The Blues

The blues is one of the most important types of music in American history. It grew out of the songs of African Americans in the Deep South in the late 1800s. The blues expresses deep feelings like sadness, loneliness, and hope. A blues singer might sound like they are crying through the music. The blues uses simple patterns, bending guitar notes, and heartfelt singing. It is the root of jazz, rock and roll, and many other styles.

Where the Blues Began

The blues started in the Mississippi Delta, a flat farming region in the southern United States. African Americans created this music from work songs, spirituals, and African rhythms. Early blues was often just one person singing and playing guitar. Robert Johnson was an early blues legend. B.B. King became famous for his guitar style and the way he made his guitar sing. Muddy Waters brought the blues to Chicago and plugged in an electric guitar.

The Blues Spreads Everywhere

As African Americans moved to cities in the north, they brought the blues with them. In Chicago, the blues became louder with electric guitars and bands. The blues inspired the birth of rock and roll in the 1950s. British bands like the Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin loved the blues and based their music on it. Even today, the blues lives on in almost every style of popular music you hear.

Fun Facts

• B.B. King named all of his guitars Lucille after a woman who caused a fire at one of his concerts.
• The word blues might come from the expression feeling blue, which means feeling sad.
• The standard blues song follows a pattern called the 12-bar blues that is used in thousands of songs.

Did You Know?

Nearly every style of popular music today, from rock to hip hop to country, has roots in the blues!