A Brief History of the Blues -blending of European and African music -“blue” means depression or melancholy (since the Elizabethan era) -through oral tradition as far back as the 1860s. - the slaves sang songs filled with words telling of their extreme suffering -field holler: “They gave voice to the mood of alienation that prevailed in the construction camps of the South,” -Mississippi Delta that blacks were often forced to work on the levee and land-clearing crews, where they were often abused and then tossed aside or worked to death -Southern prisons also contributed considerably to the blues tradition through work songs and the songs of death row and murder, prostitutes, the warden, the hot sun, etc.

-call and response emerged -the guitar did not enjoy widespread popularity with blues musicians until about the early 1900s. Until then, the banjo was the primary blues instrument. -the blues first became popular around 1910 and gained popularity through the publication of W.C. Handy's "Memphis Blues" (1912) and "St. Louis Blues" (1914). -During the 1930s and 1940s, the blues spread northward with the migration of many blacks from the South and entered into the repertoire of big-band jazz -The blues also became electrified with the introduction of the amplified guitar. In some Northern cities like Chicago and Detroit, during the later forties and early fifties, Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, John Lee Hooker, Howlin' Wolf, and Elmore James among others, played what was basically Mississippi Delta blues, backed by bass, drums, piano and occasionally harmonica, and began scoring national hits with blues songs

-In the early nineteen-sixties, the urban bluesmen were "discovered” by young white American and European musicians. -Many of these blues-based bands like the Rolling Stones, the Yardbirds, Cream, Canned Heat, and Fleetwood Mac, brought the blues to young white audiences -Some rock guitarists, such as Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Jimi Hendrix, and Eddie Van Halen have used the blues as a foundation for their original styles. 20 Greatest Blues Albums of All Time:

Robert Johnson (May 8, 1911–August 16, 1938) Blues Legend

Robert Johnson (May 8, 1911–August 16, 1938)

ROBERT JOHNSON ( ) “Many have dubbed Johnson the father of modern rock and roll. Of all early bluesmen, Robert Johnson can be considered one of the more prolific. Although he did not live long enough to become as popular as many of the other earlier blues artists, his music has influenced a number of musicians who dramatically changed music history. Popular covers of his songs have been recorded by Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, Elmore James, The Red Hot Chile Peppers, and many, many others. Some find interesting the Legend behind the Legend: a partnership with the Devil- his soul for music infamy. Even more interesting is the reality of the man. Although little is known about his history (adding to the rumors surrounding his life) the music remains. (con’t)

ROBERT JOHNSON ( ) (Pt. 2) Throughout Rock and Roll, among guitar player's circles, and reverberating through blues fans conversations, Robert Johnson is a name commonly heard. Including the material that never saw issuance on 78's, there are 29 compositions and alternate versions of nearly half of them. Including the recent discovery of a previously unknown alternate take of one of Johnson's recordings, a total of 42 recordings remain to this day--the only recordings of one of the true geniuses of American music, blues singer extraordinaire Robert Johnson. He was rambling so fast, in fact, that he rarely gave anyone more than a glimpse at his shining star. Indeed, he hardly received more than a casual, passing glance, and was seen at the time by only a few of his musical associates and even fewer aficionados to be the consummate artist he was. To the world at large…Robert Johnson is the most influential Bluesman of all time and the person most responsible for the shape popular music has taken in the last six decades!”

Some Song Titles: “I Believe I’ll dust My Broom” “Rambling on my Mind” “Dead Shrimp Blues” “Cross Road Blues” “Hellhound on my Trail” “They’re Red Hot” “Me and the Devil Blues” “Milk Cow’s Calf Blues” “Drunken Hearted Man” Taken from:

Cross Road Blues -Robert Johnson I went down to the crossroad fell down on my knees I went down to the crossroadfell down on my knees Asked the lord above "Have mercy now save poor Bob if you please "Yeeooo, standin at the crossroad tried to flag a rideooo ooo eee I tried to flag a ride Didn't nobody seem to know me babe everybody pass me by Standin at the crossroad babe risin sun goin down Standin at the crossroad babeeee eee eee, risin sun goin down I believe to my soul now,Poor Bob is sinkin down You can run, you can runtell my friend Willie Brown (th)'at I got the croosroad blues this mornin Lord babe, I'm sinkin down And I went to the crossraod momma I looked east and westI went to the crossroad baby I looked east and west Lord, I didn't have no sweet womanooh-well babe, in my distress

I Believe I'll dust My Broom -Robert Johnson I'm gonna get up in the mornin I believe I'll dust my broom I'm gonna get up in the mornin I believe I'll dust my broom Girlfriend the black man you've been lovin girlfriend can get my room I'm gonna write a letter telephone every town I know I'm gonna write a letter telephone every town I know If I can't find her in West Helena she must be in East Monroe I know I don't want no woman wants every downtown man she meets I don't want no woman wants every downtown man she meets She's a no good dooney they shouldn't allow her on the street (con’t)

I Believe I'll Dust My Broom (p. 2) -Robert Johnson I believe, I believe I'll go back home You can mistreat me here babe,but you can't when I'm back home And I'm gettin up in the mornin I believe I'll dust my broom I'm gettin up in the mornin I believe I'll dust my broom Girlfriend the black man you been lovin girlfriend can get my room I'm gonna call up Chiney see is my good girl over there I'm gonna call up China see is my good girl over there I can't find her on Phillipine's island she must be in Ethiopia somewhere

Sweet Home Chicago -Robert Johnson Oh baby don't you want to go Back to the land of California to my sweet home Chicago Oh baby don't you want to go Back to the land of California to my sweet home Chicago Now one and one is two two and two is four I'm heavy loaded baby I'm booked I gotta go Cryin baby honey don't you want to go back to the land of California to my sweet home Chicago (con’t)

Sweet Home Chicago -Robert Johnson (p. 2) Now two and two is four four and two is six You gonna keep monkeyin round here friend-boy you gonna get your business all in a trick But I'm cryin baby honey don't you wanna go Back to the land of California to my sweet home chicago Now six and two is eight eight and two is ten Friend-boy she trick you one time she sure gonna do it again But I'm cryin hey hey baby don't you want to go back to the land of California to my sweet home Chicago

Dead Shrimp Blues -Robert Johnson I woke up this mornin and all my shrimp was dead and gone I woke up this mornin oohand all my shrimp was dead and gone I was thinin about you baby,why you hear me weep and moan I got dead shrimp heresomeone is fishin in my pond I got dead shrimp here, oohsomeone fishin in my pond I served my best bait babyand I can't do that no harm Everything I do babe you got your mouth stuck up Hole where I used to fish, you got me posted up Everything I do,You got your mouth stuck up And the hole where I used to fish babyyou've got me posted out I got dead shrimp heresomeone fishin in my pond Catchin my goggle eyed perchesand they barbequein the bone Now you take my shrimp babe you know you turned me down I couldn't do nothin, till I got myself unwound

Eric Clapton sees Johnson as "the most important blues musician who ever lived.” He described Johnson's music as "the most powerful cry that I think you can find in the human voice." When Keith Richards was first introduced to Johnson's music by his band mate Brian Jones, he replied, "Who is the other guy playing with him?", not realizing it was all Johnson playing on one guitar. "Robert Johnson, to whom we all owed our existence, in some way.” — Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin An important aspect of Johnson's singing, and indeed of all Delta Blues singing styles, and also of Chicago blues guitar playing, is the use of microtonality —his subtle inflections of pitch are part of the reason why his singing conveys such powerful emotion. In the summer of 2003, Rolling Stone magazine listed Johnson at number five in their list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time. The Influence of Robert Johnson