The History of a True American Musical Art Form - The Blues

In the history of music there has probably notIn northern cities like Chicago and Detroit, during
been one musical style that has influenced "Popularthe later forties and early fifties, Muddy Waters,
Music" more than Blues. Blues also is unique in thatWillie Dixon, John Lee Hooker, Howlin' Wolf, and
it is truly an "American" musical art form. As weElmore James among others, played what was
will discover, the roots of the musical styles ofbasically Mississippi Delta blues, backed by bass,
Jazz, Rock, Gospel and musical artists from BBdrums, piano and occasionally harmonica, and
King, Elvis Presley, The Beatles and The Rollingbegan scoring national hits with blues songs. At
Stones to Led Zeppelin, all were heavily influencedabout the same time, T-Bone Walker in Houston
by the Blues.and B.B. King in Memphis were pioneering a style
It is important to note that the term "Popularof guitar playing that combined jazz technique
Music" as I have used it above is a bit misleading.with the blues tonality and repertoire. It is also
Too often we mention Classical Music and Popularimportant to mention that the roots of Jazz
Music as too completely different musicalbegan with the Blues. So, if there were no Blues,
expressions. I am not inferring that they are notthere would be no Jazz!
very different from each other. What I am sayingIn the early nineteen-sixties, the urban bluesmen
is that the word "Popular" actually only relates towere "discovered" by young white American and
the time period one lives in.European musicians. Many of these blues-based
Let me explain. If we were living in Europe in 1786bands like the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, the
when Mozart was 30 years old and in the heightRolling Stones, the Yardbirds, John Mayall's
of his career (he died at age 36) his music wouldBluesbreakers, Cream, Led Zeppelin, Canned Heat,
have been considered Popular, would it not? Ifand Fleetwood Mac, brought the blues to young
there had been recording studios, radio stations,white audiences, something the black blues artists
Mp3's and iPods in 1786 would it be too naive andhad been unable to do in America except through
simplistic to conclude that one of his symphoniesthe purloined white cross-over covers of black
or piano concertos would have been a "Top-Tenrhythm and blues songs. Since the sixties, rock
Release?" And if so, would it not be consideredhas undergone several blues revivals. Some rock
"Popular Music?" I think you will admit that this isguitarists, such as Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Jimi
certainly an unconventional but truthfulHendrix, and Eddie Van Halen have used the blues
perspective.as a foundation for offshoot styles. While the
Since Blues has been such a powerful influence, itoriginators like John Lee Hooker, Albert Collins and
is important to understand why. Following is aB.B. King--and their heirs Buddy Guy, Otis Rush,
brief history.and later Eric Clapton and the late Roy Buchanan,
The Blues were born in the North Mississippi Deltaamong many others, continued to make fantastic
following the Civil War. Its heartfelt and passionatemusic in the blues tradition. The latest generation
performances are deeply rooted in slavery andof blues players would be Robert Cray and the
the African American culture. Early compositionslate Stevie Ray.
were Field Hollers, Ballads, Church Spirituals andToday there are many different shades of the
Rhythmic Dance tunes called Jump-Ups thatblues. Forms include:
showcased a singer who would engage in aTraditional county blues - A general term that
call-and-response with his guitar. He would sing adescribes the rural blues of the Mississippi Delta,
line, and the guitar would answer. For many years,the Piedmont and other rural locales.
due to the lack of music education, multitudes ofJump blues - A danceable amalgam of swing and
songs were recorded and passed on only byblues and a precursor to R&B. Jump blues
memory. Because of this fact, it is very possiblewas pioneered by Louis Jordan.
that many a great song was "lost in translation."Boogie-Woogie - A piano-based blues popularized
The Blues became the essence and hope of theby Meade Lux Lewis, Albert Ammons and Pete
African American laborer, whose spirit is wed toJohnson, and derived from barrelhouse and
these songs, reflecting his inner soul to all who willragtime.
listen. Rhythm and Blues is the cornerstone of allChicago blues - Delta blues electrified.
forms of African American music. The Blues, withCool blues - A sophisticated piano-based form that
it's 12-bar, dissonant 7th chord progression and itsowes much to jazz.
bent-note melodies were the early anthems of anWest Coast blues - Popularized mainly by Texas
oppressed race, bonding themselves togethermusicians who moved to California. West Coast
through their soulful cries for freedom andblues is heavily influenced by the swing beat.
equality. From its origins at the crossroads ofâEUR¨
Highways 61 and 49, and the platform of theThe public's affection for the Blues only seems to
Clarksdale Railway Station, the blues eventuallybe increasing. In Dana Point California, the city
began to expand and headed north to Bealenext to mine, Doheny Beach now has a yearly
Street in Memphis.Blues Festival that keeps getting bigger and bigger.
The term "The Blues" refers to the "The BlueOthers can be found in Portland, New York,
Devils", meaning melancholy and sadness. An earlyChicago, San Francisco, and the list goes on.
use of the term in this sense is found in GeorgeAs for me personally, Blues has always been a
Colman's one-act farce Blue Devils (1798). Thoughregular part of my life. When I play guitar and sing
the use of the phrase in African American musicwith other musicians, it is the easiest and most
may be older, it has been attested to since 1912,enjoyable form of popular music to "jamb" with.
when Hart Wand's "Dallas Blues" became the firstWhen I was growing up and my parents owned a
copyrighted blues composition.music store and rock club called The Four Muses
The Blues form was first mainstreamed aboutin San Clemente California from 1965 to 1975, we
1911-14 by the black composer W.C. Handyalways had Blues groups performing. Most notable
(1873-1958). However, the poetic and musicalwas the famous Blues Duo of Sonny Terry and
form of the blues first crystallized around 1910Brownie McGhee.
and gained popularity through the publication ofMy only personal problem with listening to a lot of
Handy's "Memphis Blues" (1912) and "St. LouisBlues is that it can become very repetitious and
Blues" (1914). Instrumental blues had beennot "fresh" sounding due to the consistent use of
recorded as early as 1913. During the twenties,the standard 12 bar Blues Chord Progression. That
the blues became a national craze.said, I highly recommend that everyone make an
Mamie Smith recorded the first vocal blues song,attempt to listen to some live Blues this summer.
'Crazy Blues' in 1920. The Blues influence on jazzThe music and the crowd it attracts normally
brought it into the mainstream and made possibleguarantee an enjoyable experience.
the records of blues singers like Bessie Smith andThank you for reading!
later, in the thirties, Billie Holiday.