Robert Johnson, a Delta blues singer, is generally considered responsible for the standardization of the 12-bar blues.Sheet music from "St. Louis Blues" (1914)Blind Blake was an influential blues singer and guitarist known as the "King of Ragtime Guitar".Bessie Smith was a very famous early blues singer.Muddy Waters at a young age.
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Blues

The blues is a vocal and instrumental form of music based on a pentatonic scale and a characteristic twelve-bar chord progression. The form evolved in the United States in the communities of former African slaves from spirituals, praise songs, field hollers, shouts, and chants. more...

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The use of blue notes and the prominence of call-and-response patterns in the music and lyrics are indicative of the blues' West African pedigree. The blues has been a major influence on later American and Western popular music, finding expression in ragtime, jazz, bluegrass, rhythm and blues, rock and roll, hip-hop, and country music, as well as conventional pop songs.

The phrase the blues is a synonym for having a fit of the blue devils, meaning low spirits, depression and sadness. An early reference to this can be found in George Colman's farce Blue devils, a farce in one act (1798). Later during the 19th century, the phrase was used as a euphemism for delirium tremens and the police. Though usage of the phrase in African American music may be older, it has been attested to since 1912 in Memphis, Tennessee with W. C. Handy's "Memphis Blues". In lyrics the phrase is often used to describe a depressed mood.

Characteristics

Origins

There are few characteristics common to all blues, because the genre takes its shape from the peculiarities of individual performances. However, some characteristics have been present since before the creation of the modern blues and are common to most styles of African American music. The earliest blues-like music was a "functional expression, rendered in a call-and-response style without accompaniment or harmony and unbounded by the formality of any particular musical structure." This pre-blues music was adapted from slave field shouts and hollers, expanded into "simple solo songs laden with emotional content". The blues, as it is now known, can be seen as a musical style based on both European harmonic structure and the West African call-and-response tradition, transformed into an interplay of voice and guitar.

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Eddie Guitar Burns - Uk Tour, Ad 1976Eddie Guitar Burns - Uk Tour, Ad 1976 $4.99 Trump Plaza presents Bb King advertising cardTrump Plaza presents Bb King advertising card $5.00
Monster Mike Welch Axe To Grind Promo PosterMonster Mike Welch Axe To Grind Promo Poster $4.99 1973 Clifford Brown Blues Record,Album Music Print Ad1973 Clifford Brown Blues Record,Album Music Print Ad $14.01
Dave Alvin Museum of Heart promo poster, 1993, 18x23Dave Alvin Museum of Heart promo poster, 1993, 18x23 $7.99 Eric Bibb 2001 Promo Photo Info Ad Painting Signs mint!Eric Bibb 2001 Promo Photo Info Ad Painting Signs mint! $8.00
Blues Kingpins [Digipak] by John Lee Hooker (Cd, Aug.Blues Kingpins [Digipak] by John Lee Hooker (Cd, Aug. $1.00 1982 Bb B.B. King photo One Of Those Nights trade ad1982 Bb B.B. King photo One Of Those Nights trade ad $9.99
Paul Butterfield 1971 Promo Poster & 1973 Unused TicketPaul Butterfield 1971 Promo Poster & 1973 Unused Ticket $44.99 8x10 publicity still- the Holmes Brothers (blues)8x10 publicity still- the Holmes Brothers (blues) $4.00
1991 Johnny Winter Lp Promo Poster Flat Let Me In edgar1991 Johnny Winter Lp Promo Poster Flat Let Me In edgar $3.95  Vintage Billie Holiday Lp Album "God Bless The Child" Vintage Billie Holiday Lp Album "God Bless The Child" $7.75
1989 Shirley Lewis photo "Passion" album promo ad1989 Shirley Lewis photo "Passion" album promo ad $9.99  Vintage B B King "Live And Well" Lp Album Vintage B B King "Live And Well" Lp Album $7.75
Debbie Davies Loose Tonight Promo PosterDebbie Davies Loose Tonight Promo Poster $5.99 James Armstrong Promo Photo Info Ad Dark Night mint!James Armstrong Promo Photo Info Ad Dark Night mint! $8.00
Eric Bibb 1999 Promo Photo Info Ad Black Acoustic RevivEric Bibb 1999 Promo Photo Info Ad Black Acoustic Reviv $8.00 B.B. King: MusiCards Blues Legends Trading Card #14 NmB.B. King: MusiCards Blues Legends Trading Card #14 Nm
1980 Vintage Ad LaBella'S Musician of Note Ron Carter1980 Vintage Ad LaBella'S Musician of Note Ron Carter $9.99 Robert Johnson Art Canvas Giclee PrintRobert Johnson Art Canvas Giclee Print $200.00
Marcia Ball Live Down The Road Rare (Ex) Cond PosterMarcia Ball Live Down The Road Rare (Ex) Cond Poster 1947 The Delta Rhythm Boys photo trade booking ad1947 The Delta Rhythm Boys photo trade booking ad $9.99
Dave Alvin Blue Blvd., text-only promo poster, 6x18Dave Alvin Blue Blvd., text-only promo poster, 6x18 $5.99 1994 Al Di Meola Orange and Blue Vintage Print Ad 1994 Al Di Meola Orange and Blue Vintage Print Ad
Psych Breedlove Austin Gig Poster Dan Dyer Vaughan 2005Psych Breedlove Austin Gig Poster Dan Dyer Vaughan 2005 $34.99 1975 B.B. King Guitar Player Magazine Cover1975 B.B. King Guitar Player Magazine Cover $7.99
Bb King signed Gibson LucilleBb King signed Gibson Lucille Mance Lipscomb Death Certificate Blues Music Rsrch ItemMance Lipscomb Death Certificate Blues Music Rsrch Item
Korn See You On the Other Side signed lightographKorn See You On the Other Side signed lightograph 20th Century Masters The Best Of The Ink Spots Collec.20th Century Masters The Best Of The Ink Spots Collec. $15.99
John Lee Hooker 50 Years Singing The Blues Poster AdJohn Lee Hooker 50 Years Singing The Blues Poster Ad $12.00 Original James Cotton Boxing Style Concert Poster Original James Cotton Boxing Style Concert Poster $9.00
Roy Rogers & Norton Buffalo R&B Poster (1991)Roy Rogers & Norton Buffalo R&B Poster (1991) $4.99 Buddy Guy Receives Century Award 1993 Promo Poster AdBuddy Guy Receives Century Award 1993 Promo Poster Ad $12.00
Otis Rush Lucky Peterson others 1994 Blues Promo AdOtis Rush Lucky Peterson others 1994 Blues Promo Ad $12.95 Jay McShann signed pencil portraitJay McShann signed pencil portrait
Buddy Guy and Junior Wells/ Antone'sBuddy Guy and Junior Wells/ Antone's $30.00 1972 Albert King "I'Ll Play Blues.You" Album Promo Ad1972 Albert King "I'Ll Play Blues.You" Album Promo Ad $9.99
Bo Diddley: MusiCards Legends Trading Card #261 NmBo Diddley: MusiCards Legends Trading Card #261 Nm  Vintage Billie Holiday Lp Album "Strange Fruit" Vintage Billie Holiday Lp Album "Strange Fruit" $7.75
Robert Cray "Don'T Be Afraid" Australian Poster - BluesRobert Cray "Don'T Be Afraid" Australian Poster - Blues $9.99 B.B. King 1982 Promo Poster Ad One Of Those Years.B.B. King 1982 Promo Poster Ad One Of Those Years. $9.95
Big Joe Turner 1998 Promo Photo Info Ad 10 Blocks AwayBig Joe Turner 1998 Promo Photo Info Ad 10 Blocks Away $8.00 1997 Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band 8” X 10” b/w Press Photo1997 Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band 8” X 10” b/w Press Photo $4.50
Eric Bibb Promo Photo Info Ad Home To Me mint cond!Eric Bibb Promo Photo Info Ad Home To Me mint cond! $8.00 Sarah Brown Sayin’ What I’m Thinkin’ Promo PosterSarah Brown Sayin’ What I’m Thinkin’ Promo Poster $4.99
Blues Traveler Mini Poster / Pin Up #1 uk RareBlues Traveler Mini Poster / Pin Up #1 uk Rare $3.95 Vintage 1979 B.B. King Take It Home Blue Album Photo AdVintage 1979 B.B. King Take It Home Blue Album Photo Ad $19.99
1993 Buddy Guy photo Damn Right I've Got Blues promo ad1993 Buddy Guy photo Damn Right I've Got Blues promo ad $9.99
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