Blues music originated in the southern United States in the late 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, and chants. It is heavily influenced by West African musical traditions. As it developed, blues incorporated elements of ragtime, vaudeville, and other styles, evolving into a wide range of subgenres and styles. While blues lyrics often address personal struggles, the music itself is uplifting and cathartic, giving voice to universal human experiences.
The origins of blues
The origins of blues music lie in the work songs and field hollers of enslaved African Americans, dating back to the 17th century. These songs used call-and-response patterns and blue notes, pitches that fall between standard notes in Western music. Instruments like the banjo and guitar were adapted from African instruments like the banjar and xalam. As the African American population became more urbanized in the late 1800s, blues developed into a distinct musical form drawing from ragtime, hymns, spirituals, and rural folk music traditions.
By the early 20th century, the blues crystallized into a standard 12-bar form and began to spread via published sheet music. The first blues recordings were made in the 1920s by artists like Mamie Smith, Gertrude “Ma” Rainey, and Bessie Smith. Major record labels began seeking out and recording rural blues musicians, bringing artists like Blind Lemon Jefferson, Charley Patton, Son House, and Robert Johnson to wider audiences. In the 1940s, the blues evolved into jump blues and then rhythm and blues, leading to the rise of Chicago blues and electric blues.
Different styles of blues music
Over its long history, blues music has spawned an array of distinct styles and subgenres. Some major types of blues include:
- Delta blues: Originated in the Mississippi Delta region, features intricate guitar work and expressive vocals.
- Chicago blues: Developed in Chicago in the 1940s/50s, often features amplified harmonica, piano, drums, and electrified instruments.
- Jump blues: Upbeat style influenced by big band jazz and swing music.
- Electric blues: Emerged in the 1940s/50s, defined by its use of electric guitars and amplifiers.
- Blues rock: Blues blended with rock music, popularized in the 1960s by artists like the Rolling Stones.
- Soul blues: Combines blues with elements of soul and R&B.
- Blues rap: Blues aesthetics and lyrics blended with hip hop beats.
Regional subgenres have also developed, like Texas blues, Memphis blues, West Coast blues, and British blues. The versatility of blues has enabled it to continuously evolve and expand over the past century.
Instruments commonly used in blues music
While blues can be played on almost any instrument, certain instruments are strongly associated with the genre:
- Guitar: Acoustic and electric guitars are essential to most blues bands. Common techniques include fingerpicking, slides, and improvised lead riffs.
- Harmonica: Also called “blues harp,” the harmonica features prominently in many blues songs, often providing instrumental solos.
- Piano: Blues piano infuses ragtime, gospel, and boogie-woogie influences into blues tunes.
- Drums: Drum sets provide rhythm in blues bands, with rhythms derived from shuffle beats and swing.
- Bass: The electric bass took over from the double bass in 1950s blues bands, laying down the rhythmic foundation.
- Vocals: Passionate vocals are central to conveying the emotion of blues songs.
- Horns: Horns like the saxophone and trumpet are common in big band blues and jazz-influenced styles.
Other instruments like the mandolin, violin, washboard, and diddley bow have been used to diversify blues arrangements.
Common themes and meanings in blues lyrics
Blues lyrics often deal with personal adversity and hardships. Common themes found in blues songs include:
- Love and relationships: Blues explores both the joy and pain of romance, from infidelity to loneliness.
- Sexuality: Many blues songs deal candidly with sex and sexuality.
- Suffering: The difficult living conditions endured by many early blues artists generated lyrics about injustice and oppression.
- Travel and movement: Restlessness and the search for opportunity motivated lyrics about rambling and trains.
- Drug and alcohol use: References to recreational substances are frequent in blues songs.
- The supernatural: Elements of spirituality and mysticism make their way into some blues music.
However, the overall spirit of blues tends to be optimistic and empowering. The music allows marginalized groups to give voice to their experiences, take control of their narratives, and transcend their circumstances through creative expression.
Famous blues musicians who shaped the genre
Many innovative artists contributed to the development and popularization of blues music over the 20th century. Some influential musicians include:
- Robert Johnson: His guitar skills and flair for songwriting made him a foundational figure in Delta blues.
- Muddy Waters: Electrified Delta blues and helped create Chicago blues, pioneering the use of amplification.
- B.B. King: The “King of Blues,” known for his expressive singing and eloquent guitar playing.
- Howlin’ Wolf: Booming blues shouter with an imposing stage presence and powerful voice.
- Elmore James: Slide guitar master who influenced rock musicians like the Rolling Stones.
- Sister Rosetta Tharpe: Trailblazing gospel and blues singer and guitarist who crossed over into popular music.
- T-Bone Walker: Pioneered electric blues guitar soloing and influenced B.B. King and others.
- John Lee Hooker: Created a distinctive blues style featuring his gritty vocals and spare guitar work.
Other essential artists include Ma Rainey, Big Mama Thornton, Memphis Minnie, Son House, Willie Dixon, Etta James, and Bessie Smith.
The influence of blues on other genres
As a founding roots music genre, blues had an unmatched influence on the development of popular music. Some of its most direct contributions include:
- Jazz: Blues and jazz grew alongside each other in the early 20th century, with musicians like Louis Armstrong helping fuse the styles.
- Rock and roll: Blues guitar licks, song structures, and the electric blues of Muddy Waters and others directly informed rock music.
- R&B: Rhythm and blues drew heavily on jump blues and other blues forms, leading to soul and funk.
- Hip hop: Blues samples are common in hip hop tracks, and blues influences can be heard in rap vocals.
- Country: Country pioneers like Hank Williams infused blues moods and scales into their music.
- Gospel and spirituals: Blues partially evolved from sacred African American music.
- Zeydeco, ska, reggae: Regional styles like zeydeco and international genres including ska and reggae exhibit blues influences.
Virtually every major music form to emerge during and after the 20th century was touched and transformed by the blues.
Keyrecord labels associated with blues music
While independent labels and regional record companies helped capture early blues artists, a few prominent labels led the way promoting blues to national audiences:
- Chess Records: Home to Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Willie Dixon, Etta James, and others throughout the 1950s.
- Sun Records: Recorded B.B. King, Junior Parker, and other electric blues pioneers in the early 1950s.
- Alligator Records: Helped popularize blues revival artists and continues to release contemporary blues albums.
- Arhoolie Records: Specialized in Texas and regional blues styles beginning in the 1960s.
- Yazoo Records: Milestone label that reissued rare 1920s/1930s blues 78 rpm records to new audiences.
- Delmark Records: Put out essential recordings by J.B. Hutto, Junior Wells, and others from the ‘50s onward.
- RCA Victor: Released groundbreaking blues 78s by Broonzy, Jefferson, and Johnson.
- Columbia: Signed Bessie Smith in the 1920s, later releasing albums by blues artists.
Key festivals showcasing blues music
Festivals have become vital institutions in preserving blues legacies and exposing new audiences to the music. Some leading blues festivals include:
| Festival | Location | Key Facts |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Blues Festival | Chicago | Free event held annually since 1984. Features over 500,000 attendees and top artists. |
| King Biscuit Blues Festival | Helena, AR | Running since 1986, takes place in October and has showcased blues legends. |
| Crossroads Guitar Festival | Dallas, TX | Launched in 2004 by Eric Clapton to benefit his drug treatment center. |
| Mississippi Valley Blues Festival | Davenport, IA | Established in 1991, occurs annually in July. |
| Briggs Blues Festival | Asbury Park, NJ | Takes place in July, originally called the Asbury Blues Festival. |
| Bluestown Sunset Jam | Memphis, TN | Free Monday evening concert series held through the summer. |
Other important festivals include the San Francisco Blues Festival, the Tampa Bay Blues Festival, and the Telluride Blues & Brews Festival.
How technology changed blues music
Technology profoundly impacted blues music’s evolution and helped catalyze new subgenres:
- Radio: Allowed blues artists like Bessie Smith to reach national audiences in the 1920s.
- Jukeboxes: Helped popularize and distribute blues songs to wider groups of listeners.
- Microphones: Gave vocalists like Big Mama Thornton more expressive freedom in songs.
- Electric guitars/amps: Electrified instruments defined electric blues and enabled new playing techniques.
- Leslie speakers: Created a distinctive warbling tone used by guitarists like B.B. King.
- Recording: Extensive recording of rural bluesmen in the 1920s-30s preserved original styles.
- Tape delay: Effects like tape echo added atmospheric depth to electric blues recordings.
- Internet: Enabled online blues radio, band promotion, and greater access for new fans globally.
Without technology’s impact, blues may have remained a regional niche genre with limited commercial potential.
How blues music continues to thrive today
Despite its long history, blues music remains culturally relevant and stylistically innovative today through:
- Youth programs like Blues in the Schools, exposing new generations to blues and its history.
- Blues foundations and societies that preserve blues heritage and support young artists.
- Fresh fusions and explorations of blues with contemporary styles like hip hop, funk, and rock.
- International popularity, especially in countries like France, Germany, Norway and Japan.
- Thriving blues scenes in Southern US cities as well as overseas.
- High-profile blues festivals that attract broad audiences.
- Diverse new stars like Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Fantastic Negrito, and Sister Rosetta Tharpe.
- Releases from established labels and independent companies.
Far from fading away, blues continues to speak to diverse communities while nurturing promising new talents.
Conclusion
Born out of hardship and oppression, blues music gave creative voice to marginalized African Americans, eventually growing into a touchstone of American culture. Its universal themes, unforgettable melodies, and nuanced poetry will continue inspiring new generations of artists and fans. From poor Southern musicians striving for dignity to rock gods filling stadiums, blues created an enduring legacy that spans social strata and musical genres. More than a century after its birth, the blues remains a beloved treasure of the American spirit.
