuttle Buttin' - Stevie Ray Vaughan 57. The Deacon's Hop - Big Jay McNeely 58. Z Rider - Sonny Landreth 59. Blues For Otis Rush - Ronnie Earl 60. Roy's Blues - Jimmy Thackery 61. Blues In D Natural - Earl Hooker 62. Harlem Nocturne - Charlie Musselwhite 63. Driven' Slow - Johnny London 64. Night Train - Jimmy Forrest 65. Apollo Jump - Lucky Millinder 66. Screamin' - Paul Butterfield Blues Band 67. Extra Jimmies - The Fabulous Thunderbirds 68. Torqueflite 727 - James Harman 69. Hot & Heavy - Earl Hooker 70. Sittin' On Top Of The World - Rod Price 71. Dockside Boogie - Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown 72. T-Bone Shuffle - Duke Robilliard 73. Aint That Dandy - Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown 74. Down at J.J's - Anson Funderburgh 75. Easy - Jimmy & Walter 76. Messin Round With The Blues - Earl Hooker 77. Little Johnny Lee - Ronnie Earl 78. A Handfull of Riffs - Lonnie Johnson 79. Blues For Nothing - Mike Bloomfield/Al Kooper 80. Spann's Stomp - Otis Spann 81. Jigsaw Puzzle Blues - Fleetwood Mac 82. Cold Feet - Albert King 83. The Clock Strikes Twelve - Bo Diddley 84. Evan's Shuffle - Muddy Waters 85. Off The Wall - Little Walter 86. The Late Frieght Twist - Johnny Guitar Watson 87. Overall Junction - Albert King 88. Stop - Mike Bloomfield/Al Kooper 89. Boogie In The Dark - Jimmy Reed 90. Cincinnati Flow Rag - Rev. Gary Davis 91. House Rent Stomp - Big Bill Broonzy 92. Homesick's Shuffle - Homesick James 93. The Creeper Returns - Little Sonny 94. Jukebox Shuffle - Lowell Fulsom 95. Blues After Hours - Pee Wee Crayton 96. Cole Slaw - Frank Culley 97. Mellow Blues - Sonny Thompson 98. Blues For The Red Boy - Todd Rhodes 99. Long Gone - Sonny Thompson 100. Dark Was The Night - Blind Willie Johnson 100 greatest influential blues artists 1. W.C. Handy 2. Son House 3. Bessie Smith 4. Robert Johnson 5. B.B. King 6. T-Bone Walker 7. Muddy Waters 8. Little Walter 9. Lonnie Johnson 10. John Lee Hooker 11. Blind Lemon Jefferson 12. Elmore James 13. Willie Dixon 14. Freddie King 15. Billie Holiday 16. Stevie Ray Vaughan 17. Charlie Patton 18. Ma Rainey 19. Leadbelly 20. Howlin' Wolf 21. Louis Jordan 22. Big Bill Broonzy 23. Skip James 24. Sonny Boy Williamson I 25. Professor Longhair 26. Mamie Smith 27. Blind Blake 28. Robert Nighthawk 29. Memphis Minnie 30. Leroy Carr 31. Arthur Big Boy Crudup 32. Ida Cox 33. Tampa Red 34. Sonny Boy Williamson II 35. Lightnin' Hopkins 36. Charles Brown 37. Albert King 38. Brownie McGhee 39. Junior Wells 40. Missippi John Hurt 41. Jimmy Reed 42. Ray Charles 43. Blind Willie Johnson 44. Big Mama Thornton 45. Big Joe Turner 46. Albert Collins 47. Sleepy John Estes 48. Rosco Gordon 49. Otis Spann 50. Walter "Furry" Lewis 51. Reverend Gary Davis 52. Big Maceo 53. Blind Boy Fuller 54. Pinetop Smith 55. Hound Dog Taylor 56. Roosevelt Sykes 57. Buddy Guy 58. Johnny Winter 59. Big Joe Williams 60. Missippi Fred McDowell 61. Slim Harpo 62. Etta James 63. Tommy Johnson 64. Big Walter Horton 65. Sippie Wallace 66. Amos Milburn 67. Bobby Blue Bland 68. Victoria Spivey 69. Otis Rush 70. Gus Cannon 71. Sunnyland Sims 72. Magic Sam 73. Memphis Slim 74. Willie Brown 75. John Mayall 76. Big Maybelle 77. Champion Jack Dupree 78. Johnny Shines 79. Julia Lee 80. Josh White 81. Sister Rosetta Tharpe 82. J B Hutto 83. Jesse Fuller 84. Eric Clapton 85. Blind Willie McTell 86. Eddie Taylor 87. Peatie Wheatstraw 88. Wynonie Harris 89. Meade Lux Lewis 90. Jimmy Rushing 91. Taj Mahal 92. KoKo Taylor 93. Charles Musselwhite 94. Luther Allison 95. Frank "Son" Seals 96. Honeyboy Edwards 97. Ruth Brown 98. Barbecue Bob 99. Johnny Ace 100. James Cotton cont...honorable mentions Robert Jr. Lockwood Sonny Terry R L Burnside Mance Lipscomb Junior Parker Carey Bell Bukka White Houston Stackhouse Robert Pete Williams Jimmy Rogers Robert Cray John Hammond St. Louis Jimmy Oden Helen Humes J. B. Lenoir Leroy Carr Nappy Brown Scrapper Blackwell Alger Texas Alexander Henry Brown 100 greatest blues albums 1. King Of The Delta Blues - Robert Johnson 2. West Side Soul - Magic Sam 3. Born Under A Bad Sign - Albert King 4. I Am The Blues - Willie Dixon 5. A Man and The Blues - Buddy Guy 6. Hoodoo Man Blues - Junior Wells & Buddy Guy 7. Fathers And Sons - Muddy Waters 8. Moanin' In The Moonlight - Howlin' Wolf 9. Texas Flood - Stevie Ray Vaughan 10. Dance With Freddie King - Freddie King 11. Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton - John Mayall 12. The Gate Of The Horn - Memphis Slim 13. The Paul Butterfield Blues Band - Paul Butterfield 14. Coffee Blues - Mississippi John Hurt 15. The Natch'l Blues - Taj Mahal 16. It Serves You Right To Suffer - John Lee Hooker 17. Spotlight On Lucille - B.B. King 18. Blues After Hours - Elmore James 19. I Do Not Play No Rock and Roll - Mississippi Fred McDowell 20. Completely Well - B.B. King 21. Couldn't Stand The Weather - Stevie Ray Vaughan 22. Down and Out Blues - Sonny Boy Williamson 23. Confessin' The Blues - Little Walter 24. Johnny Winter - Johnny Winter 25. King of The Blues Guitar - Albert King 26. Can't Get No Grindin' - Muddy Waters 27. T-Bone Blues - T-Bone Walker 28. Howlin' Wolf - Howlin' Wolf 29. Ice Pickin' - Albert Collins 30. Roy Buchanan - Roy Buchanan 31. One More Mile - Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown 32. Bonanza of Instrumentals - Freddie King 33. English Rose - Fleetwood Mac 34. From The Cradle - Eric Clapton 35. I Feel Like Goin' On - Ronnie Earl 36. I'll Play The Blues For You - Albert King 37. Blues Singer - Buddy Guy 38. Raw Sienna - Savoy Brown 39. Hard Again - Muddy Waters 40. Natural Boogie - Hound Dog Taylor 41. Taj Mahal - Taj Mahal 42. A Hard Road - John Mayall 43. Progressive Blues Experiment - Johnny Winter 44. Hawk Squat - J.B. Hutto 45. Stand Back - Charlie Musselwhite 46. Showdown - Albert Collins, Robert Cray & Johnny Copeland 47. The Wham of That Memphis Man - Lonnie Mack 48. Bad News Is Coming - Luther Allison 49. Long Way Home - Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown 50. Third Degree - Johnny Winter 51. In Step - Stevie Ray Vaughan 52. Nothin But The Blues - Johnny Winter 53. The Resurrection of Pigboy Crabshaw - Paul Butterfield Blues Band 54. Two Steps From The Blues - Bobby "Blue" Bland 55. Alone & Acoustic - Buddy Guy & Junior Wells 56. Boogie With - Canned Heat 57. Blues On The Bayou - B.B. King 58. I'm A Blues Man - Z.Z. Hill 59. The Colour Of Love - Ronnie Earl 60. Chicago Bound - Jimmy Rogers 61. Double Time - Leon Redbone 62. Delta Blues - Son House 63. Hard Time Killing Floor Blues - Skip James 64. Dark Was The Night - Blind Willie Johnson 65. Beginnings - The Allman Brothers 66. Otis Spann is the Blues - Otis Spann 67. Mississippi Fred McDowell - Mississippi Fred McDowell 68. Singin' The Blues - B.B. King 69. East West - Paul Butterfield 70. Alright Again - Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown 71. Move It On Over - George Thorogood 72. Riding With The King - B.B. King & Eric Clapton 73. Right Place, Wrong Time - Otis Rush 74. At Last - Etta James 75. Endless Boogie - John Lee Hooker 76. Slideways - Roy Rogers 77. Girls Go Wild - The Fabulous Thunderbirds 78. Cold Snap - Albert Collins 79. Strike Like Lightning - Lonnie Mack & Stevie Ray Vaughan 80. Still Got The Blues For You - Gary Moore 81. Strong Persuader - Robert Cray 82. Slippin' In - Buddy Guy 83. Crusade - John Mayall 84. Roll Away The Stone - Kelly Joe Phelps 85. The Son Seals Blues Band - Son Seals 86. After Hours - Gary Moore 87. Lead Me On - Kelly Joe Phelps 88. Original Fleetwood Mac - Fleetwood Mac 89. T-Bird Rhythm - The Fabulous Thunderbirds 90. Gate Swings - Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown 91. Indianola Mississippi Seeds - B.B. King 92. Hooker & Heat - John Lee Hooker & Canned Heat 93. Black Magic - Magic Sam 94. Stone Crazy - Buddy Guy 95. Houserockin' - Hound Dog Taylor 96. Mr. Scrapper's Blues - Scrapper Blackwell 97. White African - Otis Taylor 98. Hard Drivin' Blues- Roosevelt Sykes 99. Koko Taylor - Koko Taylor 100. Relentless - Danny Gatton Blues Artists in Alphabetical order: A Albert Collins Albert King Alexis Korner Alvin Youngblood Hart Ana Popovic Anson Funderburgh Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup Aynsley Lister B B. B. King Barbecue Bob Bessie Smith Big Bill Broonzy Big Joe Duskin Big Joe Turner Big Joe Williams Big John Wrencher Big Maceo Merriweather Big Mama Thornton Big Walter Horton Billy Boy Arnold Billy Branch Billy F. Gibbons Black Ace Black Cat Bones Blind Blake Blind Boy Fuller Blind John Davis Blind Lemon Jefferson Blind Mississippi Morris Blind Willie Johnson Blind Willie McTell Blues Explosion Blues Incorporated Bluesbreakers Bluesology Bo Diddley Bob Brozman Bob Gaddy Bob Margolin Bobby "Blue" Bland Bobby Rush Bobo Jenkins Bonnie Lee Bonnie Raitt Boogie Bill Webb Boogie Woogie Red Booker T. Laury Brownie McGhee Buddy Guy Bukka White Bumble Bee Slim Buster Benton Buster Pickens Byther Smith C Calvin Frazier Canned Heat Carey Bell Carl Weathersby Casey Bill Weldon Champion Jack Dupree Charles Brown Charley Lincoln Charlie Musselwhite Charlie Parr Charlie Patton Charlie Spand Chicken Shack Chris Duarte Chris Farlowe Chris Rea Chris Thomas King Christian Dozzler Chuck Berry Clara Smith Clarence Gatemouth Brown Clarence Edwards Climax Blues Band Coco Montoya Colin James Corey Harris Cream Cripple Clarence Lofton Cuby and the Blizzards Curley Weaver Cyril Davies D Dan Sane Danny Kirwan Darrell Nulisch Dave Kelly Dave Peabody Dave Specter David Honeyboy Edwards Davy Knowles Deanna Bogart Del Rey Derek Trucks Doug Macleod Dr. Feelgood Dr. John Duane Allman Duffy Power Duke Robillard Duster Bennett E Earl Hooker Eddie "Chief" Clearwater Eddie "Guitar" Burns Eddie Boyd Eddie Mapp Eddie Shaw Eddie Taylor Eddie Vinson Elmore D Elmore James Elvin Bishop Eric Bibb Eric Burdon Eric Clapton Eric Sardinas Ernie Hawkins Ethel Waters Etta Baker Etta James Eugene "Buddy" Moss F Fenton Robinson Fleetwood Mac Floyd Council Floyd Dixon Floyd Jones Frank Stokes Frankie Lee Sims Freddie Brooks Freddie King Furry Lewis G Gabriel Brown Gary B.B. Coleman Gary Moore Gary Primich Gaye Adegbalola Gene Kelton Geoff Bradford George Harmonica Smith George "Mojo" Buford George Thorogood Georgia Tom Dorsey Gladys Bentley Golden "Big" Wheeler Graham Bond Gus Cannon Guy Davis Gwyn Ashton H Hans Olson Hans Theessink Harmonica Shah Harry Manx Henry Thomas Henry Townsend Hound Dog Taylor Houston Stackhouse Howlin' Wolf Hubert Sumlin Hugh Laurie I Ian Siegal Ida Cox Indigenous Ivory Joe Hunter J J. B. Hutto J. B. Lenoir J.D. Short James "Stump" Johnson James Armstrong James Cotton James Harman James Hunter James "Son" Thomas Janis Joplin Jay McShann Jazz Gillum Jeff Beck Jeff Healey Jelly Roll Morton Jeremy Spencer Jerry Lee Lewis Jesse Fuller Jim Jackson Jimi Hendrix Jimmie Vaughan Jimmy Burns Jimmy Dawkins Jimmy Johnson Jimmy McCracklin Jimmy Reed Jimmy Rogers Jimmy Thackery Jimmy Witherspoon Jo Ann Kelly Joanna Connor Jody Williams Joe Bonamassa Joe Louis Walker Joe Pullum Joe Weaver Joe Willie Wilkins John Hammond John Henry Barbee John Jackson John Kirkbride John Lee Hooker John Mayall Johnnie Bassett Johnny "Man" Young Johnny B. Moore Johnny Childs Johnny Copeland Johnny Shines Johnny Williams Johnny Winter Jonny Lang Josh White Junior Kimbrough Junior Wells K Kansas Joe McCoy Keb' Mo' Keith Richards Kelly Joe Phelps Ken Saydak Kenny Brown Kenny Neal Kenny Wayne Shepherd Kip Anderson Koko Taylor Kokomo Arnold L L.V. Johnson Larry Davis Larry Garner Larry McCray Lead Belly Lee McBee Leroy Carr Leroy Foster “Baby Face” Lightnin' Hopkins Lil Green Lil' Ed Williams Little Brother Montgomery Little Hatch Little Mack Simmons Little Milton Little Richard Little Sammy Davis Little Smokey Smothers Little Sonny Little Walter Little Willie Littlefield Lonesome Sundown Long John Hunter Lonnie Brooks Lonnie Johnson Lonnie Mack Lonnie Pitchford Louis Jordan Louisiana Red Lowell Fulson Lucille Bogan Lucille Hegamin Lucky Peterson Luther Allison M Ma Rainey Maggie Jones Magic Sam Magic Slim Mamie Smith Mance Lipscomb Marcia Ball Marvin Gaye Matt Schofield Meade Lux Lewis Memphis Minnie Memphis Slim Mick Jagger Mick Taylor Mike Bloomfield Mike Morgan Mississippi Fred McDowell Mississippi John Hurt Mitch Woods Moody Jones Mose Allison Mose Vinson Moses "Whispering" Smith Muddy Waters Murali Coryell N Nick Moss North Mississippi Allstars Nuno Mindelis O Oli Brown Otis "Smokey" Smothers Otis Grand Otis Redding Otis Rush Otis Spann Otis Taylor P Papa Charlie Jackson Papa Charlie McCoy Pappo Paul "Wine" Jones Paul Butterfield Paul Lamb Pee Wee Crayton Peetie Wheatstraw Peg Leg Howell Percy Mayfield Pete Mayes Peter Green Phil Wiggins Piano Red Pinetop Perkins Pink Anderson Professor Longhair R R. L. Burnside Rabbit Brown Ramblin' Thomas Ramon Goose Ray Charles Reverend Gary Davis Robben Ford Robert Cray Robert Johnson Robert Lockwood, Jr. Robert Nighthawk Robert Shaw Robin Trower Rod Piazza Ronnie Earl Roomful of Blues Roosevelt Sykes Rory Block Rory Gallagher Roscoe Shelton Roy Book Binder Roy Brown Roy Buchanan Roy Milton Rufus Thomas Ruth Brown S Saffire Uppity Blues Women Sam Collins Sam Myers Sammy Lawhorn Savoy Brown Scrapper Blackwell Screamin' Jay Hawkins Sean Costello Seasick Steve Shakey Jake Harris Shemekia Copeland Sherman Robertson Shirley Griffith Silas Hogan Sippie Wallace Sister Rosetta Tharpe Skip James Sleepy John Estes Slim Harpo Smokey Hogg Smokey Wilson Smoky Babe Snooks Eaglin Snooky Pryor Solomon Burke Son Bonds Son House Son Seals Sonny Boy Williamson I Sonny Boy Williamson II Sonny Terry St. Louis Jimmy Oden Stan Webb Steve Freund Steve James Steve Nardella Stevie Ray Vaughan Sue Foley Sugar Ray Norcia Susan Tedeschi T T-Bone Walker T-Model Ford Tab Benoit Tabby Thomas Taj Mahal Tampa Red Terry Garland The Animals The Blues Band The Blues Brothers The Butler Twins The Fabulous Thunderbirds The Legendary Blues Band The Rolling Stones Tinsley Ellis Tommy Castro Tommy Johnson Tommy McClennan Tony McPhee Top Topham U U.P. Wilson V Victoria Spivey Virginia Liston W Walter Brown Walter Davis Walter Roland Walter Trout Walter Vinson Washboard Sam Washboard Willie Wayne Baker Brooks Whistlin' Alex Moore William Clarke Willie Brown Willie D. Warren Willie Dixon Willie Love Wynonie Harris Z Z. Z. Hill ZZ Top |
_Dan Aykroyd talks about The Blues
ROBERT JOHNSON
The most influential Delta blues musician of all time. We've dedicated a full page to the music, history and legend of Robert Johnson. Check it out. Congress declares 2003 "Year of the blues".
Passes bill in recognition of the importance of blues music. Read Congressional Bill here April is Jazz Appreciation Month in the U.S.
There was a resolution by the US Congress in support of this - and does recognize the historical and cultural contribution of jazz (and blues) as a uniquely American art form with historical - cultural - and yes, musical importance. This celebration was started by the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C. many years ago -- and is now celebrated on over 40 countries. Note: While Jazz and Blues are considered close cousins they are respectfully regarded as separate disciplines and musical genres and this particular celebration is primarily focused on promoting the Jazz genre. http://www.smithsonianjazz.org/ Recommended Articles about Blues Music
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blues National Association for Music Education http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jazz_appreciation_month http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Museum_of_American_History http://www.smithsonianjazz.org/ http://www.imc-cim.org http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505263_162-57410403/musical-history-of-the-blues-found-in-juke-joints/ "The blues is like a planet. It's an enormous topic. You can't ignore the impact that it has had and continues to have on the whole musical culture. It's a tree that everyone is swinging from. Without it, I don't know where I would be. It's indelible and indispensable."
Tom Waits 
|
