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Blues

Blues is about tradition and personal expression. At its core, the blues has remained the same since its inception. Most blues feature simple, usually three-chord, progressions and have simple structures that are open to endless improvisations, both lyrical and musical. The blues grew out of African spirituals and worksongs. In the late 1800s, southern African-Americans passed the songs down orally, and they collided with American folk and country from the Appalachians. New hybrids appeared by each region, but all of the recorded blues from the early 1900s are distinguished by simple, rural acoustic guitars and pianos. After World War II, the blues began to fragment, with some musicians holding on to acoustic traditions and others taking it to jazzier territory. However, most bluesmen followed Muddy Waters' lead and played the blues on electric instruments. From that point on, the blues continued to develop in new directions -- particularly on electric instruments -- or it has been preserved as an acoustic tradition.

Blues Styles

Acoustic Blues

Blues Revival

Chicago Blues

Chicago Blues

Country Blues

Country Blues

Delta Blues

Delta Blues

Early American Blues

East Coast Blues

Electric Blues

Electric Blues

Electric Chicago Blues

Electric Delta Blues

Electric Harmonica Blues

Electric Texas Blues

Folk-Blues

Harmonica Blues

Harmonica Blues

Jump Blues/Piano Blues

Louisiana Blues

Louisiana Blues

Memphis Blues

Modern Acoustic Blues

Modern Electric Blues

Modern Electric Blues

Modern Electric Texas Blues

New Orleans Blues

Piano Blues

Piedmont Blues

Pre-War Blues

Pre-War Country Blues

Texas Blues

Texas Blues

Urban Blues

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