Blues forms, characteristics, and development. Focuses on musical style and development; performer-centered biographies belong in Artists.
Test your knowledge with these top questions!
In which Alabama studio city did Etta James record her gritty 1967 hit album Tell Mama?
James traveled to Rick Hall's FAME Studios, blending her Chicago blues pedigree with southern swamp-rock session players.
In which sports ring did Willie Dixon win the 1937 Illinois State Golden Gloves heavyweight championship?
Dixon sparred with Joe Louis before quitting boxing over a purse dispute and turning his full attention to music.
What female name did B.B. King give to his trademark Gibson guitars?
King named the guitar after a woman who sparked a brawl that burned down an Arkansas dance hall he was playing.
Which Fender guitar model is most famously associated with blues showman Buddy Guy?
Guy popularized the model in blues with wild feedback, string bends, and his trademark black-and-white polka-dot finish.
Which signature instrument did Howlin' Wolf play alongside his deep, gravelly vocals?
Wolf learned harmonica from Sonny Boy Williamson II, who had married Wolf's sister Mary in the Delta.
Which standard blues anthem did Robert Johnson record in 1936 praising an Illinois destination?
The track adapted earlier blues melodies and became an anthem for generations of Chicago blues musicians.
What was unusual about left-handed Albert King's guitar technique?
King took a right-handed guitar and flipped it without restringing, pulling down on the high strings to bend notes.
Which 1969 crossover hit earned B.B. King his first Grammy Award?
Producer Bill Szymczyk added string arrangements to the track, creating a polished sound that crossed onto pop radio.
In which northern industrial city did John Lee Hooker develop his urban electric boogie sound?
Hooker worked in Detroit auto factories while playing clubs along Hastings Street in the Black Bottom neighborhood.
What was Mississippi John Hurt's everyday occupation in Avalon, Mississippi, before his 1963 musical rediscovery?
Hurt worked corn and cotton fields for decades, playing music on weekends for local gatherings and square dances.