HomeWhat is the Blues?

What is the Blues?
Essays
Blues Books
Blues Biblography
Blues Radio Series

Background of Blues Music
Chicago Blues
Country Blues
Delta Blues
East Coast Blues
West Coast Blues
Harmonica Blues
Modern Electric Blues
Texas Blues
Country Blues
A catch all term that delineates the depth and breadth of the first flowering of guitar-driven blues, embracing solo, duo, and string band performers. The term also provides a convenient general heading for all the multiple regional styles and variations (Piedmont, Atlanta, Memphis, Texas, Acoustic Chicago, Delta, ragtime, folk, songster, etc.) of the form. While early Piano Blues and Classic Female Blues often fall into this genre, Country-Blues is primarily -- but not exclusively -- a genre filled with acoustic guitarists, embracing a multiplicity of techniques from elaborate fingerpicking to the early roots of slide playing. But some country-blues performers like Lightnin' Hopkins and John Lee Hooker were to later switch over to electric guitars without having to drastically change or alter their styles. Cub Koda ~ All Music Guide ~ allmusic.com