The Blues

1. B.B. King @16 Jimmie Hendrix Robert Cray The Blues Mamie Smith Buddy Guy Eric Clapton Then and Now Willie Dixon Eddie Lang Chuck Berry Stevie Ray Vaughan Gatemouth Brown Muddy Waters Dr. John • (Info from the internet) John Mayer

2. Jazz History - The Blues The genesis of most popular musical styles can be traced back to the “Blues." Developed from an outgrowth of the early African-American experience, its earliest influences shaped the roots of American music ranging from gospel choirs and bar room singers in the deep South, to early jazz, R&B, rock and roll, and pop styles of today. Blues was passed down from generation to generation through an "oral" tradition, and originally acted as a functional music offering African-Americans a vehicle to convey their daily experiences. Early forms of the blues include the "field holler," which allowed laborers in the fields to keep in contact with each other, while the "ring shout" was used for dancing. W.C. Handy, known as the "Father of the Blues," published his "Memphis Blues" in 1912, becoming the first song to include "blues" in the title. W.C. Handy's birthplace in Florence, Alabama W.C. Handy

3. Blues Gets Famous Blues gained commercial success in 1920 when vocalist Mamie Smith's recording of "The Crazy Blues" became an instant sensation. Another Smith — Bessie Smith (not related) was proclaimed the "Empress of the Blues" based on the prowess of her first recordings in 1923, which contributed some of the lasting masterpieces of the first blues craze. In the late 1920s and '30s, Lonnie Johnson became the first modern blues guitarist. His playing influenced the Delta Blues style of Robert Johnson, as well as T-Bone Walker, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, and B.B. King. Additionally, his work with jazz legends Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington, as well as his duet recordings with guitarist Eddie Lang, influenced the jazz style of many jazz guitarists. Ma Rainey Bessie Smith Robert Johnson Lonnie Johnson

4. Blues to R&B to Soul • Emerging during the 1940s, “Jump Blues" incorporated the upbeat boogie-woogie piano style, clever lyrics, and punchy horn riffs derived from the big band era. Artists like saxophonist and vocalist Louis Jordan broadened the popular appeal of the blues. Adding an emphasis on the vocal lead. • Jump Blues eventually developed into the “Rhythm and Blues" (R&B) of the 1950s, which influenced the “Rock and Roll" style of Chuck Berry and Bill Haley. • By the '60s, with its infusion of gospel roots, R&B developed into “Soul" music with groups including James Brown and Sly and the Family Stone. • The 1950s and '60s spawned the popularity of Chicago Blueswith artists including Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, and Willie Dixon. Guitarists like Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton fused the blues style with 1960s rock music, influencing future generations of pop and blues artists. • Pivotal blues artists in the 1980s and '90s included Stevie Ray Vaughn, Johnny Winter, ZZ Top and Robert Cray.