2. Important People WC Handy Robert Johnson Bessie Smith
Blind Lemon Jefferson

4. How it started…. W.C. Handy was waiting for a train
He heard the unforgettable sound of a man running a knife against the strings of his guitar while he sang, “Goin’ where the Southern cross the Dog.”
Not long after, in 1912 Handy published “Memphis Blues”

5. W.C. Handy

6. The Blues Genre of music originating in the Deep South – about 1900
At its roots – a poetry about the lifestyle of the time
3 Lines
Line A and B can repeat
Everything rhymes
“Bluesy” text – hardships in life
Vocal inflections (pitch bending)

7. Lyric Examples I hate to see that evening sun go down,
Cause my baby, she done left this town.
There's a place I know, folks won't pass me by,
Dallas, Texas, that's the town, I cry, oh hear me cry.
And I'm going back, going back to stay there 'til I die.
If you ever been down, you know just how I feel
Like a tramp on the railroad ain’t got a decent meal.

8. Cultural Background Two elements come together to create this style:
Black community of the deep south
Music is already an important part of the culture

9. Black community of the deep south
At the time – VERY impoverished
Music is already an important part of the culture
Was used as during work, at home, church, etc.

10. The Blues - Musical Form
Broken into 12 measures
What is a measure?
Three chords are used in the entire piece
What is a chord?
Extensive use of “blue” notes

11. Blue notes First – let’s take a major scale
Scale – series of pitches
Major scale – most common one we know
Then – we alter some by lowering them
Could also be referred to as bending
These altered notes create a “dreary” sound that became the basis of the genre

12. City blues Popularized by club singers
Moved to the city, wanted to make money

13. WC Handy Born in Alabama
Responsible for bringing this “regional” music to the national audience
As a teacher in the south – travelled around and collected the “folk” music of the culture
Memphis Blues – 1909
St Louis Blues

14. Memphis Blues

15. Record Market Almost entirely black during the 1920s and 1930s
Became to be known as race records
Record companies advertised exclusively to blacks and only black stores sold the records

16. The Race Records
The record industry saw the promise – but how do you make this work?
Created two markets:
“black” music – sell to white market
“black” music – sell to black market
Which do you think made more money?

17. “Race records” was not a derogatory term
In fact – many black musicians took pride in the term
Became a sign of nationality/heritage

18. `

19. St. Louis Blues Sung by Bessie Smith Written by WC Handy
Female singers were more popular at the time
Written by WC Handy
Listen for a “Moaning” quality to her voice
She draws out notes to evoke despair = vocal inflection
Lyrics are a typical “blues” (depressing) subject
Love gone wrong – escape into happiness

20. Smith – St Louis Blues

21. Bio Video on Smith

22. Enter the Country Blues
WC Handy was responsible for bringing the blues to the general population
In the process – he “cleaned” it up.
But there was a market for the true “original” material.

23. Country Blues
Throughout the 1920’s - record companies started looking for the “raw” talent.
Would travel into the south
Arrange for blues singers to come north
Later in the 1920’s – mobile recording units
“Country” is not what you think of as country.
Means the regional styles of the blues that developed.

24. “Blind” Lemon Jefferson
“Father of Texas Blues”
Known for his high-pitched voice and guitar playing

25. See That My Grave is Left Clean

26. Black Snake Moan

27. Robert Johnson 1911-1938 Mississippi Delta Blues
Poorly documented life
Recognized for his talents only after he died
Influenced MANY guitarists after him – including those that had a hand in creating rock and roll

28. Come on in my kitchen
Uou better come on in my kitchen well, it's goin' to be rainin' outdoors
Yeah can't you hear that wind how;? You can hear it now You better come on in my kitchen 'cause it's goin' to be rainin' outdoors Oh when a woman gets in trouble everybody throws her down lookin' for a good friend but none cane be found You better come on in my kitchen babe it's goin' to be rainin' outdoors
Tou better come on in my kitchen well, it's goin' to be rainin' outdoors
A woman I know took my best friend some joker got lucky stole her back again
He better come on in my kitchen it's goin' to be rainin' outdoors
Well she's gone I know she won't come back I took the last nickel out of her nation sack

29. 12 Bar Blues
3 Chords (1,4,5) Each based off of scale note # A | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | A | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | B | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 (5)| Almost EVERY Rock song in the 50’s uses this

30. 12 Bar Blues https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yd60nI4sa9A
Sweet Home Chicago
Another example…

31. In exchange for this talent….he made a deal with the devil.
At the “crossroads”
Mirrors the legend of
Faust (Romantic era)

32. Death is a mystery Aug 16th 1838 in Greenwood Mississippi
Murdered/Poisoned?
No one is exactly sure where he is buried
Has 3 different gravestones

33. Assignment Start think about topics for a blues composition.
Something “depressing,” but it could be something simple (i.e. ran out of milk)
It will have 4 verses related to your topic