Blues Music

Blues Music

Blues music was originally founded in the southern United States in rural African American communities. Noted for its use of strong emotion through vocal and instrumental techniques, blues music has strongly influenced many later genres that incorporate these elements. Today, many famous musicians are influenced by blues music. Some of the most popular contemporary blues musicians often bend and defy the genre to create unique music. Though the genre started out as a regional musical style, today, you’ll find artists of all races throughout the world who are influenced by the blues and continue to perform in the genre.

What Is Blues Music?

Blues music is a genre that began in the late 1800s and early 1900s by African Americans in the southern United States. This musical genre derives inspiration from early African-American influences, such as work songs and field hollers. Before the genre achieved widespread popularity, it was a regional music style found in the Mississippi Delta. However, blues eventually became popular all over the US and continues to inspire new musicians and other genres, such as jazz, rock, and hip-hop. Though blues has historical roots firmly planted in southern African American musical culture, today, musicians of all races play in the blues genre.

Form, Lyrics, and Techniques

Blues music commonly takes the twelve-bar blues song form that follows an AAB pattern. It’s also noted for its emotionally charged lyrics. Common lyrical themes that are often present in the blues genre include death, love, sex, betrayal, violence, and humor. The songs were also centered around emotional lyrics rather than a story-driven narrative.

The vocal and musical techniques that characterize blues music also intend to portray strong emotions. Melisma is a technique where the vocalist moves between a few different notes while singing one syllable. The blues is also noted for its microtonal pitches (blues notes), which deviate from standard pitches.

Typically, the blues is accompanied by the guitar or the piano. In its early days, the acoustic guitar was the instrument of choice. However, in later years, the electric guitar became popular in the urban blues (a subgenre). Instrumentally, blues musicians would employ techniques, like “choking” or bending the strings. Blues musicians also use a metal slide on their guitar to achieve a particular sound.

Influence

Blues music has strongly influenced other genres and musical artists and is closely related to jazz. Plus, it has also been an influence on other genres that came after it, like country, rock, and hip-hop. Famous musicians from other genres, like Elvis Presley, Louis Armstrong, and Eric Clapton have all been influenced by and used elements of blues music in their work.

What Is the History of Blues Music?

The exact origins of the blues genre aren’t well-known or documented. However, it’s agreed upon that blues music was commonly sung around the 1890s among African Americans in the southern United States. The first blues song ever recorded would not happen until after 1910.

The Blues entered mainstream consumption in the early twentieth century when W.C. Handy started publishing blues music. After spending some time in Mississippi Delta, he developed his own blues music stemming from the popular music style of this region. Though he isn’t considered the founder of blues music, he is one of the first blues artists to gain traction outside of the region. He recorded his song, “Memphis Blues” in 1912, which became hugely popular.

Ma Rainey was another influential pioneer of the blues genre. Known as the “Mother of the Blues,” her powerful vocals and fearless lyrics appealed to more than just a small southern regional audience. She helped to put the blues genre into the mainstream consciousness, as her music appealed to everyone, including the North and both the rural and urban populations of the country.

In the 1920s, African American women began to record blues songs to much acclaim. Mamie Smith was one of the first African American artists to record vocally for a recording studio. Her recorded song, “Crazy Blues” was extremely successful. Other women of this time also found mainstream success in recording their blues music, including Bessie Smith, Ethel Waters, and Ida Cox.

Urban Blues

The 30s and 40s brought a lot of changes to the United States, particularly the Great Depression and World Wars, which caused a number of African Americans to leave the South. This led to the scattering of blues music across the country. In urban environments, like Chicago and Detroit, the blues morphed slightly. The addition of electric guitars and amplified harmonicas were common. Lyrically, the blues also took on more urban themes. The Chicago blues was one of the most influential subgenres to come out of this period. Many famous blues artists originated here, like Muddy Waters, Elmore James, and Howlin’ Wolf.

Modern Blues

Blues music remains a popular genre today. However, more popular genres, like rock and hip-hop often use a lot of musical elements that characterize the blues genre. Additionally, as blues music spread throughout the US, musicians from different regions put their own creative take on the genre. Subgenres continued to pop up all over the country which highlights these differences. There are many subgenres of blues music that adhere to different regional styles. Some of the most popular include Chicago blues, Memphis blues, and West Coast blues.

Lyrically, blues music has adapted and evolved over time. Many modern blues artists continue to push the boundaries of the genre, going without the usual melancholy lyrics. Or, incorporating different musical styles to make a blues song that’s unique and all their own.

Additionally, blues has become a popular genre outside of the United States. In the UK, there are contemporary blues musicians, who bring their own unique spin on the genre. Elles Bailey, a UK blues singer, incorporates a few different genres to influence her work, including Americana and rock.

Other famous blues musicians of today include Joe Louis Walker. As an award-winning blues artist, Walker has toured extensively since his first foray into the music industry in 1986 with his debut album “Cold Is the Night.” He has continued to release blues albums as recently as 2023. His work has been applauded for its mastery of the blues genre while also incorporating other musical styles, such as gospel and soul.

Today, blues music is a popular and influential genre among modern musicians. Many of today’s most listened-to genres take cues from the blues, including rock, hip-hop, and country. Though the genre has evolved from its early roots in southern African American rural communities, there are still distinctive features of the genre. Many vocalists still employ a lot of the singing techniques that characterize the genre. Additionally, famous musicians are influenced by blues music, including Bonnie Raitt and Eric Clapton.