1. By: Michael Stillings

2. History  Sometime around 1890, the blues emerged as a distinct African-American art form, rooted in the southern U.S. and drawing on work songs and hollers, folk tradition, black spirituals, and the popular music of the time  (from the "race records" craze of the 1920s through the blues-fueled rock revolution of the postwar years) and the history of black and white race relations in the century ahead.

3. More info  The blues ain't nothing but a good man feelin' bad." That's what Leon Redbone said, anyway, and who can't relate to that?  Another clever bluesman once said that the blues is what the blues doctor prescribes for people who have the blues,  By the 1910s (when the first recorded blues were published as sheet music).

4. Histroy  Blues came into its own as an important part of the country's relatively new national popular culture in the 1920s.  made it the cornerstone of the tremendously popular British and American blues rock of the next decade.

5. History about the instrument  A typical blues band includes at least one guitarist, bass player and drummer and a vocalist. Vocals are sometimes provided by one of the instrumentalist.  The lead guitarist may play with a pick or finger-style.  may use a metal or glass slide to fret the guitar to get a different feeling to his/her sound.

6. histroy  While blues lyrics often deal with personal adversity, the music itself goes far beyond self-pity. The blues is also about overcoming hard luck, saying what you feel, ridding yourself of frustration, letting your hair down, and simply having fun.

7. Bessie Smith  Bessie Smith (1894-1937) was known as the "Empress of the Blues," a title appropriate in light of both her talent and demeanor. Smith got her professional start in 1912, when she sang in the same show as Ma Rainey, and recorded a string of hits from 1923 to 1928.

8. Mamie Smith  Mamie Robinson was born probably in Cincinnati,Ohio,cinnati  (May 26, 1883 – September 16, 1946) was an American vaudeville singer, dancer, pianist and actress.  As a vaudeville singer she performed a number of styles, including jazz and blues.

9. Ma Ramey  April 26, 1886 – December 22, 1939.  Ma Rainey was known for her very powerful vocal abilities.

10. More about Ma Ramey  and performed under the name Ma Rainey after she and Will Rainey were married in 1904.  and a ‘moaning’ style of singing.  Rainey recorded with Louis Armstrong in addition to touring and recording with the Georgia Jazz Band. She continued to tour until 1935 when she retired to her hometown. [1] [1]

11. More about ma Ramey  Rainey recorded with Louis Armstrong in addition to touring and recording with the Georgia Jazz Band. She continued to tour until 1935 when she retired to her hometown. [1 [1

12. B.B. King  (born September 16, 1925),  Over the years, King has developed one of the world's most identifiable guitar styles.  In 1956 it was noted that he appeared at 342 shows. King continues to appear at 100 shows a year.

13. More about B.B. king  In King's words, "When I sing, I play in my mind; the minute I stop singing orally, I start to sing by playing Lucille."Lucille  His economy and phrasing has been a model for thousands of players.

14. B.B. King  In 1956 it was noted that he appeared at 342 shows. King continues to appear at 100 shows a year.

15. Jeff Beck  Born: June 24, 1944, Surrey, England  He later formed his own self-named group, with then unknown vocalist Rod Stewart and bassist Ron Wood (who would later join the Rolling Stones as a guitarist).

16. Jeff Beck  he is known for the stunning power, authority and control of his fretwork as well as for his somewhat erratic versatility.

17. Big Bill Broonzy  Born: June 26, 1893, Scott, Mississippi Died: August 15, 1958, Chicago, Illinois Also known as: William Lee Conley Bronzy.

18. Big bill broonzy  As a young boy Big Bill Broonzy would return home from a day's fieldwork with cornstalks.

19. Ruth Brown  Born: January 1, 1928, Portsmouth, Virginia  Ruth Brown's smooth vocals made the rhythm and blues charts regularly between 1949 and 1955,

20. Ruth Brown  he is known for the stunning power, authority and control of his fretwork as well as for his somewhat erratic versatility.